Much Ado About Selenite

Selenite is the name of the crystalline form of Gypsum. Selenite is formed by the evaporation of salt lakes and ancient land locked salt water bodies. It is a very soft mineral and only has a hardness index of 2 on the Mohs' scale. Selenite is so soft that it is often found in bent crystalline formations and can even be perceived to change shape before ones eyes. In her book "Crystalline Transmission" Katrina Rafael writes; "it was evident to me as I sat and watched the Selenite continue to change shape before my very eyes, that this crystal is endowed with a special ability to alter the very nature of physical matter"(60). Selenite is indeed a major power stone and is often used in crystal healing and meditation. Here at the store we have a wide variety of Selenite crystals, from wands to huge slabs that can be placed in a window. Selenite has a unique energetic cleansing power rarely seen in other minerals. Some people like to come in and buy five or six big slabs and put them around their home for a constant energetic cleansing effect. If you are looking for a great natural energy healing tool a Selenite wand is an inexpensive option that often has wonderful results. Most of the Selenite in the store comes from Utah although there are new mines being discovered in the American Southwest every decade. If you have ever seen the "Cave of Swords" issue of National Geographic then you have seen the largest Selenite crystals on the planet. Selenite forms in many different varieties from the famous "Fishtail" structure to icicle clear points and slabs of varying thickness. Because it is a salt it has a natural ionizing effect on any room it is in. Selenite should not be cleansed in water as it can dissolve. Overall this is a great mineral to have in a collection, as it is versatile and beautiful to boot.

What Are Lemurian Seed Crystals?

One of the questions we are asked most often is what are Lemurian Seed Crystals? They are a variety of Clear Quartz and sometimes Smoky Quartz points from Brazil. The distinguishing thing about them physically, is that almost all of them have strong Parallel lines on the bodies of the Crystal that look as if they were etched. They were found in Brazil in the late 1990's,in the Serra Do Cabral mountains in state of Minas Gerais. They quickly became the talk of the town, in the Crystal Healing world. There was an article written by Katrina Rapheall, a noted Crystal Healing Author and Teacher. Her take on them was that similar to Record Keeper Crystals, they were encoded with information, in this case from the Lemurian civilization. Lemuria was a civilization purported to exist prior to and during the time of Atlantis. Physically, it is believed that Lemuria existed largely in the Southern Pacific, between North America and Asia/Australia. The intuitive information from Katrina Raphaell posed the idea that these Crystals were meant to be found when people had evolved a point where they could utilize the information and energy that they carry. Another unique thing is that Quartz is usually found in clusters, and for the most part these were found as single points laying next to each other in the ground, as if they had been planted there, hence the “seed” reference in the name. The mine where these came from in Brazil has been closed for number of years. There are other Quartz from around the world being called “Lemurian's” and some have the parallel lines that characterize the original find, but many people say that they do not have the same energy as this first one's from Brazil. All of the Lemurian's we have here at Points of Light are from the original locality. There are also natural Laser Wand's from this batch which are extraordinary natural healing tools. There are also polished Lemurian's cut into spheres, and standing points that are astounding in their clarity, rainbows, and light. Even though these do not have the signature parallel lines of the natural Crystals, they are cut from the “true” Brazilian Lemurian Quartz Crystal.

Leo Mcfee is a Crystal Teacher, Therapest, and Gallery Manager for Points of Light in Asheville, NC. 828-257-2626. To see the Brazilian “Lemurian's” we have for sale go to www.pointsoflight.net

Below is the original article about Lemurian's.

THE LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTALS

Written by Katrina Raphaell

The information I am going to share about the Lemurian Seed Crystals was gathered in February of 2000 when the Crystal Academy's teachers/ministers met on Kauai for a reunion. I had been made aware of these crystals by a friend, and had promised to work with them in the Teacher's course to gain information about these specialized quartz crystals. Seven of us settled into an afternoon of attunement with six Lemurian Seed Crystals, and with a little extra research and compilation, I am very happy to present this information for you.

