Gemstones of the Zodiac - Part 2 - Sapphire

Welcome to Part 2 of our “Gemstones of the Zodiac” series. 

The second sign of the Zodiac is Taurus (April 21 -May 20).  The Mystical Zodiac stone for Taurus is Sapphire. 
                                               ~ Giani

Formation

Sapphires belong to the corundum family.  This is a family of gemstones that are pure aluminum oxide.  Over time, heat and pressure turn these aluminum oxides into sapphires. 

The word “sapphire” comes from the Latin “saphirus” and the Green “sapheiros”, both of which mean “blue”.  Although most people immediately think blue when it comes to sapphires, there are actually several different colors of sapphires, including red, pink, yellow and green.  The color of the sapphire will be based on the amount of outside material that enters into the aluminum oxide during formation.  Chief among those external elements is iron and chrome.  You probably best know the “red sapphire” but its other name, the ruby.

Origins

Sapphires date back to earliest history.  There are some historians who believe that the Ten Commandments were carved in sapphire.  In Ancient Persia, it was believed that the color of the sky was a result of the reflection of a giant sapphire on which the Earth was resting.

Helen of Troy owned a large Star Sapphire which many believed held the key to her desirability.  Even the famous “seal” of King Solomon was an inscribed sapphire.

Historical Uses

In the Medieval Times, sapphires were used as a test of fidelity.  The stones were thought to change color if worn by the unfaithful.  Little did they know back then that there is such a thing as a “color change sapphire”. It is very rare, but is known to change color in certain light.  I wonder how many were falsely accused of infidelity by a color change sapphire?

Sapphires are also a very religious stone.  As stated earlier, it is said that the Ten Commandments were carved in sapphire.  Charlemagne owned a sapphire amulet that signified his devotion to god.  In the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, Christian clergy began using stones to try and heal the sick.

Necromancers used them to summon spirits for prophecy, and in an attempt to practice black magic.

The Seventh Heaven of Islam is said to be awash in a sea of shining rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

Properties

Sapphires are thought to be symbolic of faithfulness and honesty, making them a great gemstone for an engagement or wedding ring.  They are also believed to be good for increasing communication, cleansing depressive moods, and bringing about a sense of peace, and a clarity of vision.  This clarity of vision is why they have been a prized stone of alchemists for centuries.

If you are using them in crystal healing therapy, sapphires can be used for reducing throat and breathing issues (like TB), reducing fevers, stopping nose bleeds, and regulating the endocrine glands.

If you are using them in chakral work, light blue sapphires are for the 5th Chakra, and the dark blue are for the 6th Chakra.

Colors of Sapphire



Blue Sapphire

Blue sapphires are best worn during the phase of Saturn.  During a Saturn/Mars conjunction, wearing a larger sapphire (over 3 carats) can help with marital happiness and financial prosperity.  They can also be worn during an eclipse to offer up a prayer.  They should be worn on the second finger (the Saturn finger).


Pink Sapphire
 

To get the benefit of pink sapphire, it must be worn touching the skin.  This means that any pink sapphire pendant or ring, should have a cut out in back to make sure the stone is able to touch the skin directly.  This stone is for protection against ill health and misfortune.


Padparadscha Sapphire

Padparadscha means “lotus blossom” in Sinalhese.  It is the only other stone in the sapphire family, other than ruby, that is known by its own name, and not as a color of sapphire.
It is believed to bring a great inner peace, which leads to a greater understanding of the world around you.  It is believe to help couple trying to conceive, provided one or both of the potential parents wear it in a ring.

Padparadscha is a very rare form of sapphire.  To qualify for the name, the stone must exhibit properties of both the pink and orange sapphire.  They are so rare, in fact, that most of the ones seen today are lab created.  The lab created padparadscha sapphires are almost indistinguishable (except by an expert), except for the price.  It is best to get this stone through a qualified gemologist.



Yellow Sapphire

It is said that these are best to be worn on Thursday mornings, and within an hour of sunrise, to give the best results.  This stone is believed to assist with the nobler aspects of life and in the occult, in areas such as spiritual motivation, meditation, yoga, preaching.  For those with a birth number of 3, this is a great stone for year round happiness and prosperity.  It is also believed to protect you on long voyages.


Green Sapphire

Once known as the “oriental peridot” in medieval times, the green sapphire is actually a stone with alternating bands of blue and yellow sapphire.  You can see the bands under a microscope.

Green sapphire is also called the “stone of fidelity”, as it stimulates the heart chakra.  It is also good for internal as well as external vision, which means it can aid in the ability to remember your dreams.


