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IN THIS EDITION:
REMINDER!
ORDER YOUR ECO-FRIENDLY CRYSTAL CRACKERS NOW!
Don’t forget to get your ECO-FRIENDLY CRYSTAL CRACKERS for the festive season!
Our fun crackers were a HUGE hit last year.
STOCK IS LIMITED!
- Made of fully compostable natural Kraft paper
- Includes the ‘cracker’ pull
- Star confetti made of seeded growing paper, plus pretty organic rose petals for colour. Plant the confetti in your garden to grow beautiful flowers!
- Each crystal cracker has a crystal treasure, with a corresponding crystal healing info card and a geological info card with fascinating facts!
- No waste, no plastic! All the fun!
- Cost the same as – or less than – standard crackers filled with plastic junk
CRYSTAL OF THE MONTH: CITRINE
ABOUT CITRINE
This month I’ve decided to do Citrine as our crystal feature.
Let’s see if I can surprise you with at least one new fact you didn’t know about this well-known stone!
Along with Amethyst (purple Quartz), Rose Quartz (pink Quartz) and Smoky Quartz (brown to black Quartz), Citrine is part of the Quartz crystal family. It’s the name for yellow-coloured Quartz – ‘citrin’ is old French for ‘yellow’.
The colour can vary from a barely-there tint of yellow to dark smoky brown.
These variations in colour are a result of formation conditions. For example:
When Quartz has just the right amount of metal inclusions (usually Hematite, Goethite or Aluminium) and gets heated to just the right temperature by geothermal heat (i.e. heat generated inside the earth), an awesome transformation happens. The tiny metal particles scatter through the Quartz, and it turns the characteristic yellow hue.
So the shade of yellow to brown is determined by things like the number of inclusions in the Quartz, temperature, duration of heat exposure, and so on.
Unfortunately for those who (like me) enjoy having clear answers, Citrine is actually still a bit of a mystery to us. While the above process does describe how Citrine can form, it’s been found that it doesn’t apply in all cases. Sometimes it seems the colour forms unrelated to trace elements, and geologists aren’t sure why.
Beautiful cascading Citrine points known as Kundalini Citrine
With it being such a popular stone, you’d think there must be an abundance of it. While in fact, naturally occurring Citrine is actually one of the rarest varieties of Quartz in the world! The DR Congo produces two types of highly sought-after Citrines. One being Smoky Citrine points and clusters, and the other being a mostly paler cascading Citrine.
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Citrine, Heated Rough Point S-MR50.00 – R95.00
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Citrine, Light Heated Drusy Cluster M-LProduct on saleR260.00 – R300.00
The large majority of Citrine on the market is from Brazil, and is artificially heated above ground, copying the geothermal process. This results in very bright yellow to orange colour variations.
If you’re curious about the difference between heated and natural, you can read an article I wrote on it a while ago here: IS HEATED CITRINE FAKE?
METAPHYSICAL
Metaphysically (energetically) speaking, Citrine has been associated with joy, warmth and golden abundance. It’s an attractor and magnifier of these energies.
It’s also an excellent stone for cleansing and regenerating, as Citrine is one of the few crystals that never needs to be cleansed. It just doesn’t hold on to negative vibes – nothing sticks. Instead, Citrine dissipates and grounds negative energy.
Citrine is a powerful cleanser & re-generator. It brings the sun’s power, warming, energizing & highly creative. It’s a rare crystal that never needs cleansing. It absorbs, dissipates & grounds negative energy – making it extremely protective in the environment. It can energize every aspect of your life.
Since Citrine is known to be a stone of success and prosperity, I keep a tiny Citrine in my wallet, and I like to have a nice display piece in the Feng Shui wealth corner of my home (the far left corner from the formal front door). It’s also great to have on your work desk and can be fantastic for creatives who are feeling blocked.
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Citrine Crystal Healing NecklaceR120.00
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Citrine, Heated Rough Piece on KeyringProduct on saleR49.00
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Abundance and Wealth Crystal KitR330.00
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Citrine, Natural Polished Standing Point 2-4cmR380.00
ON THE BOOKSHELF: ABUNDANCE
Citrine always makes me think of abundance – so, while we are on the subject!
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Creating Abundance with Feng Shui (Used)R230.00
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Crystal Prosperity (Used)R180.00
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Creative AbundanceR190.00
NEW IN THE SHOP
For those who missed the launch and subsequent sell-out in 3 days (THANK YOU TO THOSE LIGHTNING QUICK FANS WHO MADE MY HEART SOAR!!) – a new batch of my special Cleanse & Charge spritzers is now back in stock!
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Cleanse & Charge Spritzer SetR210.00
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Spirit Guide & Meditation SpritzerR110.00
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Cleanse & Clear SpritzerR110.00
Here are some highlights of new stock that got added to the shop during October:
CRYSTALS
- Rare Mtorolite (Chrome Chalcedony) specimens
- Pretty Pink Tourmaline in Quartz
- Silky denim blue Dumortierite rough pieces
- Duftite, Hematite and Drusy Dolomite Kolwezite specimens
- Lovely bright green Malachite with Baryte specimens!
- New Golden Healer Quartz clusters
- Azurite rough pieces
- Lovely Labradorite one side polished pieces with great flash, at giveaway prices!
- More sublime purple Angelite polished standing freeforms
BOOKSHELF
- Stunning new tarot deck – Dreams of Gaia Tarot
- Learn how to read any tarot deck – Your Tarot Your Way
- And lots more
OTHER
- New beautiful copper wire wrap pendants between R300-R500, excellent quality crystals
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.
PAGAN CALENDAR
November is in-between Beltane (the start of summer) and Litha (the summer solstice).
