Ore's Featured Gemstone: Sapphire

A Persian myth tells of a giant blue Sapphire that Mother Earth rests on, and that the sky is the reflection of this titan crystal. Sapphire, like its twin Corundum, Ruby, has etched a place in history, atop the crowns of kings and glorified in legend.

You may remember from the featured article on Ruby, that only trace amounts of minerals separate this crystal into different gemstones. Corundum is an aluminum oxide crystal that became included with a variety of minerals to produce a rainbow of colors. Chromium will turn the crystal red, classifying it as a Ruby. The treasured blues come from Titanium and Iron, Iron alone produces yellows, sometimes referred to as Oriental Topaz. Titanium and Iron combinations can also result in greens, while all three elements create a purple crystal. A rare and popular Padparadscha (lotus-color) Sapphire gets is pinkish orange hues from a mixture of Chromium and Iron. A white Sapphire is perfectly clear with no inclusions.

Other inclusions, like Rutile and Tourmaline needles can add depth, luster and illusions to the crystal. Star Sapphires have Rutile needles that have grown at perfect angles across the crystal's axis to create three or six pointed stars that dance across the surface of the gem. To accentuate the star, these crystals are usually cut with a round surface. Faceting the stone destroys the astral illusion.

Sapphire is the second hardest crystal that Mother has given us. Only the Diamond is harder than Corundum. Many of the large Sapphire deposits are the remains of metamorphic or igneous veins of Granite and Marble weathered away into stream beds and mountain valleys. Stronger than Granite or Marble, large amounts of the stone are simply gathered from gem gravels in Burma, Thailand, Australia, North America, Brazil, Kashmir and Africa.

Perfect specimens are rare, Sapphires tend to be zoned in their natural state. Crystals with blue centers and clear or yellow edges are very common. This makes purchasing an untreated stone difficult, especially in jewelry.

Larger specimens are also uncommon among Corundum crystals. For instance, in Montana, where some of the gems found rivaled the fabled Kashmir blues, the largest recorded find was only 19 carats. When cut into a gemstone, it weighed a mere 8 carats. There are larger crystals. The Smithsonian has the Star Of Asia, which weighs in at 330 carats and the 536 carat Star of India resides in the American Museum of Natural History. In 1827, the English ambassador to the King of Ava reported seeing a 951 carat Sapphire in the royal treasury. The Rospoli Sapphire, reputedly one of the purest blues ever found, weighed 132 carats in the rough.

Sapphire comes from a Greek word, sappheiros, meaning blue. Unfortunately, many of the early Greek references to a Sappheiros stone were for Lapis Lazuli, not this colorful translucent crystal. This early confusion did not diminish the brilliant past of Sapphires.

Rare beauty and enduring strength made the crystal a popular talisman among royalty. A medieval historian, Damigeron, wrote that kings wore the crystal to protect them from harm and to prevent jealousy among their court. A gem worn to the signing of a treaty would ensure a true reconciliation and prevent further bloodshed. It was believed that a venomous snake left in a vessel with a Sapphire would die, and that the crystal provided protection from poison.

Sinhalese kept Star Sapphires as protection from the evil eye. In Europe it was used to reflect harmful spells back to the sender. Magicians were known to utilize Sapphires enhancing and directing their magical powers. Alchemists associated the stone with the element Air. India considered Sapphire the stone of Saturn and believed it a portal to the heavenly realms.

You can also use the Corundum crystal to open yourself to heavenly messages, plus it will aid in clarifying just what the information you receive means to you. Blue, purple and white Sapphires all are excellent for activating the Crown Chakra and clearing a path for the Kundalini to move freely through all your Chakra. Use the stone to clear a mental path for you as well. Meditations with Sapphire can help you realize your hidden potential and sharpen the vision of your life's work.

If you do vision work or channeling, the Sapphire will aid you in better understanding what is revealed and articulating those messages in a way that will be the most beneficial for the receivers. Healers can use a green or yellow Sapphire is a similar way, directing and focusing the incoming energy to achieve the best results for the patient.

For abundance medicine, the Corundum works with you to achieve material dreams and desires, and sustain your wealth once it is acquired. The crystal will also assist you in keeping a balanced perspective, allowing you to better organize your thought processes, ensuring continued success as your material situation evolves. It can also promote loyalty and fair play among partners and employees, plus help bring a correct conclusions to potentially unjust situations (if you are in the right).

Yellow Sapphires are wonderful tools for working through the leftover wounds of childhood abuse. The crystal provides a protective golden shield during the healing process, and allows for safe expression of the words needed to release the pain.

