Anatomy of a Meditation, what is Real? The Power of Metaphor (from Microcosm to Macrocosm)

This blog came out of a desire to capture a recent group Meditation – for reference – and as an enticement for folks considering coming out to one. I wanted to flesh out the event topic “New Beginnings: Clearing, and Opening” – and I do that – but not without delving into a plethora of other relevant topics: the Concrete vs. the Ephemeral; the Medical vs. Metaphysical Model; having a mission vs. playing it by ear (Improvisation); and so much more…

[a note about quotes: single quotes denote a concept, double quotes identify something actually said]

the mysterious ilvaite – with curvy, bowing terminations – representing a more proactive energy than black Tourmaline

I usually don’t preplan (‘to the T’) my in-person Meditation events. I generate the concept for it about a month out, looking ahead at the calendar – inspired by the seasons – foraging for whatever ideas feel relevant to explore in the moment.

I recall whatever else might have been taught recently – what prospective attendees may be interested in – and in any case, try to push our studies to the next level. My own learning is included, as important, because I don’t know everything (surprise, surprise).

As it gets closer, I start to pick out the appropriate stones, and begin formulating the progression of the usually 3 Meditations-within-the-Meditation that I do. By taking different ‘side roads’ during the course of our main journey, a broader level of awareness is reached. More ground is covered (and that’s a good thing!). A single Meditation, with long silences, is not my style (though it certainly has its place).

As the main concept for each segment comes into focus, I make sure to leave the event open for intuitive ‘light bulbs,’ or last minute, in-the-moment inspirations about whatever else I might dream up, on the fly.

Rocks in a Box – personal pieces – selected for a specific event.

By taking this approach, I’m not being flighty or flaky – winging it – I’m just being aware of the need not to be rigid. I think it’s important to go into a situation with a clear mission, and to welcome opportunities for expansion and evolution as they present themselves along the way.

For example, I have to be open to new stones I can bring in (even as the event is unfolding). That’s why I keep my For Sale & Personal Session pieces close by. I won’t think twice about leaving out stones I’d had originally picked for the occasion, even if it means they’re sitting it out sadly ‘in the box.’

Occasionally, I’m lucky enough to have an attendee take a bird’s eye view of what’s going on, and report in real time what’s happening – as it’s happening – from their own ‘objective’ viewpoint. Most recently, I was praised as a “master of metaphor,” which felt great (and seemed appropriate, given my whole approach – which is becoming clearer – even as I write this). Indeed her statement can fairly be said to have been a prime impetus for this whole Blog post.

Symbols stir up our subconscious, delivering experiences we would otherwise ignore, not notice, and be unaware of. It’s my job to ‘go there,’ for the sake of the community. As in any field – the full time practitioner should be relied upon to pioneer at the cutting edge – identifying new and different stones (in my case), and ascertaining how best to use them. When you buy a stone from me, or pay in to attend an event, you’re contributing in your own way to that much larger responsibility I’m bearing.

I most definitely use stones as both metaphor and actual representatives for all kinds of key (and essential) energetic nuances. We stimulate the imagination with Crystals & Metaphor – make use of what’s there, inside of us – and create new associations. It’s kind of exciting…like a song being written as it’s performed!

some of those in attendance at a Meditational gathering (I’m the one guy)

I hope you can see that in describing how I go about ‘building’ an event, that my most recent Meditation topic “New Beginnings: Clearing & Opening” is being addressed (albeit circuitously). As some say: “how you do anything is how you do everything.” And yet – how it feels live – during an in-person event of mine – is totally different from how I present a webinar, or write my Blogs. That’s the beauty of working with me in a few different capacities. Each medium has its unique offerings, appeal, and gift.

In writing, I’m much more self-conscious, I’m not channeling – or ‘streaming’ – as I do in other situations. I revisit my words many times – blogs can take weeks to complete – I’m ever fine-tuning and developing them. I’m up to 15 revisions here, and counting…

So my blogs are more for the readers amongst you, perhaps even ‘the intellectual.’ And yet I’m not much of a reader myself. I do lots of editing beyond this, but the real challenge is getting it all out. For whatever reason, I have a lot to say – to share – and feel like in doing so, some pretty substantial light is being shed on this field of Crystal Healing.

Once I press Publish, though, I’m confident that my writing covers the ground needed (and I imagine it being a chapter in some future book). So I apologize if these tomes seem long – some have suggested I write shorter pieces more often – but it takes awhile for these statements to percolate. If folks want pithier expressions, they can check out my Twitter and Facebook pages (that’s what they’re for).

I’m certainly not as left brained as I sometimes think I am. I’m not, after all, a statistician or accountant. I infuse my efforts with an artistic sensibility. Intention and focus are are definitely hosting my events – but inspiration, flexibility, and adaptability crash the party every time – that’s what makes it fun & interesting!

Amber – by its lighter density – automatically creates a magnetism, or pull, from the more dense, to the less dense.

So we’ve ‘established’ that working with Crystals is all about Metaphor. And Language as well, by extension [don’t get me started, that’s a whole other blog topic in itself]. They each represent something about our Consciousness (The Ethers) and Physicality (being themselves, quite tangible). This enables us to use and experience Crystals in ways that illustrate, bring out, and underscore our own important ‘inner workings’ – which ultimately manifest in in ‘the real world’ – and vice versa! This takes on a very personal and uniquely individual dynamic for each of us.

In different words, what I’m saying is that Crystals “are the thing” (meaning, they embody or contain within them certain energies, intrinsically) – but they are also “about the thing” (ie. representing of a concept, or vibration).

Rose Quartz – represents and emanates – Unconditional Love.

 

 

 

Take for example Rose Quartz. It’s said (by me) to bear the essence of Unconditional Love. I just noticed someone else saying that on Pinterest (“Love” I’ve heard before, but not my wording: “Unconditional Love,” until now). I’m glad to say that it feels like my framework for understanding Crystals is getting out there (little by little).

But can that possibly true? Can a rock be all that? I argue (elsewhere) that the Crystal Lore has gone overboard with making impossible (or excessive) associations. And yet, I’m all in favor of making leaps of faith. I believe that once you make an association (between object and and outcome, or meaning) – and it resonates for you, then YES – a rock can be all that. The keys are resonance – complementarity – a sort of call and response between you and the Crystals.

The sign of the swastika has come to carry and mean a whole lot more than a few lines scrawled on a wall (every picnic table at a campground I went to this Summer, had them carved in centrally). In its case, hatefulness overshadows its original import, as a mystical symbol from India.

Oppositely, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” When you love someone, you can easily disregard their foibles…the warm glow of your rose tinted glasses gives the object of your desire an elevated standing…in almost everything they do.

My point? That ‘objective reality’ is often neither. And people who claim it’s all there is are deluding themselves.