Cleanse and Purify Your Stones

Sapphires need to be cleansed every 15 days, together with rock crystal and amethyst.

For information on how to cleanse your stones, see the wonderful article by Diane Fergurson, published recently on the Mind Body Spirit Odyssey:
http://www.mindbodyspiritodyssey.com/2012/03/cleansing-your-healing-stones-crystals.html

You can also read Giani's Tarot reviews in the Review section of this blog.

This is the second article in this wonderful series, and I am definitely looking forward to more of

 in the upcoming months.  I thank Giani

 for his wonderful continued contributions to Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

                                                                                   ~ diane

 

Series Article Part 1 - Opals

Series Article Part 3 - Amethyst

Series Article 4 - Moonstone

Series Article 6 - Agate

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Mind Body Spirit Artist Series: Lori Field

I first became introduced to Lori Field and her enchanting world of art around 13 or 14 years ago.  Her work was part of an artists' studio tour that the town of Montclair, New Jersey use to host annually.  There were many homes and studios that were scheduled to be open that day, but I had been told under good authority that Lori's work in particular was not to be missed.  My source was correct as usual. Her work stood head and shoulders above the rest, and over the ensuing years I would inevitably cross paths with Lori over and over through various groups and events.  Every time her work would pop into my field of vision, it would have grown again, becoming more and more accomplished as she gained her full stride as an artist.  Lori's work is now exhibited all over the world and has been used in many publications.  Her facility with the mediums she chooses to use combined with the characters she creates has produced a volume of work that truly does embody the phrase, 'je ne sais quoi'.  I'm very happy and appreciative that she agreed to be interviewed for the Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.  Thank you Lori! 

                                                                                                                ~ diane fergurson

Beany and Cecil in the Garden of Earthly Delights

MBS: Can you tell us a little bit about your background. How you got started in art?

Lori: I grew up just outside of NYC. I attended art school in the fine arts program at SUNY Purchase for one year. This is my only formal educational background in art other than taking courses over the years at various schools in NYC during the twenty years I lived there after leaving school (printmaking, jewelry design, textile design, fashion illustration). For the first few years I did no art at all supporting myself as a bartender and cocktail waitress at restaurants and comedy nightclubs around the city. While still working nights I put together a textile design portfolio and got a job designing children's textile and lace and embroidery (designed for lingerie and home furnishings) for a company I'd work for for the next ten years both on staff and freelance later on. I never went back to art school to get a degree. While at this company, I put together an illustration portfolio and began to get freelance work in that field. I designed book covers, did editorial work, some album covers etc. for the eight or so years I did illustration. This overlapped with my textile design job, where I began to take on the role of art director after awhile. 

During this time I married, had a family, and moved to the burbs. In 1996, after a series of life-altering events, I began the work that would be my re-introduction to the fine art world. I started out doing collage work while my third child was an infant - I made one every day while she slept in her portable car seat. I began to submit them to juried shows and very soon afterwards had my first invitation to have a solo show at the Pierro Gallery in South Orange, New Jersey. I have never stopped showing since. Life begins at 40 is most definitely true when it comes to my art career.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

MBS:  I'm finding that sentiment true with a lot of artists I talk to.  Being over 40 definitely alters a person's perspective.  What insights as an artist do you find that you have had over the age 40 that you did not have before?

Lori:  When I think about the rebirth of my fine art career after the age of 40 I keep coming up with the phrase 'I'm dancing as fast as I can....' I think that once I got started doing what I loved, and no longer trying to have an art career that didn't express my true voice I just attacked the whole process with a hunger I didn't know I had inside of me. The fact that I had three still young children whose lives and care I had to incorporate into my own was daunting. I think that the main insight I had was that being fulfilled as an artist would make me more fulfilled in every aspect of my life, including being a parent. When I was younger, procrastinating about what I wanted to 'do with my life' seemed less problematic. Once I began, as an older person, I just couldn't believe what I'd been missing all those years I put off doing what I really was meant to do.

MBS:  I remember that time period, when you started exhibiting in a really big way.  There are several aspects of your work in particular that have always interested me.  First, the mediums that you choose to use and in addition, how you choose to use them. Also your subject matter. As far as mediums, what do you use in your work?

Lori:  I have been concentrating on either archaic art materials, those that have fallen out of use for centuries until a recent revival of interest, and materials that are not usually considered art materials like slate chalkboards, embroidery thread etc. I like the idea of putting a contemporary spin on an ancient or incongruous material. The mediums I've been using the most in recent years are encaustic painting combined with colored pencil drawing or silverpoint drawing. I have a detailed description of the processes I use for both mediums on my website.