Earliest healing uses for Sapphire were to treat the eyes and reduce fevers. In the far East, it was used as protection against the plague. On a mental level, it gives the patient focus and instills the intent to get well. So that healing is occurring in all levels of the body. The gem may also aid in strengthening the walls of your blood vessels and stop nose bleeds. The green and blue crystals are especially helpful in healing energies. Green Sapphire possess a strong restorative energy that comes from its connection to Mother Earth.

White - activates the Crown Chakra, taps hidden potential and help guides you to your life's work, makes an excellent personal power stone

Blue - wonderful meditation tool, opens the Third Eye and assists in translating the meaning of messages received, also helps the Throat Chakra communicate the information to others

Lotus (Padparadscha) - opens up the Stomach Chakra, aids healers, associated with Grandfather Sun

Yellow - another good healer's crystal, also beneficial for healing childhood trauma, or assisting children through difficult illnesses, works well in abundance medicine

Green - these crystals have strong restorative energies, will activate and balance the Heart Chakra, also good for prosperity energies

Purple - if you channel or work with the divination arts, a purple Sapphire crystal can help clear a path so that you receive your messages with greater clarity, raises your spiritual awareness and stimulates the Kundalini through meditation

SUBSCRIBER'S SPECIAL: FREE Gemstone
Receive a FREE small Gemstone of your choice, with any purchase from Ozark Rock Exchange. You can shop on line at http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/catalog.shtml You can also place your order by email ( stephanie@ozarkrockexchange.com ), or send your telephone number for a phone appointment. Discount will be taken at the time of purchase. You must be a subscriber as of June 16, 2001 to be eligible for the Subscriber's Special; the Subscriber Special is not valid with other offers (unless otherwise stated). Only one special per subscriber, please. The Subscriber's Special will expire July 1, 2001. Remember shipping is always FREE at Ozark Rock Exchange!

SKY NOTES
New Moon, Thursday June 21, 6:58 am (ET)
Summer Solstice Thursday June 21
Solar Eclipse Thursday June 21, 7:05 am (ET)
Second Quarter Moon, Wednesday June 27, 10:19 pm (ET)

CLEANSING CEREMONY
by Stephanie Pflumm

Next Thursday, June 21, will be a magical day. If you have been carrying around old luggage that you need to throw out, or if day to day clutter has left you feeling weighed down, the Celestial events next Thursday offer you an unique opportunity to clear and cleanse.

Thursday is the Summer Solstice, the turning of the North American Medicine Wheel into the South (others, around Mother, will be turning North). When I face the Southern quarter of the Medicine Wheel, I honor the energy of Fire. You've learned from previous articles that Fire is a great motivating energy, perfect for when your creative work requires an extra spark. Fire also has strong purifying qualities. Its use in Sweat Lodges, Smudging, Funeral Rituals and myths like the Phoenix, all illustrate Fire's significant role in cleansing and renewal.

You will have the opportunity to combine this ancient power with the negative energies of the New Moon and a Solar Eclipse. On the same day that Grandfather Sun (our greatest Flame) will be at His zenith, you can use the strength of Grandfather's Fire to cleanse, and the energy of the New Moon and concurring eclipse to remove unwanted emotions, habits, material items and other baggage from your life.

This is a very simple ceremony, written with intent of utilizing the three Celestial events on Thursday to clear your life. I've tried to write this ceremony in such a way that it can easily be adapted to your own intentions with your individual flourishes.

Things you need:
•two or three pieces of paper and pen
•three objects that represent what you want removed (trying to quit smoking? use a cigarette, a match and an ashtray); you can also write the names of these objects on pieces of paper if the real item is too cumbersome
•one stone, choose one that you really identify with, because the stone will be representing you
•match or lighter (I prefer wooden matches for ceremonies)
•worn out wet towel, or bucket of dirt

On Tuesday (6/19), put your harmful objects, or papers representing them and your stone together. This represents you, burdened with whatever you want removed. Don't worry, they won't stay together long.

Wednesday evening, before you go to bed, on one piece of paper write down what it is you want removed, and three ways that it harms your life. On the other piece of paper write down three things that will be new and improved by clearing it from your life.

Thursday morning, you'll need to awaken a little early, timing will be important (sorry). Begin about 6:45 am (ET). Draw your protective circle; ask that all positive and negative energies that are meant to harm you be removed, and that your thoughts, desires and actions be correct and for the good of all. Do a simple cleansing breathe or two, to prepare yourself.

Facing South, put your piece of paper with your "bad" list to your right (West). The piece of paper with the improvements brought by cleansing should be set on your left (East). The objects or papers representing what you wish removed and the stone representing you are set in front of you.