Entire societies function on a vast web of presuppositions and assumptions that shape our every move. What makes some consider Terrorism a perfectly logical course of action tells you something about their surrounding ethos, and circumstance. Likewise, the confluence of beliefs and prejudices prevailing in 2003 led the U.S. to invade Iraq under completely false pretenses.

Going further back – slavery was once considered an indispensable part of the economy – just as energy waste and global warming are considered acceptable side effects of modern life. It didn’t have to be that way, it doesn’t have to be this way. Our spiritual practice should enable us to increasingly think outside the box…how it could and should be, are items seriously worth considering…on the regular!

It is white, is it beige – is the pattern natural or real – what is the play of light here (on this Zebra Jasper)…

Who’s right and who’s wrong – that’s not for me to say in this context – but I bring up these points to illustrate how powerful and significant ideation (ideology), accepted world views, and yes: Imagination can be.

Ultimately, you believe in what you believe in – and that carries all the weight it needs to – to ‘get the job done.’ It’s what can lead us to start wars, stay in a marriage, keep going in to work every day – even hate – or love ourselves. It can hold such sway in superstitious societies -that a hex can kill you – if you let it (or believe it will).

We live in a world defined in large part by mental constructs. Let me say this again: there is no ‘objective’ reality to be had. Perhaps ‘things’ – material objects – all that we can point to as being real, are truly real? But how much more important is what they mean to us! A flag, a rock, a bus stop – each is not merely an object to us – each immediately initiates a cascade of associations. Meaning is everything.

The relationship between things and concepts is much much more fluid (both loose and close) in our world than we give it credit for. There’s so much more gray than black and white. I say this over and over again – especially to people who look to me for a quick health fix – as they say on Facebook, about relationships – “it’s complicated!”

Disease doesn’t just pop up out of a box. You can’t just stuff it all back in – or get rid of it like that. One thing Modern Medicine has done, is to give people that illusion…that they can be “fixed” – like cars. And one of the greatest pieces of misinformation about Crystals, is that they can “do this” and “do that,” performing similar, instant cures.

the unusual red (and power) of a flare / Diamantina laser

Crystals are not our minions, doing our bidding, like slaves. That gives them no credit or dignity, and gives the challenges facing us zero standing, in their own right. Fixing a human being is a lot more sophisticated, and ought to be handled on multiple levels, that no quick fix can ever hope to deliver. You can’t simply change out a light bulb and make everything okay.

How is it that Religions can so easily buy people’s loyalty by relaying miracles? Are we such simpletons? Would it not be better to preach the old adage: “pray, but move your feet.” Yes to the magic of inspiration, and Yes ALSO to the power of action!

Returning to my color metaphor, look even at the shades of Red. You can say “that’s red” – and on the surface of it – we’ll know what you mean. But the Artist in you knows how many variations (or shades) there really are on the theme. There’s a pale, almost pink tone; dark burgundy, like a wine; fire engine red…the list goes on. Likewise, there are gradations – quantitative (not just qualitative) delineations – between The Real and The Imagined.

A Fantasy can turn into a motion picture, from which are created memories. Images and Messages (‘the moral of the story’) can change lives, both during – and beyond – the experience of watching a film. Everything partakes of (and contributes to) Reality – from the dryest of rational views – to the wildest drug-induced hallucinations.

Indeed the most brilliant scientists will tell you that the more they learn, the more they realize they don’t know. Each perspective has meaning and value, regardless of how ‘tangible’ it is. And when we die, everything disappears (even though many of us think of the Soul as living on).

This is why I laugh when I hear the notion that Energy Medicine is irrelevant, and that ‘Traditional’ Medicine is all that matters. Never mind the fact that (by true definition) ‘Traditional Medicine’ – which would be ‘that which precedes Modern Medicine’ – was often about the energetics of a person’s condition. Herbalism, Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine – all these are truly traditional medicines – that take this approach (thinking about our functioning holistically), and they’re all still in use today (as they were a thousand years ago).

Basalt – one of the more ancient of stones – here shattered and polished by the wind and sand over eons, to make a ventifact that is powerful in clearing and excising.

What I’m saying is that the opposition between Allopathic and Metaphysical medicine is something I think of as made up – it’s artificial, imposed – and not helpful. Though I suppose, for folks those whose imagination is limited, it works out just fine – to see just one way to legitimately help folks.

“Only a doctor can cure you!” they say. “Yeah, yeah” I say. How many ailments leave doctors befuddled!?

At the same time, it cuts both ways – Alternative Health nuts can fail to see the very real benefits of going to the doctor – and that doing so certainly has merit.

For example, I know someone (who knows someone) who’s dying from Cancer. The patient refused to work with today’s conventional medical establishment, or to accept the many interventions it has to offer…and now she is paying the price (by dying prematurely).

A lot of suffering can be avoided by taking advantage of what’s been scientifically proven to help people.

Science, Medicine, and Energy Healing are all good!

Whatever the source of Healing, I say “Let it begin – it’s all G8D’s gift – receive it and LIVE!” Heck, I had Cancer twice – and was saved by surgery – which helped me live to tell the tale. To be fair – and to take some credit as well – I also changed my attitude and my diet (which were no mean feats), resulting in a life extension of decades.

The choices I made – the shifts in worldview that happened (about myself and everything around me) – all prepared the way for my pursuit of Crystal Consciousness. And then I had a major revelatory experience, but that wasn’t everything. People cheat themselves when they think of the universe as either mundane or sublime. It’s both, to be sure!

Remember, if you can, the story about the guy who drowned – reaches Heaven – and berates G8D for not saving him (with a miracle). Miracles are overrated! G8D respondes (and I paraphrase): “You’re wrong to think I wasn’t trying to save you – I sent you a life preserver, I sent you a boat, I sent you a helicopter – how many more tools, or ‘signs’ could I have offered?!” G8D does not only work in mysterious ways. Sometimes, Salvation can be quite simple, straightforward and practical.

In tying together many Quartz crystals in this double terminated formation, this amalgamated cluster represents a multiplicity of forces, or possibilities.

But I digress, not to put you off – Pagans and Atheists – with my mention of Deity. I actually think our world views are more similar than we might admit. I’m no holy roller, and I certainly don’t believe that there’s only one way of understanding Reality. That’s a revolutionary statement, in a rigid, doctrinaire world.

One has only to look at Politics – especially during an election year – to see how violently people hold to their beliefs and convictions. Can they all be right? Or does nobody have it all figured out?

Indeed, there’s no monolithic Reality to be had [I’m giving it a new name, beyond the concept of ‘objective reality,’]…except, perhaps…for the Totality of Multiplicity (which is some people’s view – including my own – of G8D).

