SOME AWESOME SPIRIT PROMPS THIS MONTH INCLUDING RAVEN’S SCAVENGER HUNT … A LOOK AT A RARE MINERAL, ETTRINGITE, AS OUR FEATURE CRYSTAL … AND TONS AND TONS OF NEW THINGS TO SEE!
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
Table of contents
STONE OF THE MONTH: ETTRINGITE
This month I’ll be chatting about Ettringite – a very collectable mineral with some super surprising properties.
GEOLOGICAL
Ettringite is a colourless to yellow Calcium Aluminium Sulphate.
It can partially dissolve in water, while dehydration can turn it white.
Ettringite can form radiating acicular, fibrous, and striated prismatic crystals.
Its name comes from the Ettringer Volcano in Ettringen, Germany, where it was first described in 1874 by J. Lehmann.
Ettringite can be found in cavities of metamorphosed limestone inclusions in leucite-nepheline-tephrite rock. Generally, Ettringite is colourless and translucent. The Kalahari Manganese fields of Southern Africa, however, has produced beautiful electric-yellow crystals highly favoured by collectors.
Interestingly, Ettringite forms during the process of mixing Portland cement, as a byproduct of the chemical reaction in forming concrete. But what’s really cool is that Ettringite is able to link to and isolate toxic substances. Specifically, scientists are currently investigating how Ettringite can help isolate toxic heavy metals to prevent them from leaching into the soil and environment!
METAPHYSICAL
KEYWORDS:
Discernment, Decisions, Duality, Self Confidence, Cleansing, Cord Cutting, Reset, Personal Power, Clarity
Ettringite is aligned to Yin energy, while also providing strength and vitality to the physical body. This stone is an excellent aid for those who battle to make decisions or find themselves trapped between dualities. Ettringite can strengthen your natural discernment, bringing clarity and informed decisiveness. This also lends itself to building self-confidence and trust in your own ability to handle life.
Strongly cleansing, Ettringite is a powerful aid in isolating and removing toxins from the body – both physical and energetic. Thus helping the body return to its natural state of balance and health by eliminating foreign elements.
BOOK OF THE MONTH: PENDULUM MAGIC
Tap Into Your Inner Wisdom
“Using the easy techniques in this book, you can use a pendulum for guidance, self-improvement, psychic development, and a wealth of other practical purposes.
- Locate lost objects
- Gain insight on any decision
- Test food for allergens
- Change bad habits
- Get clarity on health issues
- Communicate with spirits
- Explore past lives
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll learn more advanced pendulum techniques, including little-known methods that can be used to help you achieve any goal you desire.” – Richard Webster
-
Apophyllite Crystal Point PendulumR250.00 -
Lapis Lazuli Faceted Point PendulumR430.00
-
Lapis Lazuli PendulumR280.00
NEW ARRIVALS IN APRIL
Some highlights of the awesome new goodies added to the shop during April… It’s been a SUPER busy month here!
CRYSTALS
- Golden Fairy Quartz clusters
- Kambaba spheres
- Collectors Specimens including: Andradite Garnet, Pyrites, Hematite crystals, drusy Rhodochrosites, Baryte & Malachite combos, Kuthonorite specimens and more
- Beautiful super rare little Seraphinite polished crystals
- Nice sized Amazonite natural rough pieces
- Rose Quartz & Smoky Quartz mini mushrooms
- Sparkling green Fuchsite polished standing freeforms
NEW KITS & BUNDLES
- Aroooooooo! A New Moon & Full Moon Crystal Kit, along with two super cool Moon Magick Crystal Kits
- Protection Kits & Bundles including a Protection Incense Bundle, Full Power Protection Kit and the Archangel Michael Protection Kit
- Altar & Sacred Space Deity Bundles including the Cosmic Goddess Bundle, the Goddess of Wealth Bundle and Ganesh Blessings Bundle
- Chakra Necklace Crystal Kit – love this! Our gorgeous large 10 Chakra Crystal Healing Kit paired with our new macrame interchangeable necklace. Swap out stones whenever you want to work with a particular chakra.
OTHER
- New collections added to our Mystic Cat Spirit Range! Magickal Loose Incense Blends, including Housekeeping (energetic house cleaning), Healing (all-purpose) and Home & Hearth (home blessing).
- Crystal Cleansing Salts!
- Our Sacred Oils Solid Perfume range has been expanded to include Balance, Flame, Golden, Lock and Healer. Each one is tailored towards a specific energetic function and they all smell beautiful. There’s also a choice of packaging now between the portable tin and a carved stone container.
- Pendulums restock and new!
- Jewellery restock!
- New smudge sticks!
- New hanging decor!
- New incense holders!
