Crystals and your herbal practice

Crystal healing is an alternative therapy that has been used for thousands of years. It seems to originate in the ancient Ayurveda, as has much of our herbal knowledge. The original therapy assigns specific stones to planets that are then used to bring the energy of a planet to a more attainable spot for people. Throughout centuries and many  cultures, we find different techniques of ways that crystals, stones and minerals have been used for healing and health. Such as the practice of putting a small gemstone under the skin permanently for protection or to heal anemia. The crushing and ingestion of stones as the inuits did with labradorite, believing they were ingesting the northern lights. The laying on of stones in the American Southwest became the norm, not only for humans but for the livestock and horses as well. Crystals, stones and minerals have been intertwined with health since we knew they existed.

Traditionally we can find documentation that tells us to crush and soak a diamond in water then drink the water for poison, drink alcohol from amethyst to protect from drunkenness and the liver, crush garnet and sprinkle on food for anemia. How do these stones work? What is it they are supposed to be doing when used in this manner? Is this magic and fairy tale or is there actually something to this?

If we look at our modern day world, we may find some answers. Crushing a garnet and ingesting it sounds pretty gritty, however it would have been mixed with food and that food would be full of iron once the crushed mineral is mixed in, a principle constituent of garnet. A diamond is pure carbon, by crushing it and ingesting it the ancients were using a very expensive form of activated charcoal, both of these have carbon as their base and absorb poison in the system allowing it to pass and not cause harm. If we break down Amethyst, Silicon is the major constituent, as it is in a contemporary drug named antibuse. Silicon can cause a reaction within our metabolism that is antagonistic to the effects of alcohol. So the ancients weren’t that far off in their thinking.

Crystals have not always been ingested for health, sometimes just carrying them, sleeping with them, bathing with them were prescribed. Pliny the elder, who was very outspoken on the “charlatans” using crystals for healing, did admit that emerald was the best remedy for tired eyes, one was to simply lay the emeralds on the eyelids while laying down. Now this sounds like just shutting the eyes is the trigger for relief, however lets dig a little deeper. Chromium is the chemical in Beryl which gives emerald its green color, Chromium deficiency is a real thing, and recent studies show us that chromium plays a role not only in eye strain, but glaucoma. Chromium is also bioavailable through dermal absorption, so Pliny was right, emeralds on the eyes DO cure eye strain in some instances.

Crystals and minerals have always been used by man for their chemical constituents, similar to herbs. This idea did not stop with the ancients and it isn’t limited to health and healing. In fact most of us do not realize that minerals and stones are a foundation in our society that we could not live without , at least as we know life. Everything about our life is connected to crystals in some way, all of our technology relies on these minerals and metals. Our cars, our computers, our telephones, guns, space programs, even our modern healthcare relies on crystals to function. Many of our pharmaceutical drugs are mined from the ground, such as lithium, all of our data rests on the memory of silicon, fragile equipment requires the high melting point of tungsten, the list can go on and on, but the point is crystals are still widely used within our society and the world as a whole.

What does all of this information mean to my practice of herbalism? Crystals are much like herbs in that they come from the earth, their value is in the constituents that make them up and there is an abundance of folklore surrounding them. Crystals also bring an energy with them, some people call this energy vibration. Crystal Healers have known for a very long time how to use the vibration of crystals for healing. The principle is simple, a higher vibration will raise a lower vibration to meet it. So if disease is a low vibration and a crystal is a high vibration, then exposing that disease to the higher vibration will help to eliminate the disease. Crystals and stones tend to regulate energies within the human body, Chinese medicine would call this energy “chi”, In the Ayurveda this energy is broken down into categories known as chakra’s, the use of stones on the chakra’s is another way crystals have been used historically for health. When we look at the ancient chakra system, we see that it is basically a blueprint that paints us a picture of how our conscience comes together with our human body, and blockages in any of these areas can and will lead to dis-ease. 

Crystals are very complimentary to herbs, while herbs work on the physical symptoms of dis-ease, crystals work on the spiritual or conscious level of the dis-ease. There is absolutely no dis-ease that can occur within the physical body that did not start within our conscious body, it becomes a thought and manifests from there. It may have a series of events or exposures that are purely physical that “caused” it in the physical but it always originates on a conscious level. My father was a physician, he believed his most important role as a doctor was to make people want to get well, he knew that once the patient made the decision to get well, they would, no matter what he did for them. Crystals are the premier tool for helping our clients ‘want to get well’. Through my personal practice, I have found that crystals generally help one to become aware of the root of the disease, which can often be the first step in correcting it. I find that crystals assist clients in coming back to themselves and learning to listen to their physical bodies innermost voice, telling them what is wrong. Many crystals can have a physical impact, like fluorite which stays cool, so its a great ice pack, but most crystals will be working on an etheric level in a very subtle way. Perceptions change, beliefs breakdown, forgiveness comes. Below, I introduce some ways to introduce crystals into your herbalist practice and to your clients.

Green Fluorite Octahedrons: Use these for their naturally cooling properties. Fluorine, which is used in refrigerators to keep them cool is present in minute quantities, but enough that these stones remain cool and make excellent re-usable, sustainable ice paks. I keep a small bag of these in my fridge for extra cooling power, the best part, no messy melting and they can be popped right back in the fridge after use. 