“Universal Energies” is another way to refer to an All-Inclusive Reality, within which everything is subjective – except, perhaps, the collective summation of all realities – which we cannot grasp or comprehend – as mere mortals.

The ‘exception’ perhaps, in identifying ‘what is real,’ might be those certain things we cannot all of us deny – like a Tsunami, Death, and taxes…oh well…I guess even those we try to bargain with & negotiate around, wherever possible.

Let’s get back to my Meditation – OUR meditation, really – because the shape and contour of each event, while set in broad strokes by me (and shepherded through, by my own Guidance), takes on new directional subtleties when each individual present Shares what’s happening for them – what the given “journey” has brought up inside of them – and how they’ve been impacted by the whole process. What everybody has to say is an important contribution to the overall experience.

The trait or gift of Compassion is manifest in milky stones, and very well by this pair of candle Quartzes.

We’re always (pleasantly) surprised by how unexpected (and welcome) others’ feelings become. That is one of the key benefits of being in a safe and healing environment. People expose their vulnerabilities – places where they feel hurt or alone – and without suffocating, others ‘come running.’

It’s heartwarming how willing – and quick – people can be to offer succor (in the right circumstances).

Indeed, I think it’s harder to embark on new beginnings without reaching, or starting from this place of relative Soul comfort. It’s not impossible – just harder – and it happens all the time, regardless. But in the context of a ‘controlled’ environment – a small group of like minded people gathered, with good intention – that definitely ‘provides the space’ for people to get in touch with their (and THE) Spirit.

Two other key factors contributing to our experience in these Meditations, are of course the world-class Power Stones brought into play (which, unlike museum pieces, are meant to be held and used) – as well as my own knowledge base regarding the many varieties and uses for Crystals. My understanding regarding the dynamics of human learning & experience, also comes in quite handy.

Foggy (or Girasol) Quartz represents the unknown, or unknowable, and is (as such) oddly reassuring, in the shape of a Heart.

In order to begin again, or start over – even take any step into the future – I think it helps to make some kind of peace with uncertainty…the unknown…and the unknowable. Some shamanic practitioners speak with certainty about outcomes, or diagnoses, as if they know without a doubt. And that’s lovely, for them (and their clients?) – confidence and clairvoyance are wonderful attributes – but I question their infallibility, and take a more humble approach.

Here, my deistic perspective comes in again. Give G8D his or her [I’m uninvested in ascribing gender to the Over Soul] due. Honor G8D’s role and authority in being ‘the ultimate decider.’

I do not imbue any one stone or type of stone with G8D-Essence, Knowing, or the capacity for Arbitration (that is to say, intercession on our behalf). That, to me, would be idolatry.

We do not pray to the stones, we pray with them. They are not our “little friends” – nor are they generally (although they sometimes can be, in the case of Entity Stones) – possessed with little anthropomorphic “fairy spirits.” That’s one of the several bones I have to pick with the existing Crystal Lore, but it’s not in itself worthy of further discussion at this point.

What is important – at first – is that we acknowledge, and coexist with Uncertainty, which can be attempted by interacting with Girasol, or what I call “Foggy” Quartz. It is neither clear, nor Rose Quartz…it is its own variety [and comes mostly from Madagascar]. It is ideally not completely see through – though it is often gemmy (or glassy inside) – and milky/opaque. By sitting with it, and following a progression of guided Meditation, we were able to lighten the load of pressure we feel to ‘have it all figured out.’ The hidden benefit here, is that by loosening the grip of expectation – we can be open to G8D’s intercession – and our own inspiration.

this is a closeup of the giant Amethyst cluster – showing its Yin & Yang color variation – one side being more matt, and the other glassier

Next, and this was our second Meditation – we explored clearing – with a great big Amethyst cluster. As discussed in my “Amethyst & the Purple Sages of the Higher Spirit” webinar, Amethyst clusters (as opposed to points) have the special capacity to cleanse us, spiritually. So we imagined the whole piece (about 2′ long) bubbling with a lavender mist – filling and permeating our being (like Sage smoke) – and flushing out unwanted energies from its furthest recesses.

To further effect the outcome of clearing (and cleansing) – we each used (and shared) a few naturally smoothed basalt shards – passing them over our entire aura (while seated) to protect and restore our periphery and core [one is pictured earlier in this blog].

Ruby Crystal – the super earth grounder – displaying its red & purple color combination

It had been discussed that it was hard to Open without Clearing – because of the fear of letting in unwanted energies – or destabilizing one’s system. That is part of why grounding stones were placed between each person, alternating Tiger Iron and Ruby. By clearing, centering, and grounding first, it becomes possible to open up more successfully.

Finally, in our 3rd Meditation, a ‘constellation’ was brought into play. My goal is to have people experience themselves first; then add stones to the mix, to further their own Spiritual pursuit; and to finally create a collective, galactically connected layout that aligns our individual experience with that the Universe. That’s what I mean by Microcosm to Macrocosm.

I make my layouts simple – I don’t call them ‘grids’ because that seems limiting – almost like using a stencil to make a drawing, or connecting oneself to ‘the grid’ – when this whole energetic exercise is designed to take us out of, or give us relief from the societal grid – and to connect us to something bigger.

3rd Meditation layout, New Beginnings: Clearing & Opening event

I generally don’t allow attendees to take photos at our gatherings, because I have some proprietary interest in keeping what we do private. At the same time, pictures do make things a lot clearer, and I’ve been describing this Meditation thus far by only showing examples of the stones I’m discussing.

The bamboo sticks are neutral place holders, but they do create space, and in this case both an emanation from the center, and an evocation of a galactic swirl (because of the angles at which they come in, or burst forth from the center).

I also use just the minimum to achieve the desired effect. A lot of layouts I’ve seen are over the top – too much going on – a cacophony of energies. I think they’re more attractive as artworks than as functioning ‘constellations.’

In the center is the amalgamated Quartz DT cluster, representing the new possibilities we face at the Gateway of the Future…things we want to see come into being, or that will become manifest regardless, going forward. It behooves us to ‘get next to’ these potentialities, even advance of their appearance, so that our Soul may attune to them and thrive in their company.

4 Jets – the Openness Stone – combines cleansing with spacious opportunity

Then come a ring of geometrically cut Obsidian pieces [in the layout, but not pictured independently] – which invoke the power and expanse of open space – the ‘Black Before Creation‘ (also of night, Outer Space, and potentiality).

And lastly – what people held in their hands (one in each) – were Blue Lace Agate (self forgiveness and self expression), and Jet…a personal openness and safety stone, different from Obsidian…because it’s more “right here” than “out there.”

Thus completed our exploration of “New Beginnings: Clearing & Opening.” I realize that this verbal explanation – even enhanced by photos – cannot do it justice. And everybody’s input is not transcribed here.