Purgatory

MBS: What sizes do you usually work in?  Your artwork seems very labor intensive.  How much time to you normally devote to a particular piece?

Lori:  The encaustic work becomes formally difficult if I go over 36" in any dimension. I have done one 48" piece but since a part of my process involves pouring molten wax over the piece, it isn't practical at that size. I'm getting some 12" square and 16" square mixed media and encaustic paintings ready for a solo show in Nashville this September. The 111 silverpoint drawings I am getting ready for my next solo exhibition in the fall in NYC range in size from teeny tiny 7"h x 5"w up to 50"square ones. The pieces vary in the time it takes to prepare them depending on medium or complexity. I also don't always work in a linear way from start to finish on an encaustic piece. Sometimes I'll spend weeks doing the drawings and then weeks more working on the backgrounds. Then more weeks adhering the drawings to the backgrounds and pouring and scraping to finalized the piece. In general the encaustic work and the silverpoint work are equally labor intensive, it's just different in that the process for the encaustic work is so complex and the silverpoint is comparatively simple, although in many cases takes as long to finish the detailed drawings. The largest silverpoint drawings (50"square) can take up to 2 or 3 months from planning stage through final drawing.

Be Careful What You Wish For

MBS:   You often refer to your love of drawing as "obsessive" and that it is a very important component to your work.  Has that always been the case, or did that passion for drawing grow more intense as you got older?  Have you figured out why?

Lori:  Drawing has always been a passion. Obsessive artwork has always been my favorite, the more obsessive the better. I think it is connected to the subconscious somehow, an underlying passion that goes unrecognized unless you tap into it , and then there's no stopping it. I go into a trance when I'm drawing, especially with silverpoint because you can't really erase. It lends itself to obsessive detail and to letting your mind take you places while you render the center of a protea flower or the lace jabot on a dandy's ensemble. A lot of outsider art that I admire is obsessive, and the obsession is almost the point with those artists, rather than the art making itself. It is not meant as artmaking, but as a purging of the mind almost. While I am conscious of art making, I am also indulging myself with mark making to get out feelings, to express inner thoughts, to tell a story, an obsessive narrative. The act of drawing becomes a surprising necessity. The compulsive, accumulative quality of much of my drawing work is deeply satisfying.

I'm Just Wild About Saffron

MBS:  Yes, obsession is definitely a huge component of outsider art particularly because the artists
are so totally taken over with transcendent states of consciousness when they create (and often when they don't create) - which is much different then just being in a creative "zone" that most artists (hope) they get into when they make art. Your drawings, the characters you create and their worlds are probably really a form of automatic writing. Any thoughts about that?

Lori:  Yes, I guess it is a form of 'automatic writing' in a sense, or stream of consciousness drawing. First, before I ever start to draw I sift through piles and piles of references I've gathered for years. These consist of heads, bodies, hats, flowers, tattoo books, medical illustrations, poems and quotations, animal imagery, antique acupuncture manuals, lives of the saints (with pictures), Hindu paintings, etc. etc. etc. Only after I've done a very intuitive process of separating out the imagery that is speaking to me for that piece do I then begin to compose a figure that will be what I draw. So, that is a process of using my subconscious as the medium in a spiritual, deeply connected way. 

Homeward Bound

MBS:  Years ago I saw you finishing up a painting titled "Mother From Another Planet".  I had an immediate connection to it and knew at that moment that there was a much, much deeper element to your work then just the application of encaustic medium and drawing "really cool looking" characters.  As your work has progressed, I feel that this component has only become stronger.  How does spirituality play a role in your artwork and for you as an artist?

Lori:  Spirituality plays an enormous part in my art practice. Drawing is my drug of choice and as I've said, when really in the drawing state of mind I go into a trance. I listen to the news, and podcasts covering world events all day while I work, plus some podcasts about psychology, stand up comedians, science, art etc. I am constantly processing the world in my head and experiencing a reaction to the things I hear. Often a piece will be about something story that has struck me in a very deep, elemental, human way - I respond with the imagery. My work is primarily symbolism, the symbols being my own glossary of images that stand in for human feelings, foibles and relationships to the unknown. Drawing this way is the closest I come to spirituality, it is my spirituality.

Mr. Softee

MBS:  Of the work you create - the characters, figures, highly imaginative landscaped worlds - is there a common core theme or idea that runs through everything?   If so, what is it?  In addition, do you have one image or character in particular that you feel a special connection to?