These are also excellent for inflammation in the joints, wearing them around the joints helps to reduce swelling and pain in arthritis or injury.

Clear Quartz: Quartz is energetically considered an amplifier. In fact quartz is piezoelectric, meaning that a charge can be set off when the stone is under pressure, this is how radios and other technology works. When we work with quartz that is exactly what we are doing, we are putting the clients energetic system under a pressure waiting for the spark, so quartz is usually used when we want to increase something in the body. Energy, hormone production, blood production, liver function, kidney function. There are as many ways to accomplish this as there crystal healers. Some use strictly laying on of the stones, some use chakra layouts, some add the quartz to their formulas (quartz is rare in that it poses no risks in teas, tinctures or waters. Most stones can leach toxic constituents so be very cautious with this). Anytime I see someone struggling with a sluggish thyroid, I not only reach for the adaptogens, I reach for quartz. A necklace, placing the quartz directly over the thyroid is a beautiful way to compliment the adaptogen formula that the client is using. In cases of premenstrual syndrome a quartz stone in each pocket can help to  balance out many of the symptoms including inflammation and pain. Often times, quartz at the top of the head, the area of the crown chakra can help to dispel depression or grief and help one find inspiration again.

Turquoise : Historically Turquoise has been used for protection and health in many cultures across the world, before communication between these cultures. Most commonly used in the area of the neck, shoulders and throat, we find that turquoise has a cooling effect on sore throats, hoarseness, fevers, ringing ears, and even muscle pain in the neck and shoulders. Turquoise helps us to find our voice, to communicate those things we have kept inside to our own detriment. It allows us to not only speak up for ourselves, but to express ourselves, express who we are, who we came here to be. It is a stone that frees us from our own prison. 

Garnet: Garnets come in many colors, however most of us are aware only of the red garnets. Each color gets its coloring from different impurities within the stone, the reddish orange colorations come from iron impurities. Traditionally garnets were mixed up with rubies and not recognized as any color other than red until the late 1800’s, when identification became more technical. Garnets have been used with anemias, wasting diseases and to increase appetite. They are excellent stones to help a client find their own power and to step into it on their own. These are very good stones to use with individuals who are in a victim mentality, the garnet will help empower them not only with responsibility, but success.

Lithium included Quartz : An inclusion in a quartz crystal is a foreign substance that the quartz crystal formed around. Some inclusions cause new colorations and some are left in tact, forever suspended in the stillness of the quartz. Lithium is a mineral that is mined from the ground and used extensively commercially, including by the medical field. This mineral gets ground extracted and reformulated into a medication that helps individuals with depression and bi-polar disorder. Lithium is believed to act as a post-synaptic serotonin blocker within the human brain. When using the included quartz crystal, I have found that it helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns, mainly patterns that have to do with how they feel about themselves and their value. I recommend Lithium included Quartz with skin eruptions, reproductive issues, depression, emotional trauma and many more.

These are just a few examples of how to incorporate your crystals into your herbal practice, please visit my website’s resource page for more information on crystals and how to use them, crystaliscious.com. 

How will the ECS effect herbalists?

When we think of Cannabis, we may conjure visions of smoke filled rooms, dirty hippies and reefer madness. Some may have fond memories of past times, while others have opinions shaped by propaganda, politics and policy. Many people across the nation do not understand what has fueled the medical marijuana movement across 28 states and the District of Columbia. I heard over and over that the medical marijuana movement was just a back door to legalization, however with a little research we find what really launched this movement to where we find ourselves today. A quiet scientist in Israel, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, held the key to a movement that is sweeping the world.
Dr. Mechoulam has spent most of his career studying cannabis, in fact, he is the scientist who identified THC as the active constituent in cannabis. He started this work to learn how cannabis effects our moods, after all the opiate receptors had been identified almost 150 years prior to Dr. Mechoulam work, it was time we understood the effects of cannabis. Over the course of his career, Dr. Mechoulam has made great strides understanding the constituents of cannabis, the importance of good policy and a very important function of the human body. He identified a system within our physiological process, one that modulates energy intake, nutrient transport, metabolism and storage. He happened to be studying cannabis when he discovered this, so he named the new system, the endocannabinoid system or ECS.
The ECS is a group of receptors found within the brain and throughout our body, It is comprised of two main cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. There are other receptors that have been identified, just not studied as well, GPR18, GPR119 and GPR55. These receptors respond to both endocannabinoid, created within our own bodies, and phyto cannabinoids, those

found in cannabis, and surprisingly a few other plants as well. The brain is plentiful with CB1 receptors, in fact there are more CB1 receptors present than any other type of receptor thus far identified. CB1 receptors are also present in other areas of our nervous system with none being found within the brainstem, which is why lethal overdose is not a risk with cannabis. CB2 receptors are found more within the immune system, the gastrointestinal system, as well as in our glands, organs and tissues. Since the identification of these receptors and this physiological system, increased research suggests that the ECS plays a major role in regulating psychological and physiological health and disease.
It is important to remember that our own bodies make cannabinoids, they are found throughout our bodies, released on demand and have been found to be present in breast milk. There are currently two identified endogenous cannabinoids, Anandamide, which mean bliss in sanskrit, and AG2. Scientist have researched these to some extent, but its my understanding that it has been easier to research the phytocannibinoids due to poor policy.
Phytocannibinoids, are of course present in cannabis. A few of these are THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, there are reportedly over 100 in process being identified. However many do not realize that plants such as echinacea, kava, black pepper and Liverwort all stimulate the endocannabinoid system as well. Many others are being studied at this time for suspicion of stimulating the ECS, and one Naturopathic physician in Washington State, Dr. Michelle Sexton, has gone as far as to call cannabis an adaptogen, and hinted that plants in this category will definitely be studied with respect to our ECS. The ECS performs different tasks, dependent on the tissue, however the goal seems to always be the same, homeostasis,