However, I did get a memorable testimonial – which will show you, in someone else’s voice – what it was like:

Blue Lace Agates – soothing but weighty – and gently colored, as should be our self talk and assertions to the world.

“Last week I attended my first Crystal Meditation group meeting, New Beginnings: Opening & Clearing. Going to the event I was certain of two things: there would be crystals and guided meditations. I was not aware of the intensity I would experience as the evening progressed. I was first taken aback by a room full of crystals. Some of the most beautiful, colorful, expensive stones I have ever experienced in my life. Just standing in the room I began vibrating. There was a chatty meet and greet time provided so the attendees could connect and re-connect. Then the Circle was gathered. Kyle led us through three meditations during the 2 hour meeting; each accompanied by crystals and stones appropriate for the intended visualization. I found myself easily falling into a distant meditative state. By the last meditation I felt a definite shift in my being: I had received messages and felt very different in my body compared to when I walked in off the street. Kyle provides a wonderful calm space free from distraction, enlivened with the vibration (songs) of a diverse rich collection of gem stones and crystals. Kyle is a Crystalline Being in flesh.”

You can see more accounts of others’ experiences on my Testimonials page (also on this site). I can’t say any more on this subject (these subjects!) at this time. What I hope I’ve achieved here are several things: educating you about specific stones, and their ‘functions;’ how they come together for a specific Meditation; and how all-important it is to not see Reality as something fixed. It is our role to pursue our goals, but to flow also like a river, not just taking the path of least resistance. 

I have identified the respect needed for G8D (or what is beyond our control) – and the process by which we can energetically embrace New Beginnings – through Clearing and Opening. It is only by blurring the lines between The Real and The Imagined – that we are able to bring into being great changes – on a grand or personal scale.

Kyle Russell in front of pyramidal Granite

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rather than repeating the snapshot of myself you may have seen in other blogs, I’m writing a fresh account of where I stand today. This is a recent photo (from a few days ago), in front of a boulder of Granite that caught my attention. The Mica, Feldspar, and Quartz are more separated than uniform. It inspired me to want to tackle and separate some of the grand concepts I’ve addressed in this blog. Posts on Facebook have been paused, other priorities set aside. Since I write these only every few months, each has to bite off a pretty substantial chunk, and each has to reveal something new and different, evolving, about my understanding, overall. I have chosen to pursue both paths – of acquiring and selling Crystals – and of sharing and advancing the more esoteric knowledge about them. I’d hoped to publish a book this Fall, but instead am working on a set of Crystal cards, hopefully to be printed by November. In the meantime – and this is a first – I have full season mapped out: Expos for vending; Meditations; Webinars monthly; and even my annual “Wonders of Quartz” workshop. Check out my Events Page listing, and don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback or inquiry, to CrystalConcentrics@gmail.com. 

 

I’m sick, and I’m well (the Lessons and Gifts of Illness).

Let me confess, I got a cold. Worse than that…a strep/flu…all wrapped up into one. It’s still making its way through my system. But it’s not as bad as all that. I mean – so what(?!) – I’ve had Cancer before (twice). How bad can this be…

Fenster, or Skeletal Quartz, is emblematic of “sickness in health” – where the interior has been compromised – but the shell and structure remain quite solid.

And yet, people belly ache about their seasonal illnesses all year long. The common cold – in spite of what people claim about vaccines being effective [I’m not convinced] – this complex of viruses (if that’s fair to call them) impacts just about everyone in the northern hemispher. And I think it’s emblematic of all diseases, though fortunately, it’s not a commonly fatal (or chronic) malady. 

I thought I’d transcended all that. With the parting of ways I’ve had with Sugar, and anything (chips or nuts) that come in a bag [the rancid oils are harmful]…it’s been literally years since I’ve really been hit by anything like this. What usually happens, is that the symptoms try to get a grip on me, but their effects are weak, and the real deal never fully takes hold. Just a few month ago, everyone in my family got some bad bugs, but I wasn’t touched at all (even though everyone was coughing all over me). Funny how immune we can be sometimes.

I’ve become smug in my healthiness. I might be in the best shape I’ve ever been in, not just physically, per se – in terms of musculature – but thoroughly, from the inside out. I listen much better than I used to, to my Body and Spirit. I mind what I’m eating, set aside time to exercise, and stay on top of my self care quite steadily. Basicly, I’m in a lifelong training to be “a Soul Wisperer.”

So it’s humbling to be “brought down” like this. It’s always a learning experience, though. Illness has much to teach us. The first questions for me become: “what have I done wrong? How could I have avoided this?” 

Chrysocolla – combines self forgiveness and emotional expressiveness

Self-blame is cruel, and worsens the cycle of the illness. Self reproach definitely makes it worse. At some point, some serious self-forgiveness is necessary to interrupt the cycle. You have to break that downward spiral…the chicken and egg of negatively overthinking your situation. 

When a stone breaks – it loses its original value – but energy is released, and we find ourselves adapting to the change as having been meant to be.

But let me sit with the badness, for a moment. When you get sick, your body – the rock on which you stand daily – falters. Of course it’s worse with a more serious (or chronic) illness…you lose faith and trust in you. That basic tableau – within which everything happens to and through: you – it’s no longer what you’ve come to expect, it’s not reliable, dependable. The rules of engagement have somehow changed, and it doesn’t seem very fair.

No, indeed – the Russian Roulette of illness and Death are not fair – our goal is to hedge our bets with prevention and treatment.

Taking this statement further – many of believe we live in a universe governed by a benevolent G*d, but whether jealous our merciful – G8D cannot give us our way 100% of the time. We are each the center of our own reality, but in fact, we are all peripheral to the greater REALITY (and thus, not particularly entitled to any special treatment). This is a bitter pill to swallow, but the sooner we make peace with it, the sooner we can have a more balanced and ultimately respectful view of The Creator.

So back to our compromised self. Being sick is a very damning state to be in – because as a body – if you can’t count on your own being, what can you count on? Your weakened state throws everything into question. You become alienated from a generally beautiful, provident world, and a mostly functional (and otherwise healthy) body. 

The co-mingling of opposites: is the dark in the light, or the light in the dark? Yin and Yang swirl around one another.

Don’t think for a minute that I look at the world with rose tinted glasses. I’ve seen some of the worst, and I do believe we live in Heaven and Hell simultaneously. But like the glass half full or half empty, I believe you can view the same situation in a more positive or pejorative light. 

For some – and I spent a decade like this (at least) – everything can seem worse, like you’re living in purgatory (at best). And being sick definitely throws you back, deeper into that dungeon. I do believe – especially when I listen to the news (about atrocities committed here and abroad) – that for many, life on this planet, is hell on earth.

