Green

I am attracted to the color green. It is the color of growing things. To me green represents the life force. It is the color of mother earth. I am a vegetarian and I believe in mother earth. At the rate things are going she may outlive us humans by a long shot. But, in the meantime, I can practice some sort of creativity that aligns me with that energy.

Malachite

The necklace is 21 inches long and made entirely of malachite. This stone is known as a powerful on, with healing properties. So, about three years ago, I fell in love with this stone and bought strands of three different shapes from my favorite bead supply mail order place and made this piece. Then, I looked up malachite in my stone book and the author warned that it could be toxic and should be used with caution. Whoa, sometimes I am too naïve so I have scarcely worn it, even though, as you can see, its very beautiful. It seems that my attraction to stones leads me to create things that almost overpower the rest of my personality.

Making a necklace like this is a project that takes on the life of its own. Selecting the beads, arranging them, rearranging them. Am I rearranging my life each time I rearrange the beads in a necklace? When I become lost in the process it feels that way. Two points come to mind. The first is the axiom change one thing and you change your life.

The second is a Kabbalah story that I will tell very badly because it has been a few years since I heard it but it is one that I return to. The story is of a man that is allowed to see one of the twelve holiest men in the world and the holy man turns out to be a tailor. The tailor fixes the man’s pants. The man feels very unworthy and somewhere in the story the holy man says the thing that I believe and remember. When he is mending the pants he is mending the world.

It is paradoxical that doing the small things in life can promote peace and tranquility and have a positive influence on the world. However, it is easy to become lost in the details. One can drift to a place where one begins to create out of frustration and short-sightedness.

Back to malachite, since it is something that I am attracted to it seems that it would not be toxic to me. I set out the intention that I will attract only those things that are beneficial.

Whoa, again, what if it is meant that my experience is meant to be otherwise. I can think of many examples of this. Why are people born with physical or mental disabilities? I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that those of us who experience even minor physical differences have the opportunity to live out our life in total awareness of what seems to be. We can blame and become resentful and angry. The physical world sometimes seems cruel and uncaring. Or, we can choose as everyone can choose, to focus on things that make us feel good, on things that bring us joy This may sound narcissistic to many people. I have often returned to the argument about narcissism because I have a strong tendency to want to explore both sides. But when I find that I am becoming jaded (another green word), I return to the creative space because it is from there that I can truly be helpful to those around me.

This morning I kind of like malachite. It looks pretty good in the picture…..

Chalk Turquoise

This piece is 19 inches long and made out of chalk Turquoise and sterling silver.

A mixture of stones

This piece is 20+ inches (almost 21) and is made of a bunch of different stones including chrysoprase and chalk turquoise. It is a piece I like to wear.

In conclusion

You might ask if I really believe in the power of stones to heal and yes I do but in my own way, as I have learned from the stones I have played with. They, like many other things can activate our own innate healing abilities. It is a game with me. When I decided to start making jewelry about 4 years ago I realized it would be an opportunity to learn about the stones. For the most part I started experimenting with natural stones. But there are other things I like such as chalk turquoise. I am sharing this with you so that you too can enjoy the fun and my thoughts that have come up as I have put this together.