Lori:  The common themes that run through my work are probably the idea of giving a symbolic voice to the 'other' in our society and expressing the concept of the vulnerability of the human condition. I have an affinity for all of my characters, in fact, they are a recurring cast of characters. Sometimes you will see the same head on a different body, or one character reappear in a different landscape or be realized in a different medium. I am sort of inventing my own mythology of little gods and goddesses, lesser beings, sidekicks, and supporting characters. There is one little guy who I call Mr. Softee, who has appeared about a dozen times in various pieces, from collage to drawing to encaustic. I am going to redraw him in silverpoint very soon.
 
MBS:   What is a typical work day like for you?

Lori:  Typical work day involves office hours, correspondence, searching for references, preparing backgrounds, making enlargements and reductions and planning out actually drawings in the morning say from 9-12 noon. Then drawing straight through until dinner time, break for dinner, then back in the studio. This varies depending on family stuff, but since two of my kids are off at school and my remaining child is in high school, not a lot of 'mom' duties to break up the day like there used to be. When I'm getting ready for a show or shows, as I am now, my day is longer, and I work well past midnight (sometimes to 3 or 4 am) in the studio. I like to percolate ideas and plan new drawings between 2 and 3 am. Whenever I do go to sleep, I always read a bit before turning off the light and finally closing my eyes.

Teeny Tiny and The Witch Woman

MBS:  I've noticed you've had an online presence for quite a long time, and that's something that
 until recently a lot artists have been very hesitant to do.  How has your online experience
 benefited you as an artist?

Lori:   An online presence is absolutely essential these days. My daughter is graduating from Pratt next month and the school actually requires you to establish a website as part of the curriculum and graduation requirements. My website has helped me immensely in being able to approach galleries and collectors both. I don't update it as much as I should but aside from that little bit of procrastination on my part, it's an invaluable tool. I even have a link on the front page to my NYC gallery for anyone perusing who wants to inquire about a work.

Paradise Lost

MBS: Where is your work available and can you share more details with us about your upcoming shows?

Lori:   My work is available through my primary dealer in New York City, Claire Oliver Gallery. I also have had exhibitions and have a working project relationship with Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, TN in Berlin, Germany with Janine Bean Gallery, and in Brussels, Belgium with Galerie d'YS .

I am working on a couple of exhibitions now that are coming up this fall. In September in Nashville, I will have an exhibition of new encaustic work at Cumberland Gallery and In October in NYC I will have an exhibition of my silverpoint drawings at Claire Oliver Gallery.

MBS: What advice do you have to anyone who wishes to (seriously) pursue an 
artistic path?  (besides not 
waiting until you are 40!  lol)
 
Lori:  My advice, short, sweet, and sincere (and somewhat corny but true)....Do what you love and the rest will follow. It is never too late to explore your creative self and pursue a career in the arts (one aspect of my life did indeed begin at 40), it becomes harder as you get older to gain a foothold, but it's not impossible. Don't be an art snob, seek out and be open to and inspired by a variety of other people's art.

Thank you Lori!

Lori's work can be found online at her website
Photo courtesy of the artist and Claire Oliver Gallery, NYC



Lori also did a series of YouTube videos showing part of process she uses in her artwork.
There are 3 parts.  Below is part 1.  Enjoy!




Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxTbIMUB3As

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxX2L-J7qpw




Links to other interviews in the Mind Body Spirit Artist Series.


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Creating a New Theory

Creating a new theory is not like destroying an old barn and erecting a skyscraper in it's place.  It is 

rather like climbing a mountain, gaining new and wider views, discovering unexpected connections between our starting point and its rich environment.  But the point from which we
 started still exists and can be seen, although it appears smaller and forms a tiny part of
our broad view gained by the mastery of the obstacles on our adventurous way up.

                                                                                                  ~ Albert Einstein

"Spring Mornings, Sunrise Photograph courtesy of Jude McConkey

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The Eight Auspicious Symbols

Rose Quartz & Conch Shell Bracelet by Abby Horowitz designs on Etsy

If you have been viewing our daily product updates in the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace, you may have noticed the different Tibetan and Buddhist symbols that are used in some of the artwork, jewelry and textiles that we showcase.  These symbols are quite often one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols, known as Tashi Tangye, which are significant to Buddhist culture.  In Sanskrit it is known as Astamangala, and these symbols can often times be found in Tibetan and Himalayan people's homes in the form of wood carvings, painted on to the walls, block printed in prayer flags, and embroidered on textiles.  In Buddhist tradition these eight symbols are symbols of good fortune, presented by the great Vedic gods to Shakyamuni Buddha upon his attainment of enlightenment.