Back to me, and my immediate answers about what might have contributed to my current situation. One theory, is that I left the fan blaring on me while I slept sweatily last week, and it destabilized my aura (wreaking havoc on my overall metabolism). More than half the people I spoke to agreed that this could well have been the culprit.

The symptoms also began the night after I had Chinese food from a restaurant I like, but don’t totally trust the cleanliness of. I do believe that germs from an unusual source can tip the scales. A variety of causes can conspire to make you sick.

A third theory is connected to the fact that I tend to overeat. Too much (of even healthy food) can backlog – with nutrients going bad, getting “caught in the filter” – which then require cleansing (or evacuation), through the illness. 

Amber & Jet are light density power stones – and because their weight is less than their size would suggest – they tend to wick away blockage and tightness.

Worst case scenario – if the raw material (of what you’re eating) is not that healthy – “the backlog” can result in the inexorable growth of pathological tissue – chronically (or fatally) complicating cellular function, a prime example being inflammation, and of course: Cancer.

Whatever the “real” cause of your situation – and, as stated, there can be several – and while disease can often be a fluke of chance (certainly it’s always an unwanted guest with destructive intent) – disease is also, and very often (to its credit) – a healthy response to an unhealthy situation.

Let me pause, and draw attention to “the fluke factor” – bad luck (remember?) – s**t happens. In as complicated a world as we live in, lightning bolts (and tornadoes) do strike. Yes, there can be “favorable” conditions and standing out in a field may be riskier than being in your car. But when that wind starts to blow, can’t nothing stop it.

Every natural disaster reminds us how little control we ultimately have. And disease, ultimately, is a natural disaster. So you have to “give unto Ceasar what is Caesar’s” – let go and hold on simultaneously – try that on a hang glider!

All and still, just as there are (seemingly incontrovertible) Laws of Physics, a great deal of what happens around, and to us…is logical.

What else is your body supposed to do, when you treat it so? We’re too busy to cook or make proper food. We’re too busy to take any time to stretch, or work out (as much as our body may want, or need to). It’s no wonder your physical person develops a grudge and wants to “get you back” for your neglect. All it’s looking for is some R-E-S-P-E-C-T (like the song).

Nirvana Quartz – like Elestials – represents the higher, deeper, more ancient self.

Every time you don’t listen to your Soul, you’re stacking the deck against you.

And we’re all willing to take the hit – whatever treatment or sick time (later) we need – that’s somehow “worth it” to get those things we need from our paycheck. Well guess what, your paycheck won’t always be there, but your body always will be – and once it’s gone – none of that other stuff will matter anyway. People need to start paying attention, doing everything they can before they get sick (not just after, when it’s often too late).

Work, our job, our “have to’s” excuse every mistreatment of our own primary (and personal) system. And yet, if we pause, and take care of ourselves – others, and we ourselves – tend to think we’re being selfish, self-indulgent…the worst…we can’t justify the down time! 

And also – by behaving like this (taking time out to take care of ourselves) – we’re likely/surely bound to become indigent…because there’s no money in self care. There’s only money in “other-care” – taking care of everyone else – that’s what pays (and has any moral currency). That “other” you’re servicing can be your boss or a client – heck, even (or especially?) “the man” – as you pay your taxes and comply with the prevailing laws of the land.

Would you still be doing what you do if there was no money coming in from it? If the answer is no, you have some serious answering to do to your inner self. We pay the price for our compromises.

And then there’s “the children” – the primary conservative force in our world (if you think about it) – why would we take risks or not tow the line…when we have to look out for, and provide for them…children first (remember?!). 

People even avoid Divorce on account of children. Not to say that they’re not (in addition to saving a primary relationship) worth it, but to demonstrate the fact that self denial (for many reasons) is woven into our own very individualistic and narcissistic (in other ways) culture. 

Nephrite Jade – particularly water worn by nature – is the ultimate emotional soother.

It’s like: we’re being goaded to take care of ourselves – in ways that make other people money (like through cosmetics, sports clubs, the clothing industry) – but not necessarily in ways that may cost nothing, but still achieve the desired effect of personal, lasting gratification, or satisfaction. 

They say the personal is political – it’s true – the world feels more holistic (to me) if you can see how you connect beyond your self, right out into the Universe (another benefit & practice of my Crystal Concentrics Meditation). 

Maybe there’s nothing you can do about it – your problem, or the world’s problems (or so you think) – but be honest about what you could really be doing (but maybe aren’t), the ways in which your hands feel tied, how you’re stuck, and how that may be impacting your health and well being (never mind that of the planet).

Why can’t it be simpler – you just “got a bug, got a disease” – it’s not your fault at all, and there’s nothing you can do but fight it. This is the medical, strictly physical perspective. And it has its place. Car’s shocks are gone…fix ‘em…don’t ask about the bumps you keep driving over (which caused the damage in the first place), or “why me,” or “what’s the bigger lesson here.” 

Foggy, or Girasol Quartz is a unique variety – it represents the unknown – and the unknowable…an important factor to consider…and be in the presence of.

Suit yourself – however shallow or deep you want to look – if everything happens for a reason (“the Fluke Factor” aside, though even that is an omnipresent reality to contend with) – I think it behooves us dig a little: explore the metaphysical context of your situation. I’m saying (on top of all the types of factors already explored): it could be evil spirits at work; it could be your own past lives catching up with you; the possibilities are limitless.

There’s also “the Fog Factor,” which is that it may not be for us to ever figure out what’s happening, exactly, and why.  

In any case – I’ve gone off on a few (relevant) tangents – I want to bring the conversation back to my own process…regarding the illness that’s come front and center…into my life. I’m banking on it’s being metaphorical for you and your own experience of illness, which could be more than informative…I’m hoping educational…in helping you think about (and hopefully improve) your own situation.

The purpose of this Blog is to be relevant, to apply, and to be of more general utility beyond my solo journey and meanderings.

What I realized – especially early on – is that the illness is not the only game in town. When it first was settling in, I saw it coexist, and in context, relative to the rest of me (which was not in duress). 

Herkimer Diamonds are the picture of health – impenetrable – allowing light, but nothing else, to pass through.

Holding a larger sense of healthiness and positive continuity, makes being sick more tolerable…gives one hope…and gives you a sense that even if not in the moment, you will overcome. Yes – your throat may be burning, or you may have a tumor – but there are another x-billion cells doing just fine…let their voice be heard. 

I’m remembering my Crystal Meditations, in which we take time to center into the body – that really helped me to acknowledge and get in touch with those other, healthy cells – and call them into play, see and acknowledge them for the good job they’re doing maintaining my overall health. 

My spiritual practice of being with Spirit-apart-from-Body also helped, because I could know that the Spirit was unscathed by what I was going through – damaged, hurt, concerned, for sure – but somehow (also) immune to it all. 

