“If someone offered you money, would you accept it? – no strings”

I posted this question on Facebook to my personal tribe.

And I am shocked at the answers. ~~ Half the people responding essentially said no.

Again. People said no!

And then people who say No to a gift, turn around and ask Why do they have no money, no opportunities, no this, no that. The answer, clearly, is they do not, will not, have not, RECEIVED and ACCEPTED what has been offered.

The other half was quick to say YES!  I’m glad I have people like that in my life. I’m glad they are in my tribe. And just maybe I’ll offer them money or an opportunity or a gift one day and the answer will be the same: YES!!

Giving & Receiving are two sides of the same coin. Your Purpose is expressed in your Giving; Money (or something of similar value) is the exchange for you to Receive.

What would YOU say to money or a gift or an opportunity if were offered to you?

Today I did a short, quick errand and drove by TWO homes with their front yards torn up – all within a few short blocks! Hmmmm. I found myself wondering what they were doing, going to do and if what that was would hide or showcase something?

How important is what you see – in someone’s home, car, attire, briefcase, etc. – to your accepting, trusting, listening to, recommending them?

Aquamarine – hardness of 7.5 – 8

Throat and heart centers

In the Beryl family, Aquamarine is a stone supporting communication – communication here on this plane – with your family, colleagues, friends – and communication with the Spirit realm – your guides and angels. In line with that, it also supports communication with yourself – with your own inner self. Have you taken time lately to listen?

Aquamarine is a gentle stone, helping you release that which no longer serves you with ease (and this month, July, is all about stepping into and dancing with Ease).

Step fully into You bringing your own inner knowing and intuition to the fore with Aquamarine.

Beryl-Golden – hardness of 7.5

Solar Plexus energy center

A magical stone and overall stone family. Wonderful choice for ceremony. Supporting the will or solar plexus center, it enhances your will to succeed and gives courage, drive and tenacity to complete what’s necessary to accomplish your goal. Hold on to your resolve, remain confident – this is what beryl does for you.

Beryl encourages emotional release, opens and activates the crown and solar plexus energy centers, stimulates activity (to accomplish your goal, remember?) and adaptability.

Other stones in the beryl family: Aquamarine, emerald, goshenite, morganite.

Rhodonite – Hardness of 5.5 – 6

Root and Heart center

Rhodonite is another stone supporting the heart. It is pink in color, staying with our current theme. It has black inclusions and looks similar to Rhodochrosite at a quick glance. Sometimes it is sold as Rhodochrosite by the unscrupulous (which is more expensive and harder to come by).

Working with Rhodonite is a great choice when you find yourself in stressful situations of change. Seek this mineral out to support your self-worth, better understand the big question of why you’re here and need clarity, as it does help with mental blocks.

Rose Quartz – Hardness of 7

Works with the heart center

Love. Who isn’t searching for love? Love for yourself, your partner, your children, community, friends and more? Rose quartz is gentle and heart opening, bringing harmony to the individual wearing or carrying it or to those in the environment in which it sits.

Rose Quartz story: As a Realtor®, I see a lot of houses. One Tuesday morning on broker tour as I was leaving a house in Minneapolis, I saw a piece of rose quartz buried in the garden (the house was an estate). I went back in and told the listing agent I was very interested in buying the stone if the estate did not want it. About a week later, he called, said he’d dug it up, washed it off, and I could come and get it! Turned out, it is a HUGE piece – probably about 30 pounds! What a find!  It currently has a place of honor in my healing space.

Rhodochrosite – Hardness of 3.5 – 4

Heart and Solar Plexus energy centers

An absolutely beautiful stone of pink to red colorations with some white. It is a symbol of Openness and awakens all encompassing love – including love of self.

It is a beautiful stone to meditate with because of its gentleness and ability to take you back to a wounded time and heal it. It helps heal the inner child.  Combine your work with the Essential Oil blend of Inner Child and you’ve created a powerhouse experience!