Maintaining our internal environment despite what is happening in our external environment. Cannabinoids promote health and homeostasis at every level, one example is Apoptosis, programmed cell death. The ECS mediates this process, this is the process that gives us the idea that cannabis may have some effects on cancers. Endocannabinoid's and cannabinoids are also found where our bodies systems meet up, helping the cells communicate. For example, cannabinoids can be found in injured tissue, stabilizing the nerve cells, calming the immune cells and decreasing the release of sensitizers, in other words protecting from damage and decreasing pain.Three different tasks, performed by the same constituent.
Over the course of the last few decades, researchers have found that the ECS is involved in an enormous array of functions within our bodies. These include helping to control brain and nerve function, including memory and pain, energy metabolism, heart function, the immune system and reproduction. Because of the diversity of the ECS, it is implicated in a large range of disease, such as obesity, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, chrohn’s disease, IBS, chronic pain, cancer, to name just a few.
I’m sure many of us have heard the claims that cannabis has become a miracle cure for many conditions, I must admit the first time I heard that cannabis cured cancer, I was not a believer, I happened to teach DOT drug screening protocol at the time. However a cursory search on the internet, or a few minutes spent on youtube, will show us a green rush is sweeping the nation. An illegal industry being brought into the light, with entrepreneurs, investors, growers, distribution, taxes, policies, regulations and legitimate job creation.

Pharmaceutical companies are lobbying, researching, trying to beat the others out with the first “clean and pure” product on the market. Millions are being invested, all with the promise of being pioneers in a budding new industry, an industry that vows to expand and grow over the next 5 years. This movement, these claims, the snake oil salesmen, the legitimate caregivers, the 20,000+ research articles on PubMed, the policy changes, the new regulations, this whole industry is possible because of Dr. Mechoulam’s identification of the ECS within the human body.
So what does this mean to those of us using plants and herbs as our healthcare? How will we, as herbalist’s incorporate this information into our routine practices? While this information is slowly making it’s way into mainstream medicine, how will this effect our understanding of how different plants are used in herbalism?
I imagine that the majority of herbalist’s are sitting back with a smile on their face thinking ‘told ya so”. Not just about cannabis, but about many other herbs that are definitely effecting our body in a positive way against all of the pollution we face on a daily basis. This information is affirming what herbalist already know, phytotherapy works, it is the heart of herbalism and the foundation of allopathic medicine. There are over 20,000 scientific studies on one plant, all proving action of some sort in the human body. This alone, should remind not only the herbalist, but all main steam healthcare practitioners that plants and herbs are more important than ever, our efforts to understand them have only just begun. This scientific research into one plant, has lit a fire in the research community to understand more and more about the actions of plant constituents and how they effect the body, bringing herbalist more information than ever before on how

these plants interact within our body. I’m sure that within a decade, these new studies will help us as herbalist’s understand the action of several plants and why they work, helping us to be more precise in our practices.
With the questionable legality of the cannabis plant, many herbalist across the nation will not have immediate access to it. At the time of this writing 28 states have passed some form of cannabis legalization, in medical programs or full recreational. This is a challenge in those states where no form of legalization has passed and or large criminal penalties exist for possession of this plant. Herbalist in those states should not ignore this information, nor should they jump into buying and preparing formulas against local laws. However, we as herbalist, have a responsibility to educate ourselves on these findings and then educate others. There are many resources on the ECS available, even in states that harbor criminal penalties for cannabis possession and consumption. The more we educate ourselves and others on this crucial role of the ECS in our health and how plants play a role in the balance of this system, the closer these regions will come to passing legislation that brings relief to the millions of people looking for alternatives to opiate’s and other harsh pharmaceutical chemicals.
In states that have passed legislation legalizing cannabis and its constituents for medical or recreational, the laws are still fuzzy, regulations change weekly and it is difficult to keep up with what the rules are, when and where. There are still federal raids happening in states that have voted for full legality, there are still cease and desist letters being sent out to small companies by the FDA, asset forfeitures are still a top line item in many law enforcement agencies budgets. This is no time to ignore the legal ramifications and pay attention only

