ORE FEATURES
A Monthly publication of Ozark Rock Exchange
VOL #4: Issue #10, July 2, 2003
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Main: >> Start Page >> ORE Features Archives >> 2003 >> Starry Jasper | |
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ORE'S FEATURED GEMSTONE: Starry Jasper by Stephanie Pflumm Jasper is a very friendly family of stones and an important branch of an extremely large geological family known as chalcedony. Chalcedony are Quartz minerals with microscopic crystal formations - too small to be seen with human eyes. Though, I have seen Jasper specimens with tiny clusters of Quartz crystals imbedded in the stone. They are great stones to study, very open and eager to work with us two-leggeds. One of my older geological references nick-named Jaspers dirty Quartz. The reasons these crystals are so opaque is that they are heavily included with elements like Iron and Sulfur. Up to 20% of a Jasper's composition can be one of the Earth elements or even organic matter. Under a different set of circumstances a Red Jasper could have easily become a Citrine or Amethyst crystal. The star part of Starry Jasper's name comes from veins of Pyrite that run throughout this red, white and black Jasper. Pyrite is an Iron Sulfide crystal, in fact Iron comprises almost 70% of the stone. Sulfur gives it the golden color that has caused it to be confused with Gold so many times. As best as I can uncover, Australia is the only place this marriage of crystals takes place. The gentle and loving Jasper joined with the energetic and inspiring Pyrite makes one of the best companion stones I've worked with in a while. And it's a good thing I got along so well with this gemstone, because there is very little information available on Starry Jasper. Both my geological and metaphysical references failed to mention it. Web searches pulled up a lot of interesting links (including Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Nights), but very little useable information. Even Melody's extensive "Love Is In The Earth" does not mention this powerful crystal team. If I had not been able to connect with this stone, this would be an even harder article to write. So, I am proceeding with this one disclaimer. All the information contain in this article is from my own experience and personal meditation. I have not been able to confirm or refute anything I received against the research of others, which I normally try to do. So the reliability of my impressions should probably be confirmed with your own meditations and communications with your Starry Jasper (if you choose to work with it). There could not have been a better time for me to pick up this gemstone to work with. The first six months of this year have been quite challenging for me, and I have often felt swept up in chaos, unable to participate in my destiny. Decisions were beyond me. Circumstances had pushed me to make choices I didn't want to make, and I was choosing them without commitment. Within a few days of carrying my Starry Jasper subject (when I research each gemstone for these articles, it spends the whole month with me, sleeping, eating, everything) I noticed my attitude slowly adjusting. I knew the Pyrite was shining its light on me. As my outlook brightened, decisions I'd been avoiding suddenly seemed crystal clear and exactly perfect. As the month progressed a sudden barrage of fairly critical decisions were tossed at me. Just a couple of weeks earlier I would have cringed at having to make a serious decision. Now, as the situation unfolded, the right choice was immediately obvious to me (though I waited several days to share my decision with the party in question, there was compensation involved and I did not want to appear too eager, or desperate). Impression number one: Starry Jasper aids with decisiveness, and a joyful acceptance of circumstance as what they truly are, temporary. It may also have a positive influence on fortune and prosperity, as that aspect of my situation definitely improved. I made another important decision during this research period that I confidently attribute to the Starry Jasper. To learn my lessons for this life. I've known for awhile what my lessons are; and two very important ones for me, relinquishing control and sharing my burdens seem almost impossible for me to practice. I am certain that the current chaos in my life is directly related to the relinquishing control classes I'm suppose to be taking. In the past, my awareness of the need to learn this lesson rarely seemed to influence my behavior. The idea of giving up control just felt to be an act against my natural state of being. Except as my bond with my Starry Jasper grew, I found my attitude towards these lessons shifting. My awareness that specific events and coincidences were actually lesson plans from the Universe became quite acute. While the chaos did not feel more comfortable, I found myself more willing to roll with the flow as they say. And I was allowed to discover that sometimes not controlling a situation can actually produce results that benefit me. Surprise! Even learning to share my burden is becoming easier homework for me. I found myself confiding in close friends, even letting them see my tears and confusion. I wish you could appreciate just how difficult it is for me to admit to someone else that I'm vulnerable and don't know what to do. Impression number two: Starry Jasper assists in the acceptance and learning of important life lessons. One final noteworthy observation of my behavior with the Starry Jasper was the sudden ability to be very focused. As a result of the chaos in my life, I was suffering from a bit of depression. Depression can be very paralyzing, making even simple tasks daunting duties. Again, within a few days of working with this crystal, I found myself diving into tasks with anticipation and motivation. And I worked through