I had to have Faith that “this, too, shall pass.” Even now, a week in [which is how long it’s been taking me to finish this blog], while the unproductive cough has sunken deep into my lungs – my capacity to write an account of my experience is an act that will survive the pathology – and I like the way that demonstrates our eternal capacity to recover and/or transcend. Again, the Power of the Word.

Look at how much more Anne Frank has impacted people in death than she was able to in life. Not everyone can look forward to such a posthumous “reward,” but by being in the moment, doing the best she could with what she had (and grappling with the demons that presented themselves at the time)…she created something more valuable than she could know in the moment.

Basalt – one of the more ancient of stones – here shattered and was polished by the wind & sand over eons, to make a ventifact that is powerful in clearing and protecting.

I’ve never been one to painstakingly plan and strategize – I, too, put one foot in front of the other – try to make for the steadiest footing that makes sense (and feels right, in the moment). My vibration is very steady – though I see what a flash in the pan I am, on the grander scale – which is why I like the Stones…they go on forever. 

Indeed, while we are so very fragile – and can sometimes be challenged to find any part of us that is steady and sound – Power Stones are there, if we allow them to be…an extension of ourselves (and Creation)…that is solid and eternal. 

Some people use Religion for solace – and I do too – it surely has its place. And I’ve argued elsewhere that the two are not incompatible. But what I like about the mineral world, is that it both precedes our human experience, and it will outlast us…making it somehow more elemental than anything we could dream up (through our various cultures). By associating with the mineral world, we borrow some eternity, draw from its strength, and share in its capture of Life & Creation energy. 

So have I used crystals to get well? I mean, isn’t that the point, to use them for our service? Yes, and no. Crystals are not tools, like guns and scalpels, created exclusively to do our bidding. That is a beef I have with “the literature,” which seems to suggest as much. It’s the whole Biblical thing about us having been given dominion over all things earthly. Yes, that may seem so – and is a power that we have – but it’s also a responsibility, which people don’t tend to grasp, or hold onto as well. 

Large, beautifully terminated Topaz – the intrabody neural communicator – facilitating your body talk and internal functioning.

Everybody wants the easy part, the quick fix, which is why I don’t give “crystal prescriptions” – “you have this problem, take/use that.” It’s more complicated than that. And also, I’ve had a major breakthrough, in terms of understanding how Crystal energy work is not, nor should it be compared with Medical work.

Indeed, this is also why I don’t believe in gem elixirs – because I don’t think they should be ingested – that is the role of other substances (herbs, medicines, food). An important distinction must be made between physical treatment and metaphysical treatment. They are not, nor should they be, compared or used in the same way (or for the same purposes). 

Crystal Energy is meant to be seen with the Eye – interpreted and working through the Mind, or Imagination – and looped through the Body via Touch (the cycle).

Science is the wonderful art of identifying and working with the recurrent, visible laws of Nature. But not all such laws (of the Natural World) are consistent, measurable, or tangible. The metaphysical world may never be quantifiable in the same way, which is why I have no agenda for bringing Crystal energy into the mainstream, through scientific justification…can’t be done…and shouldn’t be. 

In the metaphysical world, the law is often that there is no law – that we can see and perceive tendencies and subtleties – but that Reality is relative, subjective, untamed. We can coax it, shepherd it, but it goes its own way, in its own time. The myth of control has been debunked.

wet Sugilite – ‘the other purple stone’ – symbolizes the materialization (or concretization) of Spiritual vision

I take my remedies (and there are many): steams, elderberry, lomatium root, food grade vitamin C, echinacea, cranberry juice…the list goes on…and they all did their thing (heck, even aspirin helped!). But in the absence of a trusted Crystal Healer, I had to rely on all the previous work I’ve done with Spirit, to tide me over, and give me strength in my weakness. 

I feel too many (most?) people reject, or pass over the potential of working with a true energy healer – because they want the tried and true – and don’t want to take chances (or make changes). I notice they mostly don’t want to look at “their stuff,” or do the hard work of going through the valley to get to the other side.

My work ultimately has to be demonstrating why and how it’s worth it (to work with Crystals). Alas, I have not trained someone else to take my reins, or do what I do (yet). But I’ll keep on keeping on. Bit by bit, these blogs (and my eventual books and other publishing projects) – as well as the events I host (live and online) – as well as my showcasing at Expos, will together put my footprint on this important area of human endeavor. 

giant DT elestial closeup – these stones are Keepers of the Wisdom – you can always rely on them to know what is to be known

Were it a bigger, life threatening illness (this pesky cold/flu), I would have wanted to have some energy work, for sure. Being very independent, and untrusting of authority per se, there are very few folks I’d trust or want to work with (or “on” me). I’m leery of generalizers and “false prophets.” So my memory and source work with Crystals has had to carry me through, until such time as I can work the gears and have the Soul energy flow again, unfettered (and uncomplicated). 

It’s helpful to know – it flows here, right beside me, through me – even when I don’t see it, or feel it (cause I’m so busy feeling crummy). I’m reminded again of the response a spiritual leader gave my son, when he (my boy) confessed that he’s not sure he believes in G8D: “that’s okay” he was reassured: “G8D doesn’t mind” (the assumption being that G8D is always there, whether you see him/her, or not). 

Our role is not to question or even to seek the Universal Life Force (per se), but rather – to simply let it be (it’s all around, and within us)…to let it flow through us. Stop trying so hard. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t “have it” already. 

Independently from applying meaning or causality to your illness – to have it “make sense” – we often hear folks saying their illness (regardless of the cause or outcome) has taught them something, and for that they are grateful.

Malachite – “the emotive” – demonstrates the wending ways of Feeling – and helps allow you to access and express your inner knowing.

Had I not gotten those 2 bouts with Cancer, I would have never changed my diet or thought patterns, which I think would have done me in the third time around. Hitting a dead end forces you to make a turn, take a new path. Being sick now – and stuck somewhere without Internet – has enabled me to capture these words in a way that feels more relevant because I’m actually going through some real discomfort (and an extraction from my element) in the moment. My hope is that you’ll be able to make some sense from this collection of thoughts.

Our journey is laden with lessons and gifts. We just have to see them for what they are, or can become. Gloom and doom will never spawn life, for you or others. That is why I have to assert: “I am sick. And I am well.”

To review – I have explored some of the things that happened, which “put me at risk” – as well as the lessons to be learned, including a discouragement of self-blaming. It’s good to correct your course, and know where you’ve gone wrong, but beating yourself up about things will not fix them.

I’ve discussed the Fluke Factor (of chance) and the Fog Factor (of uncertainty), as well as the need to connect the microcosm with the macrocosm. Avoidance does not really serve you, nor do excuses, however good they may be at distracting you from your path. Try to see the good within and around you, and draw strength from both.