to the materia medica. This is a time to educate ourselves, not only on the ECS and how plants effect it, but on the law and making sure that we are working within the confines of the law for our clients. A quick google search will show us horror stories of desperate parents being prosecuted for treating their child with cannabis, or themselves while the child is in the home. These are the types of situations that an herbalist in a legal state should be very aware of. There are many stories of people who thought they were doing everything legally, only to be facing years in prison for by passing an unknown regulation. As the logistics of the regulations and laws shake out over the next decade, we as herbalist are responsible for staying on top of these so that our clients remain safe and within the law.
It’s exciting to me that we are on the precipice of a new dynamic in healthcare with the discovery of the ECS. I can only compare the possibilities I see to what those individuals who saw the birth of penicillin must have imagined as they witnessed a miracle that changed the course of medicine. We are witnessing a moment in time that will shape medical history for decades to come. An affirmation of the importance of nature to the body, new understandings of how our body constantly works to create homeostasis, rather than disease. We are seeing the death of the age of disease, and the birth of an age of well being. Where our scientific research is mutating from studying pathogens and the harm they cause, to studying the balance of the body and how to support it. This will not only effect herbalist, it will spill over into the mainstream healthcare, into mainstream thinking, and as a result we will see not only more plants and herbs being used for health, we will have a better understanding of exactly how they are working in the body. 

"Things that make ya go hmmm", Merck, MMR and what it's really all about

I paid my dues in healthcare. Twenty Four years in clinics, emergency rooms, minute clinics and doc in the boxes, my dues were paid. I learned a lot about the human race in those years, and was fortunate to have known what healthcare was before the  gang raping of it with the pharmaceutical & insurance companies. That was a time when your physician knew your name, not your carrier, people went to the doctor when they were sick, they paid in full for office visits and paid on time for hospital stays. Fees in the first office I ever worked in ( my fathers), an office visits was $25.00, a simple lab test would be from $8.00-$30.00 max, an x-ray was $40.00. Most people were seen regularly for things like hypertension, depression and cardiac problems related to age. Quality of life was considered, not just quantity and Physicians were trained by other Physicians, not Pharmaceutical and Insurance Companies. A different time and a different era.
Yesterday someone mentioned to me that a mutual person we both knew had been approved for a new drug that had just come out. That round of treatment is going to cost over $100,000.00. What has happened?  How do we get from $25.00 office visit to $100,000.000? I can tell you but you may have to stay with me over a few different blogs, today I want to show one example of a myriad of things that have happened within  a healthcare system that at one time held a position as one of the top in the world, and as we are about to experience, now lies very low in the stats- world wide.
We all know about childhood vaccines, no one gets very far without either getting them, or plowing through a crapload of red tape to avoid them. Immunizations as a whole seem to be a clever idea, beat the virus before it beats us. Eradicate diseases on a world wide level, that sounds like an absolute admirable goal. It is a goal that several agencies world wide have taken up, a crusade of sorts, but just  how do these crusades occur?
Well, measles, mumps and rubella have not always been combined and we will pick on the measles part of the MMR vaccine to start off with. Our first opportunity to work with a vaccine for measles was in 1963, that formula has changed a few times since. Prior to 1963, 3-4 million Americans were infected with measles per year. ( click here for report) Sounds like a a lot huh? Well, interestedly enough this number accounts for a very small percentage of the actual population at the time ( "about" .0002%). A huge propaganda campaign, and waa-laa, we have a gold mine! And a gold mine it is, in 2012 Merck, the maker of the most popular MMR vaccine claimed over 11 BILLION in revenue with a mention of the rise in vaccinations and immunology. ( click here for Merck Financials)
How dare I say that, people actually died from this right. In reality more women died from botched abortions, ( 47,000 deaths in recent years), than actually died from measles.
Why would I pick on something that is bringing health into our world? Because it doesn't bring health into our world, it is designed to bring wealth into Merck's pockets.
In 2012 the CDC reported 159 cases of measles nation wide. ( click here to see report), doesn't seem like many, seems like the vaccine is doing a great job! Eliminating measles just as it is supposed to.
However, one fact that was very difficult to find, it took several keywords for google, then a complicated downloading process, then a sorting process, then I had to count them myself process- yea one of those processes, that brought me to the info that there have been over 2300 adverse reactions  reported to VAERS for that same year.
We have more adverse reactions to the vaccine then we do now, or ever did statistically from the disease.
Remember the 11 billion in profits Merck reported for the same year? That is the only real success of this campaign, Merck's profit margin. It really has nothing to do with you or your health.
Who do you think educates your current physician, it isn't who you thought it was. Merck, along with many other pharmaceutical and insurance companies have taken it upon themselves to re-educate our doctors and healthcare providers. They have evidence based science that backs up the need for expensive testing, expensive therapy, and above all else, expensive medication. Medication that goes through the routine FDA approval process of filing your forms with the fee, when the fee is right your drug hits the shelves, without ANY independent testing.  I won't go into a lot of detail here just yet, I'm saving that for it's own blog, but I will ask you to think about this. Is is really in this companies interest for you to be HEALTHY?  Vaccinations are a way for a company who depends on an unhealthy market to capture a segment of the healthy market, and not only capture them, but keep them.
We have been trained to trust our doctors, I invite you to start to trust yourself, your own research and your own common sense. After all, anyone can see it doesn't make a lot of sense to continue to have more adverse reactions than actual cases, it doesn't seem very cost efficient, or smart when we understand that these actual vaccines are nothing but a money maker for a very greedy industry.
A real epidemic that we could use some help with would be the opium dependance that is sweeping the nation, from prescription pain pills to herion. Oh, but these same companies are the ones making those drugs too, so I doubt we will see a decrease in this particular disease anytime soon.