The Wheel:  Khorlo (Skt. Chakra) -  Wheel of law or wheel of dharma.  The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize Buddha's eight fold teachings or path.

The Parasol:  Dug (Skt. Chatra) - The Parasol symbolizes protection from harmful forces, negativities, sufferings and obstacles.

The Golden Fishes:  Serngya (Skt. Suvarnamatsya) - The Golden Fish represents happiness, fertility, and the unity of two forces.

The Treasure Vase:  Bhumpa (Skt.  Kumbha) - The Treasure Vase symbolizes wealth and prosperity, often contained with elixir of mortality water.

The Lotus:  Pema (Skt. Padma) - Lotus flower symbolizes purity and is also considered very important because Guru Padma Sambhava, who brought Buddhism to Tibet was born from a Lotus.

Conch Shell:  Dhung - This ritual instrument is called "calling the prayers".  The sound of the conch reminds one of the power of the teachings and work for the benefit of the sentient beings.

The Endless Knot: Palbehu (Skt. Shrivatsa) -  The endless knot symbolizes lasting friendship and bond.  It also represents the Buddha's endless compassion and teachings.

The Victory Banner:  Gyaltsen (Dhvaja) - The Victory Banner symbolizes victory of truth and compassion over the negative and evil energies and spirits.


~ diane fergruson

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Thoughts on Easter

Easter is not a time for groping through dusty, musty tomes or tombs to disprove spontaneous generation or even to prove life eternal.  It is a day to fan the ashes of dead hope, a day to banish doubts and seek the slopes where the sun is rising, to revel in the faith  which transports us out of ourselves and the dead past into the vast and inviting unknown. 

~Author unknown, as quoted in the Lewiston Tribune

enjoy your day



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Book Review: Chaldean Numerology

Chaldean Numerology For Beginners
by Heather Alicia Lagan
Llewellyn Publications

I've studied numerology on and off for a number of years as a hobbyist, but it wasn't until I came across Heather Alicia Lagan's new book Chaldean Numerology For Beginners, that I was not only surprised to learn that there was another system of numerology, but that it is actually more accurate.

According to the author, the Chaldean system differs from Western Numerology (the Pythagorean system) in a number of ways.  For example, the Chaldeans were essentially the first to recognize the energetic qualities of numbers and letters.  They connect vibrations to sounds and numbers, and numbers to letters.  As Lagan's explains in her book, the Chaldeans looked beyond the name and birth date to the individual energies and specific vibrations that resonate within them.  The Pythagorean system, on the other hand, is based on sequential patterns rather then sound vibration.

The treatment of the number 9 is another major difference between the two schools.  The Chaldean system does not include 9 in their calculations because it was considered to be a scared/spiritual number.  However it can be found in the name total.  There is also a difference in the treatment given to the present name that a person is using,  calculations are not just figured from the birth name.
According to the book, birth date and month are calculated for your life path number in the Chaldean system - but I noticed, not the birth year.  That's something I would like a further explanation about, since no particular reason was given (that I was able to find).

Chaldean Chart

I could write on and on about all of the interesting things I found out in this book, but I will leave that for you to discover when you read it.  I will say that although my personal numbers were different within the two systems - the Chaldean being much more accurate and specific - I could still find the same core essence (of myself) present within my Pythagorean numbers.  That pretty much confirms the belief that who you really are will resonate and shine through within any type of analysis or divination method.

This is a wonderfully written book.  Very clear and well thought out.  It also gives the reader insights and information on basic spiritual principals and beliefs, which is very important in assisting with the overall understanding of our daily lives and life purpose.

If you study numerology definitely pick this book up and add it to your collection.

Pythagorean Chart

If you're new to numerology - start here.

Chaldean Numerology for Beginners is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and also Llewellyn.


~ diane fergurson








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Dear Whole Foods - Do You Really Have To Label It New Age ?

Dear Whole Foods,

This is not 1975 anymore.  It is the year 2012.  The labeling of a product category, particularly in your chain of stores, "New Age" is not only offensive to many of your customers... it is downright outdated and unenlightened.  How about not labeling it at all? Or, if you find you have to name it, at least use the term Alternative Healing or something of that nature.

Oh my dear Whole Foods... I should probably really stop this note with my complaint about your New Age labeling, but I can't.