-
Quartz, Blacknite Cluster 5cmR60.00
-
Quartz, Blacknite Cluster 3.5cmR30.00
-
Andradite Garnet Crystal 3cmR190.00
-
Rhodochrosite Tumbled Crystal Necklace 3cmR220.00
-
Calcite, Stellar Beam on Pyrite 10cmR260.00
-
Fuchsite Quartz Standing Freeform 9cmR460.00
-
Brass Hanging Censer Incense BurnerR370.00
-
Druid Wisdom CardsR330.00
-
Full Power Protection KitR495.00
-
Moon Magick Kit 2R420.00
-
Moon Magick Kit 1R620.00
-
Crystal Cleansing SaltsR60.00
-
Sacred Oil Solid Perfume FlameR60.00
-
Hamsa, Evil Eye, Elephant Hanging 21cmR120.00
WHEEL OF THE YEAR
The Wheel of the Year is an ancient calendar that marks and celebrates the season changes and the equinoxes, the movement of our earth in it’s relationship to the sun, warmth and cold, light and dark. LEARN MORE.
Following the change in seasons and tapping back into the rhythms of the natural world can help give your life more meaning, and help you be more present in the natural world and in your body.
WINTER BEGINS
On the Wheel of the Year, we celebrated Samhain on 30 April / 1 May. We are now moving into winter, and the dark half of the Wheel. During this time, our focus naturally shifts to home, inner work, introspection and rest.
MAY ASTROLOGY
Astrology looks at the movements of the planets in our solar system in relation to earth, and how these heavenly bodies can affect the energies we experience here. Just like the moon creates the tides of the oceans on earth, so too can these energies have effects on the energy, emotions and desires of the lifeforms on earth. You can use this knowledge to your advantage by planning around them and taking cues from them.
The Astro Twins say that this month’s astrology is divided into two different ‘acts’.
Something different this month! A video by Colette Baron-Reid, spiritual medium and author of many books and stunning oracle cards, giving an astrology reading for May in conjunction with oracle cards for each sign.
SPIRIT PROMPTS
Our Spirit Prompts section gives you suggestions for the month of things to do to help you connect to and enrich your spiritual world. They tie into the Wheel of the Year and astrology forecast, to help you make the most of the energies around you.
Take just half an hour each week to do one of the activities.
By doing just one, or all of these prompts, you can feel more aligned with your spiritual nature, feel a deeper richness of life and a sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself.
GRATITUDE JOURNAL PROMPT
Tapping into gratitude is one of the most powerful transformative energies you can bring into your life – we highly recommend this practice!
Studies have shown that by training your brain to think of things to be grateful for regularly, you can foster a more positive outlook on life in general, as well as become stronger and more resilient to stress and life’s pressures. If you don’t have a journal, then just use a piece of paper.
BECOMING
Write down the names of some people that you admire, that you’re grateful to know or know about – don’t overanalyse, just jot them down. From people you know personally to famous people, they can be alive or passed.
Now, looking at that list, take a new page and write down the qualities and attributes that stand out for you about each of them. What makes you admire them?
Finally, read through the qualities you’ve written down. Which of them can you incorporate into your own life? How can you emulate some of these qualities you admire?
RITUAL
Rituals are not linked to any one religion or religious belief. Rather, ritual and ceremony are acts that can enrich your life and spiritual world. These practices help you to connect to your spiritual self, stepping outside of the ‘daily grind’ and into a space of magic.
BLESSING FIRE
This month’s ritual is about the FIRE element. Transformation, passion, release – there are many things associated to this powerful force.
This ritual is shaped around kindling our inner fire of transformation, and bringing about positive change within ourselves, our community and the world at large.
Please practise fire safety and common sense! Don’t build a fire in an area where fires are not allowed. Don’t leave a fire burning unattended. Etc. Be smart 🙂
WHAT YOU NEED:
- A vessel or place to make your fire.
- A bag to collect sticks and leaves.
- Scrap paper and pen.
- Small container with some dried herbs from the kitchen.
- Candle and lighter.
- Summary of steps so you remember the flow.
STEPS:
1. To make a ritual fire, first choose a vessel to burn in.
I use a small cauldron (or “poitjie pot” as we call it here in SA haha) when I do ritual fires just for myself. With others, I use our weber braai, or build a fire circle with stones in a designated area.
2. Create your bag of kindling.
Take a bag and go for a slow, mindful walk. Pick up some dry leaves, twigs and sticks that you can use as kindling. As you pick up each piece, thank Mama Gaia for providing you with what you need.
3. Collect your offering.
Get a small container and put in some burnable items that you can burn as an offering. Who the offering is for is informed by your own belief system. It can be any or a combination of Great Spirit, God, Creator / Creatrix, Goddess, your ancestors, the spirit of the land, your guides and guardians, the Universe, the fae – what feels right to you.