Rhodochrosite story: a rock hound friend of mine, Henry, collected stones of all kinds during his lifetime. He allowed me to purchase an utterly gorgeous specimen of Rhodochrosite.  It is polished on one side and rough on the other with deep, rich coloration. God bless you, Henry. I miss you. (He transitioned May, 2009 at the young age of 93!)

Halite – a soft stone, a salt. Hardness of about 2 – 2.5

Works with all the energy centers in the body.

Halite is an energy purifier and a great choice for not only clearing your own space, but for professionals who work in a clinical arena (psychologists, counselors, psychotherapists, for instance).  Energy workers can keep it in their space to help absorb and disperse energies that clients leave behind.

It is also a stone of clarity!  If you experience ‘foggy thinking,’ this is a great choice.  It opens the heart and activates psychic abilities.  Stimulates acupuncture meridians, making it a great addition for the acupuncture professional’s clinic space.

Halite story: When I first found halite, it was a completely new mineral for me; I’d never seen it. I bought several pieces – large and small – for my   inventory – just on a Knowing that I needed to. When I got them home, I started researching this new stone. I was extremely & pleasantly surprised to learn that it stimulates the acupuncture meridians, as I had just started on a partnership of healing with an acupuncture professional! It made a great addition to our clinic/healing space.

Found myself really noticing the trees on a recent walk. The blooms and leaves are just emerging here in the Midwest.  Have you noticed that trees that have enough room to grow, do so in symmetry? The trees planted too close to another tree or a building are stunted or mis-shaped. Some even lean away from the other energy body! That got me to ponder the energy of it all.

If trees have the freedom to grow well formed, well rounded and in balance, what does that mirror for us?

If we are “planted” (read: in relationship with) too close to someone or something who shuts down our energy, our vision, our dreams, do we take on the form of a mis-shaped tree? Do we find ourselves leaning away from something we really want because of our relationship choices?

We humans have an edge over the tree. We can uproot ourselves and move away from that which holds us back. I’m not suggesting it’s easy, but it certainly is an option.

Happy Earth Day!

The tree has given us a meditation!

In some activities I am clearly not a leader, but rather a follower – and way behind the pack. I finally took the time to see the movie Avatar. There was so much depth it took me a few days to even find words.

I confess, I did not know that Avatar meant:

1. Hindu Mythology. The descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god.

2. An embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.

Let alone

3. Computers. A graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet.

(Taken from dictionary.com)

This knowledge pulls the whole movie together for me.

Some musings: who says in past (or future) life times on this or any other planet creatures resembling jellyfish have not moved in the air with such grace? Or that beings were blue with big bold eyes holding such wisdom?  Sometimes we get so caught up in what we think IS, we forget our reality is entirely in our perception.

My point being there is so much more to life than merely our tiny planet and our human race. The Universe is vast; it’s only when we open ourselves up to learning about its bigness do we realize there is still so very much yet to learn.

The humans in the movie did a great job showing the duality we live here. The one view of domination/power over (which has been/will be our demise, in my opinion) and the other whose view is to seek to learn from beings and places dissimilar to their experiences.  That’s where I choose to live.  Even as she lay dying, Grace uttered she should get a sample (from which to learn)! I know that when she crossed she learned all she so yearned to know instantly.

The Oneness the native peoples lived is amazing. They understood they were One with the beasts, the trees, the creatures. Even as she aimed her arrow at “Jacksully”, she correctly read the message of the jellyfish-like creature. She listened; it changed the course of her life and her peoples’ way of living. Isn’t that amazing?!  Do you think that was going on in her mind when she lowered her weapon? Probably not.

The Unity the native peoples lived is awe-inspiring. Coming together as a people to help someone is beautiful.  And then they took it a step further and the various people groups came together to defend the land.  Indeed – the planet.  Beautiful!

They knew that honoring and protecting the land and the planet would bring them Life – a rich life of connection to all things.

Everything has value. We are all equal. It’s our ego that tells us otherwise.

My favorite line: It is difficult to fill a cup that is already full.

May your cup be full.