Over the last few years many of your customers, those of us who have provided the solid spending base to help you grow and get where you are, have found themselves disheartened and disappointed with your every growing proliferation of the healthy "junk food" items which line your store shelves.  If a "healthy" junk food item is talked about on Dr. Oz...a display is up at your store within the week.  The store I was in this morning has enough Kale Chips to feed a small country.
Established companies that have provided quality products and nutrition for many years have found their products completely taken off of your shelves and replace with your lesser quality store brand items and your ever present selection of Fair Trade "Chachkies".  In some of your stores the counters with your meat and sea food products are so large and expansive that a lot of the goods are never sold.  Wasted...nice ~

That said - yes I have to admit though, Whole Foods I am very thankful that I am fortunate to not only live near one of your stores, but two.  And that you are employing people and providing them with health care benefits in an otherwise dismal economy.  But out of the two stores I live by, I still prefer shopping in the small one.  Imagine that.  It's not (quite) as mass market.

I still believe in what you are doing, trying to offer American consumers a healthier life style choice with what they eat - even though you completely caved in recently on the Monsanto GMO fight, which made many of our friends angry enough to sell their stock.

Well, whatever.

Anyway, all that said... If you could just get rid of the label New Age in your stores, that might be a small step back into the right direction.

Diane Fergurson
Editor, Mind Body Spirit Marketplace/Odyssey
Montclair, New Jersey




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Gemstones of the Zodiac - Part 1 - Opals

Welcome to a new series on Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.  Over the next 12 months, I will be taking a look at the healing and wellness properties for gemstones of the zodiac.  There are many different gemstones assigned to the zodiac, depending on whether you wish to go with a modern, traditional, or other approach.  For the purposes of this series, and in keeping with the Mind Body Spirit Odyssey tradition, I am going to go with the Mystical Zodiac Stone approach.

                                                                                        ~ Giani

The first sign of the Zodiac is Aries (March 21 - April 20).  The Mystical Zodiac stone for Aries is Opal.

 There are several schools of thought on the origin of the word “opal”.  Some say it is from the Sanskrit “upala”, which means “jewel”.  Some say it is from the Latin “opalus”.  The Romans referred to it as “cupid paedros” (beautiful child that signifies love).

Opal is actually a silica gel that has hardened.  This makes is unique in that, unlike most gemstones, it is non-crystalline.  Precious opal, the kind you most often think of when you hear “opal”, refracts light because of the way the silica aligned in the stone’s formation.  It dates back as far as 250 B.C., when Emperor Constantine was said to have placed an opal in his crown, believing it to protect his life. He, and various scholars, believe it to help you become “invisible” at times when you do not wish to be seen.

Opal is believed to be a stone of great intuition, foresight and inspiration, making it a favorite of magicians and alchemists through the years.  Opal’s abilities and strengths are closely tied to its color.  As there are many different colors of opal, each has its own unique properties:

Fire Opal

 

 Can enhance power and awaken inner fire, helping to let go of past issues.  It can also be used in rituals to increase the passion in a relationship, and awaken sexual energy.

Blue Opal

Allows you to see beyond this plane, into the ethereal, and to become one with all that is around you.  Helps realign past life issues that are having an impact on the here and now.  Also a great stone to use for wishing.

Blue-Green Opal

Removes constrictions and allows you to see things fresh, with new eyes.

Green Opal

This is a great stone to detox both the body and the mind.  It removes all the obstacles and filters and lets you see and feel things more clearly.

 

Pink Opal

Aides in centering and alignment.  Assists in the opening up of the Third Eye, allowing you better insight.

Black Opal

A powerful stone sought by Wiccans and magicians.  It traps the negative, and releases light.  As a result, it will amplify your magic, increase your strength, heighten your sexuality and get you on the right path.

Blue Peruvian Opal

Reduces stress and tension, allowing your ideas to flow more freely.  It can also quiet the mind and relax you enough to sleep.  

 Pink Peruvian Opal

This stone will raise your spirits, bring you to a higher place, and help you develop the yin and yang you need to be more balanced when it comes to being able to give and receive.

One Caveat About Opals

Even though all opals are believed to be good luck stones, they also have a dark side.  The stones will resonate with whatever emotions you are holding tightly.  These stones will heal you if you allow them to.  However, if you hold on to the negative emotions, and block the stones from helping you release them, then the stones will channel those thoughts and emotions with the same power they would have used to dispel them.  So, if you wear opals when in a particularly down time, they will hinder, rather than help.  It is best to wear these stones when you are ready to let go of your issues.

Charge Your Opals

Astrologists believe opals to be a stone of the moon.  If you wish to charge your stones, offer them up to the full moon, to help increase their power.  