09/11/2014 it's time America

Nine Eleven. I find myself thirteen years post such a traumatic moment in this countries history, and I see that PTSD has become some badge of honor that we Americans flash with disregard. The year is Two Thousand and Fourteen, however the terror alert is higher than ever, our troops are in all corners of the world, our borders are exploding with refugees created by our own policies, our law enforcement is better armed than the terrorist groups we trained in the middle east, our soldiers are paid so little that they leave the army to work for private contractors, who now own our politicians along with many many other corporations.

Sound like a negative perspective? Well....

This country has been at war since the 1600’s. Why did I not know this? Did you know this? In 1675 the original colonies fought King Phillips war, it was against the native tribes in the area of New England, it lasted until 1676. A nice long lull of 13 long years of something that could be claimed as peace, then another skirmish is entered between the english colonies and France, now your right, technically we aren’t America yet. Now this little incident went on until 1697, and then a full 3 years of peace ensues. The year 1702 brought another conflict between the English colonist and the French, this time called Queen Annes war or the Spanish Secession. This clash lasted for 11 years until 1713, when we see another generation of somewhat stable peace follow.Thirty one years later, in 1744 a conflict between the french colonies and Great Britain disturbed the peace again, four more years of fighting before this finally ended in 1748. The colonies now had some peace and quiet for about 8 years when the French and Indian war broke out,starting in 1756 and not ending until 1763. Now the French and Indian war was between the French colonist and the Indians and in 1759 the english colonist found themselves at war with the cherokee nation, so there are 2 actual battles being fought within the America’s. And before I go any further I would just like to point out that all of these wars are to accumulate land and resources, land that was already occupied by other peoples, for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. These conflicts and skirmishes are not some zionist religious movement, a blatant land grab, this is strictly for profit.

So America’s real ( eh hmmm) history starts in 1775, with the declaration of revolution that went on until 1783. At this point, we are a new nation, with new ideals, with new inspiration and new dreams. This is the point where we want to believe that the war mongering patterns were replaced with a constitution, one that recognized the basic human rights of all humans, no matter color and sex, but what really happened was that it took our government about 15 years to make another conflict public, this time in 1798 with the Franco- American war between America and France. This lasted for a little over a year and then the Americans found themselves right smack dab in the middle of our next conflict in 1801, the Barbary wars, there were a lot of countries involved in that so maybe we could get an excuse for that one.These tussles were off and on like a bad love affair for almost the next 15 years, with another fray erupting between the Americans and Great Britain in 1812, pulling resources from the Barbary troubles, and those pesky natives had to start trouble at home during all these other issues, from 1813-1814 we had the Creek Indian war right here.

I guess this soured Americans and finding gold in the hills of the west must have taken some of the pressure off of the war machine because once again Americans were able to enjoy about 15 years of peace. In 1836, the state of Texas went to war with Mexico and once again the American war machine roared back to life, with a quick Mexican-American war following within 10 years. This seemingly was over by 1848, when just a few years later, in 1861, Americans decided there were no more natives to fight so they started fighting themselves. Most of us learned about this conflict in school according to the winners (smirk). Following the decimation of the country as the Americans of all color had known it, it took them all of 33 years, one generation to fire that war machine back up and enter the Spanish American war in 1898.

Fifteen years of peace and WWI comes on the scene, devastating many parts of the world, but it didn’t take long, once again, just one generation or 21 years before we found ourselves tricked into war once again. Fifteen years between WWII and the Korean war, 7 years between Korea and Vietnam, 8 years until we find our soldiers in Grenada, 5 more years in Panama, 1 year after that the original Gulf war, 4 years we are in Bosnia, and then in 2001 the twin towers come down, and we find ourselves in Afghanistan. I could continue, but I think I made my point, 9/11 did not start on 9/11. It started with unprecedented land grabs over 300 years ago. Thy son shall pay for thy fathers sin. 

Speaking of paying for my fathers sin, My daughter came home saying “white people just need to understand...”

So I hear this from my beautiful ‘half arab, half white” daughter and I think to myself, must be time to fight amongst ourselves again. History does repeat itself if we do not change patterns. One pattern very obvious in the above timeline is that it takes about 1 generation to forget, and that goes both ways.

This is in no way meant to be a history lesson, or a bashing of my country. I love my country, I love the ideals written into our constitution that at least acknowledge that people count, even if they are not always interpreted as such, it is at least a good start, maybe.This is only meant to show a pattern. A Pattern that our government has kept our country stuck in from the start, a pattern of using the war machine to be what upholds our economy, kind of like robbing peter to pay paul. I think most people have come to the conclusion that our government has sold America out, the corporations and private sector now has control over both parties, so our vote no longer matters, it’s the same damn shit on both sides of the fence- all fertilizer, no grass.

And although I risk sounding negative, I must also hazard to say that each and every one of us is guilty in our ignorance, in our apathy and in our belief that if it doesn’t effect us, we can’t worry about it. We are so busy being positive that we aren’t noticing what is happening all around us, and that is a good thing, right? We are supposed to stay positive, we are supposed to look for what it is we want rather than that which we do not want, we are supposed to fart rainbows.