The Lemurian Seed Crystals are mined in Brazil. They were found at the top of a hill that was being strip-mined for quartz. These naturally formed generators were found separately in sand, and were not attached to clusters. They immediately got attention because they were not like the rest of the quartz found in clusters in that area. Some, but not all, carry a pink to reddish glow. These unique crystals are clear quartz, but instead of being shiny, they appear frosted or dull -- like they have a matte finish. Their most unique characteristic is a series of horizontal striations running up one or more sides of the crystal. Usually, these distinct horizontal striations end in a triangular face, forming the apex of the crystal. I knew when I saw these markings, there was something special about these crystals, in that I had rarely seen more than one or two horizontal markings on quartz, and these crystals can have up to dozens of them. We had waited over a month for information about these crystals when we finally sat down to meditate with them. The first sense I received was that of a powerful group of beings who were ready and waiting to align with the human mind. There was a sense of urgency, and I felt this was the first time a group of humans had consciously aligned with them to receive information. Through the insight of group members, we came to understand these beings existed on the Earth plane before the time of Lemurian, and were part of the natural seeding of star systems. It was during the last days of Lemuria that these crystals were planted within the Earth with their specialized purpose.

Having received this information, I immediately thought of the Record Keeper Crystals (see Crystal Enlightenment, Vol. I). The ancient Atlantians had programmed the Record Keepers before the fall of their great civilization in order to record and safeguard their knowledge. The Lemurian Seed Crystals are different, somehow. We came to understand these "seed" crystals were not programmed with specific in formation, as were the Record Keepers, but rather were placed in the earth where crystalline growth was expected to form over the coming millennia. These crystals were programmed to transmit frequencies to other crystals being created throughout time. A big part of what they transmit is the sense of oneness; of unity; of every individual part being equal and no better than any other part; and the necessity for love in order to evolve.

Having seeded our world, it is believed the race of Lemurians left the Earth-plane for other star systems when life on the planet's surface could no longer be sustained. However, many Lemurians went into Inner-Earth and it is from that domain they still care for the Earth, and are responsible for these crystals surfacing now. This highly evolved breed of beings preserves their own unity by maintaining a clear, conscious telepathy with the ones who traveled on to other star systems. In this way, the recently surfaced Lemurian Seed Crystals assist in creating a holographic connection between Inner Earth, the surface of the Earth, and the Stellar regions. This holographic connection also links the Lemurian Seed Crystals with other crystals in, and on, the surface of the Earth; integrates the crystals with the human magnetic field; the human magnetic field with the Earth; and the Earth with the outer multidimensional universe. One of the main purposes of the seed crystals is to create complete holographic unity. It only requires one Lemurian Seed Crystal to holographically connect to all seed crystals. This connection forms an energy grid around the Earth which links us to inner and outer worlds.

The horizontal striations actually appear to be lasered into these crystals. It is as if they carry the knowledge of how to maintain unity while being individualized and living on the physical plane. How do we stay consciously connected when we become linear and worldly? How do we care for every other living thing as much as we care for ourselves? How can we care for our environment as if it were our own body? The Lemurian Seed Crystals stimulate the Lymbic part of the brain, which is our most instinctual, animalistic part, and stimulates the cerebral spinal fluid with a higher frequency. In doing so, it is as if a holographic transmission is received which will help us evolve our consciousness to include the linear and mundane equally with the divine and cosmic.

To work with the Lemurian Seed Crystals, meditate with them by putting the horizontal striations to the 3rd eye, or by using the index finger of the left hand to feel the striations. They are also extremely powerful in grids. Following our meditation session. We created a grid for the Earth using the information we received.

We were guided to place four seed crystals in a Cross formation. This four-pointed cross can be done around a grid; a crystal healing recipient or a defined space to set up the holographic connection. With the grid we made, four Seed crystals were set with green Selenite on them to project spiritual healing into a globe of the Earth. Hematite encircled the planet for protection, and to assist in the grounding of the energies. An Obsidian pyramid was placed on top of the globe, with four Obsidian spheres between the Seed crystals to bring in peace and hope. When we stood holding hands around the grid to activate it, the energy was so strong, we all had to breathe deeply. We sent unity and love into every prison, hospital, war zone, orphanage, military establishment, school, home, and the heart of everyone on the planet. The presence of the guardian-beings was very strong. Again, I felt a sense of urgency. I felt how important it was to keep my own holographic connection, and pray on that all-inclusive level. We left the grid set up for over a week, and all who saw it felt its energy.