The world does not revolve around you, but you should certainly hold your place in the merry-go-round. Reach out and seek healing, from allopathic and alternative sources, they’re all here to serve you. Know that there are limits to control, and that ultimately, our fate is in the hands of forces much larger than we can imagine. 

Enjoy Life while you’ve got it!

**********************

About the Author: Kyle Russell has been working with Crystals for over 25 years – inducted into working with them through a supernatural experience – but building on the knowledge and evolving it through sharing…via in-person and virtual offerings, including an extensive social media presence…and a growing, written record of his thoughts and observations. Feel free to reach out to him, and learn more about his Awareness, and how it can help you. Email Kyle@CrystalConcentrics.com.

What’s Love got to do with it? Crystals and the Heart.

jasper heart – broken – and repaired (in appearance)

Crystal & Healing are two words that tend to go together all the time. And surely most of us carry around a broken heart, or at least a wounded heart – from failed & troubled relationships – including messed up childhoods. This creates all kind of mixed emotions, and the Heart Chakra (energy center located right there in your rib cage), can be a complicated place.

One color – Green – is often associated with that place we call our Heart (according to the preponderance of chakra charts). I’ve added Pink as its logical companion. Isn’t that the color we most often associate with things lovey-dovey (in the West).

gemmy Rose Quartz egg, unparallelled in color

The distinction I make between Green & Pink is represented by two stones: Rose Quartz & Green Fluorite (which, in its rough, chunk form, looks just like a green version of pink Quartz). Rose Quartz represents Unconditional Love, the opening of the heart – that vulnerable “first love” vibration – also experienced by the lucky few who’ve had a first hand experience of The Divine…and feel that way towards G8D. It is innocent – not judging – and infinite.

large cluster of perfectly colored green Fluorite

Unfortunately, most of us lose touch with that Being Love feeling, and are caught up more in its unavoidable companion (at least for humans): Relational Love – how we connect with those around us, with our Self, and with our Spiritual guides and cohorts. Money, at least in the U.S. – is green – and represents our commercial relationship to the world. So as you can imagine, Green Fluorite is a complex stone, given the variety of connections it ‘watches over.’ I think of it mostly in terms of its spiritual role, which is enhanced by its clarity, translucency, or “gemminess.”

trio of matching, high grade octahedral blue Fluorite

Some people are just not green people, they relate far more to blue, and for them – although this aspect of the heart chakra remains green in color – they’d connect more easily with Blue Fluorite, a rarer, and wonderful form. So you can choose your Blue Spirit world or your Green Spirit World, but blue generally belongs higher, in the throat chakra and beyond.

naturally heart shaped, river worn Nephrite Jade

There are a number of other Aspects to what I call “the Heart Complex” – which are fortunately reflected in other, related stones – which ‘reside’ around “the big two.” Jade is directly beneath – and interestingly, appears not only in shades of green, but also in blue and gray. Jade is the great Emotional Soother – it’s surface is most like human skin (especially when naturally worn) – and it somehow “makes everything okay.”

attached, twin pair of giant Candle Quartz

Above “the big two” one could place Milky stones, particularly Milky Quartz (though there are other varieties – specifically some Calcites and Verengita – which is like a white Onyx or Alabaster). These represent most bluntly: a mother’s milk…compassionate…nurturing (which is a bit different from soothing).

pair of matching Malachite spheres

Next, beneath the Jade, come Smoky Quartz and Malachite.

Malachite can be a mixed blessing, because it’s an Emotive. The black represents opening, and the green represents the heart, so it’s an opening of the heart…helps feelings come up…not always an easy prospect.

But then, there is the Ultimate Forgiveness stone: Smoky Quartz, here to make everything okay – not by soothing – but by whisking away the negativity, transmuting it into some other place and time. It’s hard to get angry with Smoky Quartz around – I have a large beaded necklace of it – simply can’t get upset while I’m wearing it!

broken tip, but perfectly colored Smoky

So there you have it – the overarching duo of Unconditional & Relational Love – surrounded by other Heart Aspects: the expression of Feelings; Soothing; Compassion & Nurturance; and the power of Forgiveness…all important nuances coexisting in the Heart Chakra…and given voice and language through Crystals.

How they are configured, and ‘used’ to treat and enhance people’s experience, is the field of the ‘Crystal Healer,’ of which I am one. This arrangement is of my own ‘making’ – the choice of stones that participate in this important energy sector (of the human body) – have been selected and inter-related by me.

If you would like to learn more about how to dwell and explore the Heart Complex – through Meditation, Personal Sessions, or Live & Virtual Learning Opportunities – please contact Kyle Russell via email, at CrystalConcentrics@gmail.com.

 

twin, or ‘couple stone’

PS. what about Romantic Love? It exists within the personal experience of these various energetic “pulls,’ but can be represented by “couple stones,” or twins…which do not pertain (or reside) directly in the Heart Chakra…but may be meditated on, or worked on, with Crystals that fit this description (as pictured here). Similarly, multi-point conglomerations (not necessarily clusters) can represent families, children, etc.

different heart-shaped stones will evoke different experiences of Love…this one is Tiger Iron…and is all about grounding your love, having a strong center of gravity, to not stray or be swayed wrongly

What stone can be used to attract love? That’s an interesting question, and not an easy one to answer. I believe that working with the other stones, and all that they “conjure” in the human breast, as well as approaching your life holistically, with an eye to balancing your energies, and more importantly…letting Universal Energy flow maximally through your being, and without snags…THAT is the way to open yourself up most easrily to receive Love into your life.

A good variety of these mentioned stones are also accessible at the For Sale items page at www.Facebook.com/PowerStoneCrystals, or by request, with interest, to the email above.

Return to Dust(?!)” or “back to the rock”

So after a year of having it on my list (of things to do), I’ve posted my ‘availability’ in the www.SpiritOfChange.org (a New Age magazine’s site) Alternative Health Directory.

Availability to do what (you may ask)?

Here’s how it reads (about Crystal Concentrics):

“Whether you’re intrigued by what you’ve read in books, or are curious to get some direct experience — you feel drawn to the stones and would like some direction — I have years of experience (and an extraordinary collection of power stones) to help you benefit from Layouts, Placements, the creation of Sacred Safe-Space, and Therapeutic Percussion. This work is ideal for life changes or Spiritual rebooting, Renewal and focus Meditation, as well an unusual support for healers to re-energize. Give a call or shoot me an email. I’d be glad to discuss the opportunity with you.”

It always feels like a stretch, to put myself out there in this way: “what if people ‘find out’ – what will they think?” In myself, I don’t care – it is what it is – and I know what I know. If it can’t hang with it, move on.

I’m doing this not for the naysayers, but for the yay sayers, and I know there’s more (of ‘you’) out there than I think. I’ve built a musical database of 15,000 contacts+, ’cause that’s where I’ve put my energy. Where you water, that part of the garden grows.