When we see something we don’t want, we are supposed to focus on what we do want- this is law of attraction at it’s finest and guess what, it works most of the time. The trick though is that often times I find myself saying I can’t focus on these world events and feel good so I’m just going to ignore them. Esther Hicks calls that a happy face sticker and she reminds us that just because we put a happy face sticker on the gas tank it does not mean we won’t run out of gas. Just because I ignore these events does not mean that they go away. They continue to get bigger, they continue to get scarier and they continue to get more and more surreal and un American like.

So while my happy face sticker is not doing me any good I have to ask myself what will do some good?

Real change will happen when each and every one of us is honest with ourselves first and foremost.  Are American lives worth more than lives across the world? What really has value in the world, is it money, weapons of war or food? As we American’s have pursued our own happiness it has been at the expense of the world, are you ready for that knowledge, that truth that sits in the middle of the world like one large pink elephant.

I have to be honest with myself about what I support, and although I say I don’t support war, I still pay my taxes, I still buy from companies that support the war machine, I still shop in stores that support the corporate welfare, I still use gas to drive over 45 miles a day, I still run electricity all day long wether I am home or not, I still take 20 minute showers, I still buy vegetables from big box stores because it’s easier and cheaper than buying local and organic many times. I am just now understanding that buying bottled water is actually a selfish sin not only against humanity but against mother earth in so many ways. I am just now really comprehending that my desire to save money on luxury items spawns an entire industry where slave labor is the commodity of the day, I am just now really getting that by refusing to challenge the  status quo, and demanding things remain the same I am killing several children per day with my acquiesce while I get in my car and drive 40 miles down the road when it could easily be done from home. I am slowly understanding that our society is set up in a way that it is unsustainable, and it is probably going to change. It won’t be the first shift in society and if civilization ceases to exist because of some stupid decision some asshole with way too much power made, it won’t be the first time a civilization is remembered within it’s ruins. We do have the power to change things, but not by ignoring them. by facing them head on and making the decision to ask ourselves what is the next step, then taking that step, and supporting others who are taking that step. 

Nine eleven has shown me many layers of my own country, from racism to religion. From the drug war to human sex trafficking, from VA atrocities to Private Military elitism and teflon finishes. Nine eleven has exposed our politicians in a way I had not seen them before, over time we see the lies that the war drums drowned out in the moment and no one is accountable. Nine eleven showed me that Americans are so busy chasing our pursuit of pleasure that people of color are being shot in the street or locked up for life for non violent crimes while George Bush - both W and H walk free after the violent murders of thousands of people. Nine eleven showed me 3 Americans brought to Atlanta for rare treatment while almost 3000 africans have died. Nine eleven showed me it’s time to get real,it’s time to take our country back and its time to ask ourselves seriously what we the people of the world want for our future. Most of all Nine eleven taught me that ‘we the people’ has a whole new meaning, we the people of the world, connected and in communication for the first time.

I have met very few actual people I didn’t like, I bet you are the same. Once I get to know people, I usually either like them, or think to each his own. Nine eleven has opened up a phenomena we have not yet witnessed in history. People of the world reaching out to each other. People of the world reaching out without tyrants in the way, without government interference, people connecting in ways that we never knew possible before. When you meet people from all over the world and you see these “world issues”, what we learn is that the american people are some of the most powerful idiots in the world. We have rights no one else has, yet we aren’t good at exercising them. We have a platform most countries do not have, yet we spend our time watching sports and glorifying athletes who beat their girlfriends silly. We have choices about what we support, if we take the time to pay attention. 

Nine eleven has taught me to pay attention, not to the terror alert, but to what I am being distracted with and why.

Thirteen years after 9/11 I have a new understanding of America, as does much of the rest of the world, for at least one generation.

This is my story of America, Tell me yours….

I, like many people here in this country grew up in what we would consider today idyllic conditions. I grew up in a time when running the neighborhood was encouraged, mom didn’t want us underfoot all day. We left the house, played in the yard, the neighbors yards, creeks all sorts of places, any place but the home mom was cleaning. Growing up we had a firm understanding that we were Irish Catholics, and that we went to school and church with the catholics, they were our community. There was always a little tension with our neighbors, it never occurred to me it was our Religion.

It wasn’t until well into my adulthood that I realized that there were other worlds out there. As a young american woman in the 80’s the door to the world was opened like it had never been before. A generation ahead of us had cleared the way- or so we had thought - for our equality in the workplace, the home and society. 

This is where I entered into the world. I entered the world believing that the work had already been done. The fore-fathers wrote the constitution, the civil rights movement took care of the racial divide and now everybody is equal and lets all get along.

Needless to say I found myself so un prepared for the external world that this developed into a 13 year marriage with a Shi’ite Iraqi Arab. The America I learned in those 13 years would scare the living shit out of most people I know today. The truth about what I saw with my own eyes on how policies are carried out in the name of America, and if not America, Israel’s name, and America’s dollars.  The America I saw disillusioned me as it has most of the world.