If you hold a Lemurian Seed Crystal in your right hand while you encircle something (person, object, house, etc.), we have been informed this will create a circle of light protection. These crystals are attracted to people who will actively assist in enhancing the energies, which will aid the planet in these times. They are not yet fully activated, but are helping set a strong foundation for the blueprint of love that is flourishing throughout creation. As more of us grow in the awareness of the primal unity between all things, we will open our hearts to more Transmissions coming from the Lemurian Seed Crystals. Stay tuned!

Katrina Raphaell is author of some of the most enduring books on Crystal Healing,she has a new book for the first time in twenty years called Crystalline Illumination published in 2010.

Quartz Crystal in Healing and Technology

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on the planet, yet 'quality' Quartz Crystal points, ones that are clear with few to no inclusions, and in good condition, are relatively rare. Massive Quartz, with very little crystalline structure is the most common type of quartz. It is the second most abundant mineral in the lithosphere (the earth's crust). Quartz grows most often in clusters. Most single points have usually been broken off from a larger cluster. What most people do not know is that the majority of the Quartz Crystal clusters and points are imperfect right out of the ground. This is due to shifts in the earth, and the environment they grow in. Quartz Crystals are found on every continent. A few of the most prolific localities for fine crystals are Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, Switzerland, South Africa, and here in the United States. Arkansas has some the highest quality Quartz specimens available and are also some of the youngest Quartz at 75 million years old, while most Quartz are estimated to be 125-150 million years old.

Quartz is made up of Silica and Oxygen, and has the unique quality of being Piezoelectric, which in simple terms means it can scientifically be measured as conducting electricity. Quartz is one of only two minerals that is Piezoelectric, the other is Tourmaline. Without Quartz Crystal, there would be no computers as we know them. Quartz has been a pivotal piece of modern technology, from watches, radios, to liquid crystal displays. The healing qualities and applications of Quartz are still being discovered. There was a surge of interest and experimentation with Quartz for healing and spiritual understating in the 1980's,that continues today. A pioneer in this work was Marcel Vogel,who was a research scientist working for IBM for over 25 years. He developed a unique Quartz healing wand design,that went beyond the natural 6 sided Quartz structure. He discovered that by cutting multiple sided wands out of natural Crystal, it allowed for a more focused energy, and healing potential. Quartz is the optimal natural Crystal for most healing applications, it is an amplifier and magnifier of energy. Quartz is often combined with other Gemstones to magnify their healing qualities.

There are many varieties of Quartz, some of the most familiar are; Amethyst, which is Quartz containing Manganese and Iron, creating the rich purple color. Then there is Rose Quartz, colored a beautiful pink by Titanium and Iron, which seems to be one of the most universal healing stones. Citrine is the yellow to gold Quartz, colored by small amounts of Iron and slight natural irradiation. It is one of the most powerful healing stones in the yellow spectrum. Smoky Quartz, the color range of this Quartz is root beer to a near black. Smoky quartz gets its color from Aluminum and Lithium as well as very low level natural irradiation. These are not harmful to humans in any way. Then there is Milky or white Quartz with little or no clarity which comes in Crystal as well as massive form. There are many Quartz Crystals that have inclusions of other minerals in them such as; Rutile, Ajoite, and Hematite. Quartz points with “Phantom's” are visible ghosts of stages of growth, similar to the rings of a tree. There are many common minerals that are also in the Quartz family, such as; Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Carnelian, Onyx, Sard, Aventurine, Tiger's Eye, Chrysoprase, Bloodstone, surprisingly these are all forms of Quartz in use today.