I may be nurturing this ‘plant’ inside, and that’s great – to be in connection that way – but what about my legacy. Is it really fair for me to ‘go to my reward’ without having made every effort to ‘share my brownies’ (as says my business mentor Fabienne Fredrickson would say).

Some ‘brownies’ are for the Belly; some for the Mind; and some for the Soul. They’re not all gonna look the same. You can’t put them all on a shelf in a storefront, or even make them available Online.

Everyone reaches a point in their life where they’ve got to take a leap of Faith. For some it’s by Choice; for others, by Necessity; and still others are sought out: ‘Chosen’ if you will (as I was…it’s a long story). Something I read in the Prayer Book at High Holidays about “the chosen are those who choose,” a weird tautology by which you cannot be selected unless you self-select…you opt-in (like you would for a Newsletter list).

“The Universe cannot hear your call if you do not open your lips and make that call aloud – and clearly – for whatever it is that you want” (another paraphrase of Fabienne’s). These “truths” are self-evident, written mostly in self-help books (and was it the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence?). Indeed these sentiments are sourced in Scripture and Religion. But we need to hear them over and over again for it to sink in – the truth of it – never mind converting that intrinsic knowledge into action.

That’s the hard part, taking even the first step, taking a stand! Like the people conducting Occupy Wall Street (G*d bless them for putting themselves out there, at the risk of putting themselves in jail…I did that years ago: got rounded up for protesting Apartheid). But someone has to (or ought to) do it, and the more of us take Personal Responsibility for making happen what we know is right, the more likely the world will be to be “set right.”

Some think Revelation can only happen once we set things ‘right’ – here on Earth – currying favor with ‘The Father’ (and I mean that in the least Patriarchal way possible), and bringing closer the ‘Return of the Messiah’ (if that’s even a belief – or motivation – for you).

The more Existential among you – even if Religious – may feel we have no control over Judgment – the Apocalypse (if that’s what we’re in for) – will happen when it happens. In either case, we’ve got to mind our knitting, ‘do what we have to do’ – not in the lowest sense of the phrase – but in the highest, loftiest sense of it.

All that being said, as we approach the thinly veiled time of Halloween; All Saints Day; the anniversary of my own mother’s passing, I invoke the phrase “ashes to ashes…”

We all return to the Earth, whether as a lifeless body, or up in smoke (if we’re cremated). Our component elements are returned to the ground or the ethers, and that unique thing called our Spirit, or Soul, either dissipates forever; is transmuted into something else; or lives on, retaining some semblance of the identity exhibited while lodged in our person.

Enter my argument regarding the original and eternal nature of stone – it was here before us (though not in the same way as the Creator, who supersedes – and includes – all physical manifestation) – and stone will be here after us. There’s something reassuring in this knowledge. We “come back to the rock” – like a home base – or that place in the game “tag,” where you’re safe (if you’re touching it).

I had some rocks I wanted to show you – but they’ll have to wait – I’ve realized this Blog post is free standing, and that’s how it should be out there. I’d hoped to write less this time around, but it’s been some time since the last Post, so maybe I’m making up for lost time. I’d also hoped this Blog process would be The Book I’m going to write this year (ie. over the next 11 months anyway), but I realize – and so it should be – that this process is different, and should have its own identity…I can work out the book and bring you other updates independently…hope you’ve enjoyed reading, and I welcome your positive feedback.

What is Spirit Work?

Every time of the year’s hectic, but holidays are particularly crammed full of day-to-day responsibilities; specific-to-the-season needs; and the usual background din of our own internal monologue about it all: what do I need to do, what have I not done, damn I’m tired, am I hungry? The list goes on…but throughout it all, our Spirit walks in the form of our body & mind, our breath keeps coming in and out (like the tides). If we ever stop and listen, there’s silence (and true peace) to be had.

People spend 40-50-60 hours at work; when they can, they exercise; and we spend a whole lot of time “getting around” – driving – hustling from here to there, being with family, doing for family.

Meditation (and indeed Shabbat, in Judaism) was invented to stop the not-so-merry go-round and take a pause to savor the stillness. That’s a very important part of any spiritual practice: to be able to get off the tread mill of life and take a look at it – and/or yourself – reflect on what is being, let go of the doing.

If we put as much energy into that as we do everything else, what might happen? Well: less would get done in the world (and our lives), which might end up creating a net increase in stress (since we really DO have a lot to get done, each one of us).  But what if there were another net gain, something we could “get” that actually enabled us to come back to the fray renewed – in a different way than a good night’s sleep would afford you?

Granted, better rest in the prone position would be improved if so many of us didn’t rob our psyche of true downtime by consuming coffee and the like. Sometimes our attention on getting things done and being more awake, more alert, can actually detract from the foundation of actually BEING awake and alert, focused and ready for the world.

But that’s another conversation, worth pursuing, but not the main point here. The main point here is that cessation is a bit of a preparation for death: when you really can’t DO anything more, the book of our life has been written, and it’s done. You look back at it and say: did I spend all the time I could and should have on all the stuff that really matters?

Say you were to go back, like a third party, and watch your own life in slow motion, or say it were stopped, and you could walk around the room (and figures) arrayed at any given time, and say: I would love to have done this differently, or “let me place this item here, so you don’t trip and fall over it.” What if you could spend a little more time with this person or that, or have said kinder words, been more generous of spirit. That would make you feel better about your life, wouldn’t it?

Spirit Work is just that. It’s using the pause-time to scrutinize parts of yourself, maybe even hold that part of your body that’s ill. Dealing with dis-ease is not just a medical matter, nor even something that can be dealt with (solely) through an alternative health modality…it’s sitting with it and trying to understand why it is, where it is, and how come now? There might be a logic to it’s arrival. And there may be none. Can you sit with those two possibilities? Can you breath more energy, love, and forgiveness into that part of your life?

Maybe there’s something you’re struggling with: a duality of sorts – should I do this or should I do that – there is some decision to be made. Can you give equal quality time to each possibility? Can you spend ENOUGH time reviewing – or just observing – the options?

Look proportionally on the amount of time we take to make money, eat (and prepare!) food, and if we’re lucky, do physical activity. Those are all necessary things, to be sure, but by comparison: how atrophied is our time in the Spirit World, alone (or you could do this with others) – not religiously in community (which can be great too, but is no substitute for what I’m talking about) – I’m talking face to face with your own, lone Soul…making sure that you’ve dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s (whatever they may be).

In reading this Blog over, I thought: is there more to say? Have I ended it prematurely? To be sure, your life will most likely end before you’re good and ready, and we all dread it passing under difficult circumstances. So why not take this (and many more) opportunities to do YOUR Spirit Work?