CELTIC MOON CALENDAR
In the Celtic Moon Calendar, this month was known as the Journey Moon. A time after planting out all the crops, and before the first big “all hands on deck” harvesting. This is when our ancestors would visit nearby tribes or villages to trade, or go looking for rare herbs and medicines.
It’s a time of freedom, a sense of stretching and soaking up the magical landscape coming to life all around us. The keyword is EXPLORATION.
ASTROLOGY FORECAST
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.
This month’s full moon is on Tuesday 8 November, and it will be in Taurus and coinciding with a Lunar Eclipse.
Here’s one of our favourite astrologers, Pam Gregory, to talk you through what to expect:
Here’s the Astrotwins take on the month ahead:
“Your November 2022 horoscope opens in the tailwind of the Scorpio solar (new moon) eclipse, the latest instalment in a Taurus/Scorpio eclipse series that began on November 19, 2021, and will ripple across this intense axis until October 28, 2023.
Spiritual Scorpio is the sign of power, control, and shared resources -from sky-high gas prices to grim financial predictions to the impact of the war in Ukraine, we’ve seen the stinger of this intense zodiac sign all year.
Terrestrial Taurus, Scorpio’s opposite sign, rules the material realm, the economy and our day-to-day lives. We’re feeling the effects of it all, and with the Sun in Scorpio until November 22, it’s just starting to sink in.”
There are – thankfully – some positive outlooks:
“Once the Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 22, a positive upswing is unleashed. The next day, the Sagittarius new moon arrives AND optimistic Jupiter (the ruler of Sagittarius) ends a four-month retrograde. Witty Mercury and playful Venus will also both be in Sag.”
After that, things get tense again, just in time for America’s elections. You can read their NOVEMBER ARTICLE for the full report. You can also check out their FULL MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE IN TAURUS ARTICLE for more on that.
SPIRIT PROMPTS
Our new 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.
We would LOVE to hear from you about which prompts you like best!
- Week 1: Gratitude Journal Prompt
- Week 2: Ritual of the Month
- Week 3: Earth Time ~ Earth Healing
- Week 4: Meditation
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.
I am safe – I am grounded – I have a place in this world that I belong.
What are the anchor points in your life?
What helps you to ground?
What or who makes you feel safe and secure?
When do you feel you are most “at home”?
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 grid’ and into a space of magic.
Create a grounding and protective medicine bag.
The season for socialising is fast approaching. The Moon is urging us to get out of our comfort zone. And the planets are just non-stop chaos right now. Take a break from it all and make yourself a little medicine bag.
A medicine bag is a small bag of specially selected items to support the carrier in some way. For this bag, you are choosing the intention of grounding and protection from all external energies.
We recommend using our Anti Cray-Cray Mojo Bag, but you can make your own with what you have. All you need is:
- A small pouch (you can even use an old sock, cut off).
- Herbs Lavender and Rosemary are calming, de-stressing and protective. Essential oils will work just as well if you don’t have access to the plants.
- Hematite is an excellent grounding and protective stone. It’s my go-to for anxiety and grounding excess energy.
- Blue Lace Agate can help you communicate in a calm, cool way – no matter what comes your way.
- Pink Tourmaline will bring strength to your willpower, wisdom, empathy and compassion (use it for yourself as well as others).
- Hyacinth Zircon is the primary crystal in this medicine. It brings pure light energy down through your crown chakra and all the way to your earth star chakra below your feet. Connecting you to Mama Gaia, and increasing your intellectual capacity, you will be more able to resist temptations, and find your peaceful centre.
- To customise your pouch, as an optional extra, you can add a pinch of soil from your home (or a place you feel most relaxed and happy).
- Write out your intention on a piece of paper and add it to the bag. E.g: “I am protected. I am grounded. I am safe.”
- Put all the items together in your pouch, while holding the intention strongly in your mind.
- See yourself surrounded by a shield of white light, or protected by your angels and guardians.
- You can also ask your angels, spirit guardians and ancestors to help you walk in alignment with your Highest Self at all times.
- Carry the medicine bag with you whenever you journey out.
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.
A weed by any other name.
This month, I challenge you to find out about one indigenous plant that grows in your area. Learn where it grows, learn how to identify it, and find out if it has any human uses.
For example: Dandelion is a common lawn weed. But all parts of it are useful! The leaves are edible, and also make great food for chickens and ducks – they help produce strong egg shells. Dandelion can also be used as a natural dye. The root has been used to treat liver issues.
You can also do a little meditation with a plant. It can be a really fun exercise to write down anything that popped into your mind while you were focusing on the plant, and then to go research the plant to learn about it. You might be surprised!
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.
This month’s meditation offering is a guided one from Brooke Dabalos via the AstroTwins. Sink into the grounding, healing sounds of November’s:
Taurus Earth Element Meditation
“Earth energy governs the material realm. It stabilizes us so we can make the sensible (and profitable!) decisions. Slow and steady, earth reminds us to build upon a solid foundation. Enduring traits, such as loyalty, devotion, and being “down to earth,” are hallmarks of this element.
But if we rest on our laurels, we can short-circuit exciting developments. While the pace may be slower now, it’s important to stay in motion instead of hovering at a plateau. This Taurus season earth element meditation can get your feet on solid ground while motivating you to climb toward higher elevations.”
You can choose to do either the 10 Minute or the full 30 Minute meditation – or both, at different times during the month. We suggest listening to the 10 minute now, and doing the 30 minute on the full moon.
May your November journey be filled with happy new discoveries, quiet moments of peace, and of course, lots of crystals.
Crystal love,
Shaz, Russell and the Mystic Cat team.