By Leo Mcfee,Asheville,NC. Leo is a Crystal Healing teacher,therapist,and Gallery manager for Points Of Light,Crystal Gallery in Asheville,NC. 828-257-2626 To see Quartz Crystals for Sale Go To: Points of Light Quartz

The wonderful world of Marcel Vogel

When we think of healing tools many of us are at least familiar with Quartz Crystals. Quartz has been associated with healing by almost every society that has ever existed on our planet. Indigenous peoples of every continent have revered quartz for its magical, mystical and healing powers. In recent times healing has become a science more than a magical act and quartz had been left behind by the western medical establishment, until a research scientist named Marcel Vogel decided to take up in interest in the strange and magical science of quartz healing. Marcel who was a scientific prodigy, invented luminescent phoshor compounds at age 13, and went on to hold many patents on inventions that he made while working for IBM. It was while working at IBM in the 1960’s that Marcel became interested in plant communication. He had researched the emerging new field of electromagnetic energies and biological systems using plants as his subjects. In his lab he made many discoveries about how plants interacted electrically with their surroundings including humans. It was while giving a talk on the plant/human connection that Marcel was cornered by a woman who asked him about crystals and told him that she possessed some strange quartz crystals that would vibrate when you held them in your hand. Marcel was reluctant at first because he was a rational scientific man, he believed vibrating crystals were a waste of his superior reasoning skills. About a week later the lady sent him a set of the vibrating crystals and he decided to see what the fuss was all about. He pointed the crystal at a coworker and the coworker went into a trance like state and Marcel could feel his coworker’s energy. His coworker came to and told Marcel that he didn’t know what happened but he no longer had the back pain that had been bothering him earlier that day. Marcel decided he did not want to experiment any more with the strange crystals, and he promptly misplaced them.

Although Marcel never wanted to detour from his more technical research, he inevitably took a serious interest in crystals and crystallography and became an expert in both. By 1969 he had found that crystals behaved very similar to living plants electrically. He found that they responded to their environment electrically and that they would cohere and amplify certain energies that resonated within their own electrical spectrum. He found researching their subtle energies to be difficult because every crystal is different and unique and therefore every crystal would give off different frequencies. He then conceived of an idea that would change his understanding of how crystals work. He surmised that every crystal has a different shape because of the different environment each crystal forms in. Certain outside forces such as pressure, temperature and solution affect each crystal and create its unique frequency. He then postulated that he could “cut” away the unique attributes of each crystal so that he could get a single frequency out of the quartz structure. He had a vision of the Kabalistic tree of life, and decided that he would cut the quartz into a three dimensional version of the tree of life. He spent a year in the crystal lab cutting the quartz to shape, and voila-magic! He achieved his goal, the crystals that were cut all vibrated at the same frequency, but what Marcel had not counted on, was that the frequency was the same as perfect water, and that through resonance he could make water that was not “perfect” into “perfect” water using the crystals. This was the breakthrough of a life time. Marcel was smart enough to know that water was the fundamental building block of life and that perfect water may equal perfect health.

Marcel equipped his lab with instruments that could detect the subtle energies of crystals. He had an instrument called an Omega 5 that he used to detect and describe the “information band” that he believed surrounded all matter. His lab housed a very high end light microscope that could photograph in the uv spectrum as well as other highly sophisticated devices that could measure and decode data. He was able to grow crystals in the lab that were shaped by thought. At one experiment he grew a crystal that took on the image of the Madonna after Marcel had been focusing on this image in his mind’s eye. He knew that crystals were a condensation of light or energy into the physical plane and he had actually photographed this condensation in real time. Marcel went on to discover new and interesting ways of structuring water into a liquid crystal and to use the crystals for healing.

Marcel decided that love was the most cohering force in the universe and that we experienced this force as an emotion but that it was more than just an emotion. He found that peace was another very healing thought form, and when combined with love he could affect great healing on a subject. His healing techniques were simple by modern standards but they relied heavily on his own spiritual beliefs and abilities. Marcel would simply charge his crystals with peace and love and then use his own body as a resonator to tune into the person’s field. Once he was in resonance he would simply allow healthy coherent frequencies into the subject’s field or remove incoherent patterns if needed. Using a combination of breath and intention he could do miracles. He once testified at an investigation that he had been able to dissolve matter and generate electricity with his thoughts and the crystals. Marcel was truly at the forefront of a science that had world changing possibilities.

