I am notorious for saying something along the lines of, "Crystals are just pretty rocks." All of my friends who walk more earth/nature aligned paths roll their eyes and assure me that there is something magical about the stones they have collected over the years. I do have some favorites, but they are solely based on how they appear. My favorite crystals are celestite, fluorite, and pyrite.
I made the decision to theme 2018 as the year of being more open minded, so I thought exploring crystals and their magical properties/uses might take me out of my comfort zone.
I had a few criteria, of course. If I was going to buy a stone, I would:
have to choose it intuitively.
have no idea what its uses were.
have to pull a Tarot card to let me know what purpose my new stone would serve.
Other criteria included not picking a rock because it was "pretty" or "aesthetic" or blue. (Your girl loves the color blue.)
I paid a visit to a local new age store and immediately went to the room where the crystals were kept. I held smooth tumbled rocks; I debated buying a giant glimmering amethyst. But there was one stone in particular that stood out. The weight of it in my hand, the general appearance of it, and the fact it was the only one on the table gave me the feeling that this was definitely the crystal for me.
The stone I chose was a barite and cerussite cluster. Research tells that these combined stones come from particular mines in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
The cerussite in my stone was quite gemmy, sparkling and dark silver in color. It was the perfect contrast to the barite, which stood out as a bright salmon pink. Barite also has a strange texture that reminds me of fish scales for some reason.
I drew the Wheel of Fortune card using my Seventh Sphere Tarot de Marseille deck by Labyrinthos. The Wheel of Fortune is the tenth card in the major arcana of Tarot. It tells us of greater and higher forces outside of human control being at play.
If you could, imagine Earth as one of those cake wheels at church picnics. You put your tokens down on random numbers and someone spins a wheel. You don't know where it is going to stop; you don't know if it will be in your favor. But there is definitely a rush to the idea of fate and chance marrying one another, and giving you a positive outcome.
This card is all about inevitability and the many cycles of life. It was safe to assume that this stone would bring many changes to my life.
Of course, I had to look up the meaning of this specimen. The combination of barite and cerussite call for those that own the stone to ask themselves why they have felt homesick. Those that are uprooted and unsettled typically gravitate towards this crystal, and helps them feel at home, wherever they may be. It is also a fan favorite of those practitioners that travel "between worlds." Balancing the left brain and right brain hemispheres, it drives creativity. It is known for attuning higher wisdom and purpose, helping to reveal the gifts that the owner brings to humanity.
I'd like to think that I chose this crystal for the purposes of loosening my reins, allowing change to happen, and to let myself settle down. After being in a constant state of movement for the last decade, I think this stone may help to remind me that it is okay to take a breather and recognize that what is will be, whether or not I like it.
What about you? What do you think?