I have spent most of my adult life trying to reconcile the divide inside myself over gross injustices within our democratic system. My origins and upbringing were staunch republican views, however I now understood how those views effect the rest of the world. When America farts the rest of the world gets shit on. 

The ideals this country started on were beautiful to the whole world. The whole world gets goosebumps when they hear these words written into law. The whole world aspires to meet the goals set forth in a document much older than our American Constitution. The whole world deserves the rights within our American constitution, look at the Magna Carta, this is not new information. For a few centuries that dream inspired millions of people to leave their countries of origins and land here, on the American shore to start a new life, where they are treated equally and with respect.

That was the dream that was followed, however there was another level to this ‘dream’ that most immigrants were not so aware of, and many never saw. As immigrants arrived here 3 things that our American government needed were coming with them, A massive labor force, a voting population and a massive army. By marketing the Native Indians land the way our fore fathers did, they very quickly amassed a huge army, a solid workforce and a consistent voter base. That is kind of the original immigration policy in a nutshell, I believe.

Our history completely leaves out the fact that millions of natives were already here.  Many of the immigrants running from oppressors to come here to oppress the Native American. The propaganda campaign is complete, genocide is not only allowed, it is embraced in the name of our constitution. How is this different than Hitler’s plan of genocide towards the jews? How is this different than what Israel is doing in Palestine?

I sit and observe my fellow Americans today and see the anger, the racism, the class divide, the frustration. I hear pleas of basic human rights in Detroit with the water shut offs. I hear pleas of civil rights abuses with the protest in Ferguson, Oakland, L.A. and New York. I see gross murder occurring across the map in the name of democracy and freedom. These murders are occurring in Syria, Iraq, Liberia, Sierre Leone, Nigeria, Uganda, Ferguson, L.A., New York, Argentina, Columbia, Gaza and I’m sure in countries that I have never heard of but would be fascinated in learning about.

These are just the headlines for today.

The judgement I see from my fellow Americans shames me deeply. It shames me because we have forgotten where we have come from. Those of us so opposed to immigration should ask ourselves  where we would be if our borders had not been open. Ask yourself what is going on in these other countries that people are fleeing from enmass. It does matter to us as a nation. It matters what is going on in Argentina today. It does matter what is happening south of our border, we should be much more concerned with what is happening south of our border than what is happening in Iraq. The hypocrisy of the American People is on display for the world to see in whole new way. Not only will America Free the shit out of Iraq, it will free the shit out of it’s own cities.The american people will deploy billions of dollars in rockets to save the yazidi’s in Iraq but wont allow a homeless child to cross our border from countries that have been torn apart just as bad as Iraq. WTF.

The American people will watch while over 1200 people die across Africa, and bring 2 Americans home for treatment. WTF.

The American People filter billions of dollars to Israel while the Israeli Government has broken UN truces, has invaded a sovereign land with such brutal “shock and awe” and continue to push their own little ‘manifest destiny’ right through Gaza. These are horrible abuses of our American constitution that we would never allow in a country like Iraq, or Libya, or Egypt, or Iran. Have you ever asked why?

American People will scream about their freedom, defending their right carry arms, their right to free speech but my very humble opinion is that most of us, and I include myself here, should invoke our right to remain silent once in a while, and in that silence we should read the constitution.

What is happening in America today is the result of our fore fathers sins. We have been building and building sins generation after generation. Each generation gets further and further into debt economically as well as karmically, causing further racial divides, class divides. Our policies breed terrorism. Our policies create a place for terrorism to be a for profit industry, and it is corporatized. Business men started our country for their own profit margins. These same business men continued to profit from the backs of the blacks, the irish and the other nationalities that have all held at least one generation as america’s ‘nigger’. Those same business men still operate today, in the name of corporations, hiding behind privatized rules that appear to trump the American constitution, in America and the whole world.

The constitution has gotten so complicated over the years that entire libraries are written about it. It would not surprise me if this constitution has not been read and analyzed by more people than the Torah, the Bible and The Koran all combined. There are also cases where interpretations of the constitution may differ between parties, or people, much like a religion. The interpretation about what the authors meant about ‘all men’ is just a start of the controversy that can surround this document that is on the tip of all of our tongues lately.

I want America to stand by the ideals that made our country a dream for most of the world. I want us as Americans to realize that greatness is not force, greatness is restraint. I want America to be what I was told it was when I was growing up- the greatest place on earth. I want an America where my children can walk down the street without having to worry about being shot. I want police officers that serve and protect. I want a transparent government in all aspects, no more national security, I am tired of thuggish protection. I want America to be one color, we are all american and we are all human so we have more in common than not. I want my children and grandchildren to live in a society they can be proud of, not one that is set up only for a few elite people.

I want to know my neighbors, and care about them. I want an America that welcomes those from troubled parts of the world and a government that understands what help is.. I want a government that isn’t our countries largest employer. I want an America that treats it’s criminals better than animals. I want an America that understnads why we have crime. I want an America that allows the people to determine where our taxes our spent, no more financing wars that are killing millions of people every day. I want an America that offers opportunity to every citizen in some form or another. I want an America that offers a government that is there to help the people. serve the people, protect the people or allow them to protect themselves. I want an America that I can believe in because I do not believe in America today.