Cleanse and Purify Your Stones

For information on how to cleanse your stones,you can refer to this article by Diane Fergurson, published on Mind Body Spirit Odyssey:

You can also read Giani's Tarot reviews in the Review section of this blog.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more upcoming articles in this wonderful new series, and I thank Giani very much for his wonderful continued contributions to Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

                                                                                   ~ diane

Series Article Part 2 - Sapphire

Series Article 3 - Amethyst

Series Article 4 - Moonstone

Series Article 6 - Agate

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The Dao of Spring- Time to Sprout, Grow and Blossom

Today is the first day of Spring where I live in the Northern Hemisphere (New Jersey, the Garden State) and to tell you the truth, this day usually slips right past me.  I either find myself absorbed in the "moment" of the day, enjoying the warmer and more sunny elements of nature, or our weather is such that it is cold and dreary and we are often in middle of a snow or rain storm. 

According to Daoist belief, the season of Spring lasts for three months.  During this time there is a blossoming and sprouting both within nature and within ourselves, arising from the dormancy of the winter months where our qi has rested and hopefully recouped.  Our daily life slowly changes from more yin (quiet) activities to becoming much more yang (outward) oriented.  Instead of sitting and reading or spending our extra time hunched over the computer, instead we find ourselves biking, walking, running... often digging in our gardens too.

In regards to The Five Elements, springtime is the season for the element wood.  Sturdy - yet strong,  supple and willing to bend, the flexibility and strength  properties of wood not only applies to our physical body but our thoughts, viewpoints, moods and mental clarity as well.

For our physical health and our internal organs, the Daoist believe we need to take extra care of our liver and gall bladder during the spring months.  The liver stores and cleans the toxins out of our blood and it is very important to do a "spring cleaning" of this vital organ so that unwanted impurities do not build up and impinge upon or physical and mental health.  The food that we eat during this time can also move from being cooked to integrating more raw vegetables and salads into our daily diet.

Below is a wonderful description of the sprouting of Spring from Neijing Chapter 2.

Enjoy your Spring!

The three months of spring are called

putting forth and displaying.

Heaven and Earth all sprout.

Ten thousand things become lush.

At night to bed, early to rise.

Briskly walk around the courtyard.

Let your hair down and relax the body in 

order to make that which is of the heart/mind sprout.

Sprout but do not kill.  Give but do not take.

Reward but do not punish.

This is the Spring of compliance of qi.

(and) the cultivation of the Dao of sprouting.

To oppose these principles injures the liver.

(Consequently) Summer will bring cold changes,

 (and) there will be little to offer one's growth.

   ~ diane fergurson


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Mind Body Spirit Artist Series: Julie Magers Soulen

If the name Julie Magers Soulen and her gorgeous Colorado Photography seem familiar to you, it may be because her wonderful nature based photos have served both as an inspiration and as illustration for some of the articles we have published on our blog.  Her captivating sunsets, succulent flowers images, magnificent mountain shots not only help bring us closer to the wonders that nature has to hold, but also allows us a brief glimpse into the divine order of life.  Thank you Julie!
                                                                
                                                                                                            ~ diane fergurson

Colorado Mountain Goat Photo

MBS: Can you tell us a little bit about your background. How you got started in photography?

Julie:  I have always had an interest in "taking pictures."  My first experiences were through the viewfinder of my dad’s Kodak Brownie when I was around eight.  My aunt soon picked up on my interest and bought me a little Kodak Hawkeye Flashfun camera of my own.  Oh, was I proud!  I started my very own family photo albums which I still have.  It remained a hobby until 1999 when I began publishing regularly online at denverpost.com with my husband, Ric Soulen.  His down to earth writing and my nature photography was an ongoing chronicle to our life living off grid in the Colorado Rockies.  It was featured for seven years, in our groundbreaking "blog style" column, A Colorado Journal.

MBS: Wow!  That "is" pretty groundbreaking if you stop and think about it.
Living off of the grid must have provided you with all kinds of interesting photographic
opportunities.  What are some of the shots that you remember the most?

Julie:  My home was perched on the side of a mountain with a view of the eastern horizon.  This gave me a unique opportunity to capture sunrises and foggy mornings.  I loved shooting both of these natural events.  On the high plains of Colorado it is common during certain times of the year for the plains to be blanketed with fog.  Our home was higher than the fog giving us a unique view of an "ocean" of fog below us.  (example below)

Sunrise Sunset Photo

MBS:  When you photograph something, such as a natural fog event like you described, what is it that
you want your photograph to convey to the viewer?  The event itself or is there something more?