Towards the end of his life Marcel had contributed thousands of hours to the enlightenment of the human race through classes and workshops designed to lay a foundation of this new scientific model. He admitted that he had come as far as he could with it and that he was passing the torch to the next generation of scientists. He encouraged the scientific community to experiment with child like curiosity and to have a relationship with the subjects of your work. He often felt that most scientists were unaware of the importance of relationship, and they remained focused on trying to obtain a certain outcome. This lack of understanding in the scientific community has led us astray and all to often our science becomes riddled with human concepts that have little to do with nature's laws. Marcel’s legacy lives on in his crystals and slowly science is catching up to the level of understanding of the universe that he held. One day Marcel Vogel will be known as a pioneer in the sciences, a man who bravely went where few had been willing to look for answers.

Deric Solis is a teacher, lecturer and emissary of The Resonance Project. He currently works with crystals in Asheville NC at Points of Light Crystal Gallery. To view or purchase True Vogel Crystals go to True Vogels

A Crystal Clear Idea Becomes Reality

It all started decades ago, when a pig-tailed, freckle-faced little country girl waded through the springs and creeks of the Tennessee hollers, searching for pretty rocks. She'd dump the pails full of treasures she collected into buckets and boxes she tucked under her bed or in the back of closets. The years passed, but the girls passion for finding beautiful crystals did not. In fact, Connie Olson confides, her determination to ferret out the most exquisite, unique and largest specimens has sent her around the world to mineral-rich places like Stonehenge, Egypt, Peru, Europe and Brazil, and made her one of the premier collectors and sellers of crystals in the nation. Designers, decorators and healers alike from all around the country flock to her Points of Light Crystal and Mineral Gallery at 391 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. The expansive showroom is lined with imposing custom cabinets to artfully display the culmination of decades of dreaming, planning, collecting and very hard work.

"I tell people this gallery was millions of years in the making," Connie joked. "Technically, of course, it was!" The shelves and rows of tables are covered with crystals and semi-precious stones from nearly every continent, with something for everyone. Prices range from a dollar for a palm-sized piece of glistening tumbled Tigers Eye to $65,000 for a spectacular museum-grade Blue Agate geode towering eight feet tall.

The showroom evokes memories of Supermans Fortress of Solitude more than a dozen points of quartz crystal two and three feet tall stand sentry inside the stores front window. The largest point is nearly four feet tall, and 900 pounds. Flanking the quartz are stunning clusters of deep purple amethyst, the most popular gemstone Points of Light carries.

"Well have to move the amethyst when the sun shifts this spring and the clusters start getting direct light," Connie said. "Constant sunlight can fade the deep colors of the stone." Everyone loves amethyst, Connie said, from decorators who prize the rich, deep hues as a compliment to nearly any décor, to complimentary therapists who believe the purple crystals can cleanse, clear, nurture and transmute negative vibes into a more loving energy.

While Connie and Ariel McFee, her gallery manager and resident crystal expert, can tell you the origin and grade of every item in Points of Light, Connie confesses she never really studied rocks and minerals. "Its like when I was a girl picking stones out of streams," Connie said. "I just choose what I think is beautiful, and what feels good to me. If I find a stone I really like Ill pick up a book and read about it. What catches your eye? Whats pleasing to the senses? Thats the beauty of crystals theyre alive. Just walking in here, or having one in your home, is an interaction with nature." Connies expansive collection lets her cultivate a wide variety of customers.

"I have several museum grade pieces, and quite a variety of interior design pieces, too," Connie said. "I love to work with architects and designers. At the same time I have a lot of wonderful pieces in here specifically for healers. There are Vogel healing wands, chakra pendants, crystal singing bowls special tools people use for meditation and their energy and spiritual healing practices."

Some of the unique pieces deserve special mention, like a 300 pound rose quartz sphere exploding with light and textures inside the smooth, polished exterior. Several superb smoky quartz obelisks sit stop custom created light bases that illuminate the glowing striations embedded in the mineral.