Our fore fathers were not perfect, and neither are the leaders in place today. It isn’t up to them to save America, it is up to you.

I would love for you to post up your story below in comments- or link to your own blog on this subject.

-Melissa

This is what winning looks like

I entered  my rocks into a display. Yes there are shows for that. They usually are affiliated with a gem show, a rockhound club or something of that nature. I had spent a few years writing about and photographing my stones,and I thought it’s time to step it up and call them an actual collection.

I have an extensive collection of crystals, rocks, fossils and stones.. I can’t pass a cabinet in my home without stopping and admiring them and there is no space left on any shelf, table top and the floor space is starting to get pretty tight. I have a bad case of rockhounditis. I spent several weeks determining which stones to display. I measured out the exact space I would have available, I planned how the finished product would look, I even created new graphics to compliment the stones chosen. the whole time I planned the ‘exhibit’ of my collection I was so excited and pumped, very similar to when I am excited about a gift I am getting for someone. I couldn’t wait until set up started! I called on my years of designing windows for a few area jewelers, I added material for a rich shimmery blanket for my stones to sit on, I added height and dimension, my display rocked literally!

I stepped back and looked at my display, ready to put the door on it with a sense of satisfaction, I did it. I created a beautiful display of my collection. It looked crystaliscious, I had obsessed over it for weeks and it was done. I slid the door on and looked to my right. The next exhibitor had just arrived. He was an elderly man who was hauling lots of boxes and his wife was fussing along behind him. I watched them for a minute and noticed the people in the display on the other side

of them. He was older still and he was putting some of the most fascinating specimens I had ever seen up. I asked him about it and his reply reminded me that I’m just a rockhound adolescent, this man is a real rockhound adult.

What do I mean by that? This man has studied collecting sites longer then I have been alive, when he gets a new rock it isn’t from the corner store or gem show- he goes and finds it, digs it up, cleans it, polishes it, then some of his stones were also set in gold and silver that he worked. Now that is what this rockhound aspires to grow up and be.

I knew then I was in over my head. What did I know about rockhounding. What was I doing throwing me and my stones out there when the ‘real’ players are REAL players. These guys could care less if you have one of the most rare polished pretty stones you can find, they want to know where you found it, how hard was it to dig up, what did you use to clean it and how easy was it to polish. I am stumped with half thought words and the feeling of heat in my cheeks when I know I am out of my league.

One last look at my display, a new perspective this time and it had gone from

looking like a beautiful presentation of a rare collection, to a commercial interpretation of my rockhound spirit. I suddenly wished I had enough guts to get out of the display, but I thought that was silly. Then the man thanked me and wished me luck. That was the moment I realized this was a ‘competition’. Oh, it can get worse huh? The embarrassment in my head was tortuous for the next 2 days of the show. I held my head up, tried to forget about the displays over in the corner and avoided walking past them . Two days later, the last day of the show and I am still reacting in my gut about what I saw with the other displays, the disparity between mine and the others.

The other displays all had a deep meaning to each exhibitor, they had either found these crystals or worked them. They each had stories about the display, and through out the weekend I overheard many of them talking about those stories. The other displays had a character. The character of the rockhound, the spirit of looking for treasure, the belief that there is something there. My display now looked like a mall jewelry store window, with a lot of pomp and bang but no buck.

We have been fascinated with gemstones for 1000’s of years, it’s the story of the stone that gets our attention and holds it. The other displays had some of the most fascinating stories, memories and real adventure attached to them. That is the real spirit of rockhounding, not how pretty we can make them look after the real stories have happened.

I got a blue ribbon for that display. I almost gave it back, then decided that the blue ribbon will always remind what I hope to grow up and be, a real rockhound. I still don’t believe my display actually won, I believe that I got the understanding of what it really means to be a rockhound, and that’s what winning looks like.

Prehnite Lets Talk Stones

Prehnite is a stone that originally comes to us from South Africa, it is the first documented important mineral find from that area. Soon after it’s discovery in the late 16th century, this stone traveled to Europe with it’s namesake, Colonel Hendrik von Prehn, a Dutch mineralogist and an early governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony. With it’s entrance into the European market- Prehnite quickly became known as the primary stone used for prophecy and dream interpretation.

Prehnite is a stone that improves our ability to listen. Not only quieting your mind and stilling thoughts, prehnite refines the way you hear things, no longer hearing them with pre-disposed beliefs attached. Prehnite clears the way of all of our pre conceived beliefs, allowing you to see and hear things a whole new way. Without your pre patterned thoughts and beliefs, every situation in your reality immediately starts to change, and prehnite helps you to maneuver that change in the direction you desire.

Prehnite has been said to be useful as a stone of prophecy, promoting the visualization abilities of it’s user, but prehnite’s most powerful use is in creating your future and manifesting a new reality. 

Often times you find that you re-create the same situation over and over, time and time again, different faces and names, however situations that appear hauntingly familiar. Working with Prehnite will support a new awareness of a new and different action promoting real change, the kind that lasts. Prehnite encourages you to see beyond what   you know to be true, challenging and motivating at the same time, this stone asks you to step outside of your comfort zone and create your world. Inspiring you to visualize your future, used with dedication and determination prehnite becomes the premier manifestation stone.