Julie:  When I "see" a photo of nature in all her beautiful colors and forms it has the ability to put me in the present moment where time does not exist.  At times it is hard to take the shot because I just want to gape at whatever I'm looking at in that beautiful moment.  But then the urge to share overcomes my stasis.  It is the desire to share that beautiful moment with my viewer that invigorates me.


MBS:  What kind of photographic equipment do you like to use?

Julie:  I shoot with a Nikon D80 for my landscapes and most other shots.  My lens is a Sigma 28-300mm.  I also have a small Canon Powershot pocket camera that I carry around everywhere.  It has become somewhat obsolete because of my mobile phone camera.  They are pretty amazing.   However I believe that it is not the camera, but the photographer's eye that is the most important piece of equipment.

Blue Jay Photo

MBS:  "However I believe that it is not the camera, but the photographer's eye that is the most important piece of equipment."  How so?

Julie:  That is hard to explain in a couple sentences.  An analogy might help to make my point though.  A driver is not going to improve his driving skills by buying a more expensive car.  Or a cook is not going to be a better cook with a fancy set of cookware.  Both need to develop their skills to be better at what they do and the equipment is really just a tool to help them accomplish their goal.  Now I'm not saying that nice tools are not nice, just not mandatory.  I would love to buy the new Nikon D800!  Haha!

MBS:  Is there anyone or anything in particular that has has a big impact or influence on you and
on your work?

Julie:  Living off grid for twelve years has probably impacted my photography the most.  It allowed me to immerse myself in nature.  We lived in a remote mountain home powered by solar energy and surrounded by acres of pine forest.  Living so close to nature's rhythms becomes a way of life.  If it is cloudy I might postpone doing the laundry.   When it is cold and snowy we stayed inside by the woodstove burning wood that we harvested from our forest.  

I have always felt at home with nature, poking around being curious about the natural world.   As a child I was outside more than inside, exploring the leafy deciduous woods of Ohio near my home.  It was much the same living in the Colorado mountains.  There were miles of surrounding pine forest to explore.  I had mountain lion and bear encounters and learned they are not as afraid of us as we like to think.  I learned to read animal tracks that told stories of what happened the night before.   Every day was an adventure of discovery.  Nature has a way of teaching you if you simply pay attention to the details.   I suppose that is why I enjoy landscape and nature photography so much.

Colorado Winter Landscape

MBS:  Do you have a particular season you like to photograph more then others?  If so, what is
it and why?

Julie:  I do not have a favorite season for shooting.  I love all of them!  They all have so much to offer a photographer; minimalist snowscapes, spring flowers, mountain summers, and autumn trees.  The only difference for me is that it is slightly easier during warmer months when you don't have to wear gloves.  If it's really cold in the middle of winter it's a bit harder on me and the equipment.

MBS:  What is a typical work day like for you?

Julie:  My typical work day follows a bit of a routine.  I try to do all of my online work early when I'm fresh.  Some of it can be a bit technical.  So while still in my pajamas with a cup of coffee in hand, I go through my email, do Etsy shop maintenance, answer Facebook comments, and other online tasks.   And there seems to be a lot of them with online selling!  Then I take a late morning break with my dogs and we go for a long walk.  That helps me to clear my mind and shift gears to a more creative mode.   Afternoons are for creative work mostly.  I'll either go out on a shoot or work in the studio on photography.  I pretty much work all day, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, depending on life's demands.

Flower Note Card Set

MBS:  What are you currently working on?

Julie:  I am always working on several different things at once.  It really has to do with what moves me on a particular day.  My work table is currently hosting four nature photos in various states of progress.  I also recently shot some dog photography that I'm planning on posting on my blog in a light hearted story telling mode.  Then there is always my creative "to do list" where I keep ideas I'd like to do.

MBS:  Is your work available other then online?  Do you do shows?

Julie:  Besides my online Etsy shop, my work is also currently being offered at The Fine Art and Frame Company in Fort Collins, Colorado.  I do not currently have any future plans for any shows.

Home on the Range

MBS: What advice do you have to anyone who wishes to (seriously) pursue an 
artistic path?

Julie:  The best advice I can give anyone is to follow your heart.  If you do not have a passion for your artistic path, then do something else.  That passion will focus your direction and buoy you up when stagnation threatens.  We all have so much to offer the world; be it art or science or anything else.  Nothing is ever accomplished if your heart isn't in it. 


Thanks Julie!

You can find out more about Julie and where to purchase her wonderful work at:

http://juliemagerssoulen.etsy.com
http://www.facebook.com/JulieMagersSoulen
http://www.juliemagerssoulen.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/juliemsoulen
http://about.me/JulieMagersSoulen

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  You can read additional interviews from our artist series here.