"We want people to come in, find a piece that fires their imagination, and build a room or design a garden around it," Connie said. She herself has a lot of quartz points, some up to 500 pounds, in her garden. The stones are stable outside, she said, because they come from the ground. Nothing fazes them. Many customers create sacred outdoor spaces with the crystals.

Most of the huge quartz points at the Crystal Gallery both those standing several feet tall and the table-top foot-tall pieces, are from Brazil. "Every mineral imaginable is there," Connie said. "Brazil is just a huge crystal. Some of the quartz points I have here are 600 pounds," she said. "Its not common to see big points like that anymore. I searched them out." Connie frequents the major gem shows, and will travel to check out a particularly enticing find. "I have good relations with suppliers and artisans," she said. "If they find a really neat piece, theyll call me."

During this interview Connie got a call from a supplier who just scored a one-of-a-kind find. "Its a huge quartz crystal as big as a car hood," she said, her eyes dancing at the thought. "At this point they call me immediately if they come across something special while theyre mining."

Although Points of Light was incorporated as an Aquarian company in January of 2006, the Gallery didnt open until 09-09-09. Connie spent several years traveling, shopping, planning and collecting. LOTS of collecting. In fact, the wooden boxes and crates carefully packed with the magnificent crystals now displayed throughout the store threatened to overrun the familys Madison County farm. When the house couldnt hold any more crates, Connie filled up her husbands woodshed, then the pasture. When they finally got ready to move the crystals to the gallery, they had to call a building supply company to get the right equipment to load everything onto their warehouse dock. "It literally took us months to unpack everything," Connie laughed. Like many people who live here, Connie said she felt "called" to move to Asheville. She and her husband had a business in Atlanta for 25 years, but they frequently visited Western North Carolina. "I first came here when I was in my 20s," Connie said, "And this areas been in my heart ever since." She knew for years she would eventually combine her passions crystals and the mountains into one glorious enterprise.

"The biggest reward about opening the gallery is I feel like Im in my bliss every day. Im so happy! All the crystals glittering and glowing, and everyone who walks in feels the beauty and power of the stones. Im so blessed." While shes thrilled with how the Crystal Gallery turned out, and the way her customer base is steadily growing, Connies not resting on her early successes. Shes continuously planning how to expand the gallery in new directions.

While amethyst is the most popular stone in general, Connies developing quite a following among people who are looking for the so-called stones of the new consciousness, like Lemurian Spheres and Seed Crystals from the Diamantina region of Brazil, and Moldavite, the product of a meteor collision with Earth about 15 million years ago. In fact, Connie once crawled under a thorn bush and fought off a rattlesnake to grab a meteor chunk in New Mexico. The green gems are some of the rarest minerals on earth, and healers believe Moldavites special frequency can help energy flow, and manifest positive life changes.

"We also have one of the largest supplies of Vogel Crystals in the country," Connie said. "The person who originally cut them for Marcel Vogel does ours." Vogel was a research scientist for IBM who discovered a way to scientifically track how energy runs through crystals. The Vogel crystals are used in healing therapies, and are cut to the exact angle of the Great Pyramid of Giza. True Vogel crystals are designed after the sacred geometry of the Tree of Life symbol. The design reportedly came to Vogel in a dream. Points of Light teaches classes in how to use Vogel Crystals, and lists upcoming sessions on their website.

Besides the spectacular collection of cut and polished crystals, Points of Light offers gemstone pendants cut by master crystal worker Lawrence Stoller, and several of Stollers larger pieces. Other popular items lining the gallerys shelves include rows of crystal singing bowls, from classic frosted containers of various sizes to bowls with handles, infused with 24 ct gold and platinum. To use the pieces, practitioners run a wooden dowel around the lip of the bowl, drawing forth a crystal-clear tone. The frequency of the sound is believed to bring balance and healing to people, places and things. Connie or Ariel will be happy to demonstrate at a visitors request. A row of man-hole cover sized gongs hang from individual frames, and each is said to resonate to the vibration of a specific planet. The team is only too eager to sound one of the hypnotic gongs for visitors, too.