You can buy herbs for this practise if you don’t have any growing, or use a pinch of whatever you have in your kitchen spice rack, or make something especially for this (collect and dry some flowers, citrus peels, etc). I generally use a blend from my garden of rosemary, lavender, rose, imphepho and sage. Because I’m me, I also add in some dragon’s blood resin. You can also use one of my MAGICKAL INCENSE BLENDS for this purpose 🙂
HOUSEKEEPING MAGICKAL INCENSE R45
HOME & HEARTH MAGICKAL INCENSE R45
HEALING MAGICKAL INCENSE R45
4. Candle.
Go to the place where you will make your fire. Make sure you have everything you need with you. Sit down and slow your breath, ground yourself in the moment and let your mind still. Light your candle and watch the flame flicker and burn for a little while.
5. Intent.
Take some scrap paper and write down wishes for the world. Positive words of love and kindness. Then write out some wishes for your community and family. Then wishes for your home. And finally wishes for yourself.
6. Light it up.
By this act we envision that we are generating and calling in positive energy, that is released through the powerful transformation magic of the fire, into our lives and the world. It is like writing an intention to manifest it, only we are using the fire to power the manifestation. Visualise this in your mind.
Take each scrap of paper and scrumple it up, putting it into the centre of your fire space. Empty your kindling bag on top of it. Pour some of the melted wax from your candle onto this. And finally, use the candle flame to light the little fire. Visualise positive energy roaring up with the flames of the fire, see your wishes released into the Ether to manifest.
(If you want to make a bigger fire, have bigger sticks nearby ready to feed the fire once it starts. If you are doing a mini fire in a small vessel, the kindling sticks will be all you burn).
7. Give Thanks
Now take your container of offerings and sprinkle your herbs onto the fire’s flames. Give thanks for all your multitude blessings and those that are already on their way to you.
8. Warmth.
Sit quietly and contemplatively as your fire burns. Relax your mind and stay in a mindful state.
Be aware of thoughts as they enter your mind, acknowledge them, and release them gently. Be aware of the dancing flames, the heat and smoke and powerful transformation energy. Be aware of your body, where your body touches the earth, where it can feel the flame’s heat, feel your breath expanding and contracting your chest.
Simply be – a being of stardust and magic, of love and of light.
I always recommend keeping a pen and paper or journal handy nearby when you are in ceremony or meditation.
Write down anything that comes to mind during this process and set it aside for re-reading later.
When your fire has burnt out and completely cooled, bury the ash in the ground and give thanks again.
STEPS SUMMARY:
1. Choose your vessel or spot to make the fire.
2. Collect sticks and dried leaves for kindling.
3. Collect your offering (burnable dired herbs, flowers, etc).
4. Light a candle and watch the flame for a while as you ground into the moment.
5. Write down blessings for the world, your community, your family, your home, and yourself, on scraps of paper.
6. Scrumple your blessing wishes into your fire area, empty your kindling onto it, drip some candle wax over it all, and light it up. Envision the blessings and wishes being transformed into the flames and being released into the world to be made manifest.
7. Give thanks and make your offering.
8. Sit quietly as the fire burns. Once the fire is done, bury the ashes and give thanks again.
EARTH TIME
Our Earth Time segment invites you to engage with our beautiful and precious earth by providing an Earth Healing or Earth Connection activity each month, in line with the energy of the month.
This month I invite you on a little nature scavenger hunt! Get into Raven’s frame of mind and go out looking for interesting natural treasures.
Raven is powerful animal spirit medicine. And very aligned with moving into the dark half of the year. This nature walk can be a beautiful introspective and healing medicine walk.
| “The power of the Raven can also bring you the very deepest form of healing, which is achieved through a process known as ‘the resolution of the opposites’ making it possible for you to resolve conflicts that have long lain buried in your unconscious or in your past.“ – Druid Animal Oracle |
MEDITATION
Meditation helps to calm the mind, lessen anxiety, improve focus and concentration, lower blood pressure – and thousands of other benefits. A regular meditation practice is essential to whole body health.
Our meditation segment gives you inspiration for a meditation tied into the energies and main themes of the month. Use our basic meditation structure to prepare and enter into your meditative state.
GUIDED WINTER MINDFULNESS…
This is a 12-minute guided mindfulness meditation from Nate at Mindful Peace Journey. It’s for winter relaxation – Calm, relaxing, tranquil, and at peace. It’s aim is to reduce your anxiety and help you to access those feelings of being in a perfect place, no matter where you are.
May your month be filled with many merry moments of magick x
Crystal Love,
Shaz, Russell and the Mystic Cat team.
Psssst… Have you joined The Mystic Cat Tribe whatsapp community yet?