Thinking or saying: "I wish these harmful energies be removed from my life, in a way that will be correct and for the good of all." Repeat this three times, as you move each of the three offensive objects or slips of paper, to the right, one at a time.

Once all of the objects are moved to the right pile, pick up your stone and explain your intentions: "As you were made stronger by fire and challenge, help me to survive the cleansing fires and be free from _________" Then speak or think of the changes this cleansing will bring. Using the list you wrote earlier, speak or think each benefit in the present tense. "I am happier, I am healthier, I am stronger . . .", whatever, "because I am removing _______ from my life." Then set your stone to the left.

At 7:00 am (ET) as the New Moon peaks and the Solar Eclipse is poised to begin, ask Grandmother Moon and Grandfather Sun's assistance. As the New Moon represents the withering and death of the moon, and the eclipse marks the disappearance of the sun, ask permission to use these energies to make your habit or object wither away and disappear from your life. Meditate on the awesome power of the negative Moon and Sun to help take away that which is harming your life and be grateful for Their gift.

At 7:05 am (ET), approximately, you can end your meditation and release your circle. Leave your objects in these separate piles for the next few hours. As the New Moon disappears and begins to wax again, and Grandfather Sun grows to his high point in the sky, these hours represent you being pulled away from the object you wished removed.

At noon (your time), draw another circle, this time in a place that will be safe to start a small fire. If possible, try to do it outside. Again, facing South, take the objects on your right and set them in a pile in front of you. Anything that will burn without causing danger, pile together. Anything that may be dangerous in an open flame, set to the side. Once your miniature pyre is made, take the stone, representing you and wrap it in the paper describing your improvements. Set this on top of the pile. Use the remaining piece of paper (the one with all the bad stuff written on it), to light your fire.

Objects that were unsafe to burn, can be passed through the flame in a way that signifies its burning, but please use extreme caution. As your bad habit or whatever burns away, meditate on the strength and energy you'll need to survive this cleansing (after all, this is just the ceremony, you still have to act). Be one with the Fire's energy so that you can carry that clearing flame to light the path that lay ahead. And as everything burns away, the stone that is you, remains. Perhaps charred and changed (the color in crystals like Amethyst, Quartz, Sapphires are altered by heat) by the experience, but a survivor nonetheless. As your fire dies, use your wet towel or bucket of dirt to smother the remaining embers and cool your stone. When the Fire Stone has cooled, remove it from the embers of your past. The towel can be used to dispose of this past forever, or bury it with your dirt to be reborn of Mother Earth. Once you have released your circle and your day to day life begins again, keep your Fire Stone knowing that you can draw its strength to walk through flames and manifest a better tomorrow.

Have you used Fire energies before to help break habits or make changes? I'd love to hear about it, please send an email to stephanie@ozarkrockexchange.com

STONE POWER Volume 1 Now Available
Discover the geological origins, magical history and healing traditions for the original 24 gemstones and crystals featured in the ORE FEATURES including pictures of each stone. You'll also find articles on choosing, cleansing, charging and meditating with your stones, plus links to the US Geological Society, universities and more.
Receive one of the two dozen gems or crystals in Stone Power FREE with your purchase.
Visit http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/stonepower.html for more information.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Quartz Contest
There is still lots of time to get your entry in to win that great Quartz Gift Pack. It includes a small Quartz sphere, a Quartz crystal 36" strand and a Quartz point, value $32.00. To get entered in the contest, you only need to answer two questions:
1. What three web sites do you visit most often?
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2. What television network do you watch most often?
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Just send your answers to webmaster@ozarkrockexchange.com with Contest in the subject, or reply to the email sent out last weekend about the contest. Entries must be received by Friday, June 29 at 10:00 pm (CDST). The winner's name will be drawn at 10:45pm that Friday night and announced in the June 30th issue of ORE FEATURES. Only one entry per subscriber please. Good Luck!

NEW ARRIVALS!
Check out the new stuff that came in this week at http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/new.html
Now available in the catalog: Spirals, Gemstone Strands and Pendulums http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/catalog.shtml

If you have a special announcement for the next issue of ORE FEATURES, please send it to stephanie@ozarkrockexchange.com for consideration.
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©Copyright 2001, Stephanie Pflumm, All Rights Reserved Worldwide. No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor/founder, Stephanie Pflumm. Please feel free to share with a friend.
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Back issues are available at http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/ORE_FEATURES.html

4 Blessings (East, South, West, North)
Stephanie Pflumm