Connie points with pride to her impressive collection of the so-called Golden Healers clusters and points of Arkansas quartz with a yellow cast that are reportedly the highest vibration quartz on the planet. Collectors started finding them in the 80s, and theyre only in one particular spot Hot Springs, Arkansas. "Therapists say they have fantastic results using the Golden Healers," Connie said.

As she walks the rows of tables, pointing to individual pieces shes discovered around the world and sharing the story of each, she said she feels like shes a bridge. "I believe Im bringing together the people wanting crystals for more traditional uses like gardens and décor, and those who feel the crystals have more subtle powers to heal and balance. Its as if design, science and spirituality all come together here, and everyone can agree on the crystals beauty and ability to lift ones mood. "Crystals are just light," said Connie. "I can just see people using them everywhere homes, schools, hospitals, office buildings. They help bring light into us, and theyre here to be of service. Crystals calm us down and give energy. Theyve been here forever, long before humans, and theyre part of this evolving world were in. I truly feel crystals are helping us turn into the divine crystal beings we all are.

"I feel the gallery is the vehicle for helping all of these crystals find their true place. From here the crystals can find the person theyre supposed to be in contact with to do their work, or the person who will bring them to the place theyre supposed to be."

Visit Connies website at PointsofLight.net, or call her at (828) 257-2626. Jonna Rae Bartges is a frequent contributor to WNC Woman magazine, and an avid crystal collector. Visit her websites at happymedium.us and bartges.com.

Not Just Another Rock Shop

One of the most frequent responses we get here at Points of Light is “Wow” when people walk in the door. They often ask how and where did we get all of these beautiful Crystal and Mineral specimens. The answer is simple,lots of time, hard work and intention from owner Connie Olson. She spent over four years,traveling the world,gathering these stones. Every piece has been hand picked for it's beauty,energy,and rarity. There are few places in country you can walk in and see the quality and selection of Crystals offered here.

Over the past thirty years there have been huge changes in the Rock, Gem and Mineral Business. There have always been the dusty rock shops full of treasures all over the US, but there are very few of those left compared to years past. The “New Age” created many new venues for Crystals in the 1980's and 90's, many of the Rock Shops that were created during that time are gone as well. people naturally love Crystals, Gems and Minerals for lots of different reasons, and continue to seek them out, wherever they are. There is a resurgence of interest in Crystal Healing with many high quality new books on the subject, and an understanding that Crystals are a part of nature's apothecary, along with Herbs, Homeopathics, Flower Essences and other Holistic Healing modalities.

Then there are the budding Rock Collectors, kids of all ages who love Rocks, and feel they have landed in “Wonderland” when they walk into Points of Light. So, there is a whole new generation of “Rock Lovers” who need to be able to see, touch and feel the magic of the Mineral Kingdom. Economics is the reason that most Crystals and Minerals are being taken out of the ground. What a lot of people don't realize is that many of the Crystals that are mined are found as a result of industrial mining for Metal and Mineral ores. Availability of many Crystals from around the world is subject to ever changing economic, political and trade influences. In the last ten years, for a variety of reasons there are less and less Crystals and Minerals coming out of the ground, and less coming to the United States. So finding good quality specimens is not as easy as it used to be.

The beauty and magic of Crystals has captivated people for thousands of years. Recently the movement toward more natural and green living environments,now includes Crystals and Minerals. More Interior designers,decorators and builders are incorporating Mineral Specimens into homes,gardens,and businesses. It is a great way to bring nature back into any environment. Gardens,Labyrinths,and Meditation Spaces are a great place for the large stones that we specialize in.

Large Crystals of any type are rare,you can see many examples of natures bounty,by way of the Mineral Kingdom here at Points of Light.

By Leo Mcfee,Asheville,NC. Ariel is a Crystal Healing Teacher,Therapist,and Manager of Points Of Light,Crystal Gallery in Asheville,NC. 828-257-2626 www.pontsoflight.net