them to completion, even on difficult chores. Including this article. Not sure how many times during my frustrating search for information on this dynamic duo that I thought I should just give up and start on another stone. But I didn't. Even as I got near the end and realized the article would be mostly based on my own research, I fought off the desire (and lack of confidence in my words) to quit and pressed forward. Impression number three: Starry Jasper keeps you focused on the job at hand and provides motivation and inspiration to see your task to completion. Unfortunately, I cannot speak as confidently about any healing aspects for this gemstone. I'm a fairly healthy old broad with no ailments to speak of. Well, my back may be a bit out of whack from carrying rocks, but the rest of me is pretty sound. So I often have difficulty measuring the health benefits of any particular gemstone or crystal. However, articles on both Jasper and Pyrite are available in the archives and healing energies for both of those stones should also be present in this one. As would be true of other aspects of the crystals as well. You can find the articles by using the new alphabetical listing of gemstone articles in the archives: http://www.ozarkrockexchange.com/ore_features/alpha.shtml Would love to hear any of your experiences with this wonderful gemstone companion. If you have worked with Starry Jasper, I'd really appreciate you sharing your observations with stephanie@ozarkrockexchange.com Pictures of Starry Jasper --+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- SUBSCRIBER'S SPECIAL: FREE Starry Jasper! Receive a FREE small Starry Jasper 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 July 2, 2003 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 August 6, 2003. Remember you never pay extra for shipping at Ozark Rock Exchange! --+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- SKY NOTES -+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- Woman Who Walks: The Lonely Fox Woman Who Walks does not own a car. Though she grows many of her own vegetables and usually keeps a few cows and pigs, she still needs to get into town now and then for supplies. Over the years she has been able to hitch a ride as the need came up and therefore never felt the desire to become independently mobile. Besides, she'll tell me "if I have a car thing, well, I won't be able to walk anywhere"! Before I bought my little place on the hill out here, I'm not sure how Woman Who Walks got into to town. Shortly after I moved in, she showed up by the driveway the first morning I had planned to drive into town to check out my new world. And I believe that I've been her ride ever since. Most amazing of all, she always seems to know when I'm going. Since she also does not own a phone, I can't call to ask if she needs anything (which I would). Except there doesn't seem to be a need for one, as her timing has been impeccable since day one. Today is no exception. As I finish up the list of our household needs, I glance out the kitchen window to see her walking the path out of the woods South of my house. I hurry and get my last minute got to's done before she gets to the house so that I can meet her at my car. She can get very impatient with me, as I'm constantly forgetting this or that and running back inside. Today is a busy list. Besides the requisite visit to the grocery store, I've got to run by the critter store for the dogs and cats and get office supplies at the office supply store. We wait at the stop sign for a speeding pickup to zoom past and pull out on the road to town. Woman Who Walks immediately starts playing with my radio, switching from rap, to rock to county and back to rap again. Eminem is singing, and she loves his poetry (she calls it poetry, I tell her the kids would just cringe if they could hear her call it that). As we top the hill and begin crossing the ridge that is the beginning of the forest, Woman Who Walks has Eminem rapping as loud as my radio will go. Loud enough that the screeching that is assaulting my ears is almost imperceptible. Except seconds later I am able to see that the screaming had come from the sudden application of the speeding truck's brakes. It appears that the application is unsuccessful, because just off the side of the road, a beautiful red fox reels forward and falls down beside the pavement. An old logging road turns off into the forest just a few feet ahead, so I pull my car in there. Woman Who Walks is already out of my car and running over to the fox before I can turn off the engine. I get an old blanket from my trunk and rush over to join her, deciding that tomorrow is as good a day to drive to town as today. I kneel down beside the fox and keep quiet. I recognize the Woman Who Walks is talking with the critically injured animal, though I can only understand her side of the conversation. There is a look of sympathy, then anger and finally a sad resignation crossing over Woman Who Walks face as she listens to the fox's reply. "No, no"! she whispers sharply, "I'm sure I can fix what's broken". Again, a wild display of emotions sweep across her face as she listens to the fox. Finally, she says what he must want to hear, but she dreads to say, "if you insist dear gentle man fox, then I will send you onto your mate and children". She takes the blanket from my hands, and very slowly folds it into a pillow and places it over the face of the fox. I shrink back, afraid and in shock. The fox seems to relax and is certainly not afraid. He does not struggle and in seconds his breathing stops completely. And I swear in the last second I hear him shower Woman Who Walks with his gratitude. When she stands up to hand me back the blanket, there is a look of peace on her face. I sure a direct opposite of the look of disbelief on mine. After all, I was under the impression that we had stopped to assist the fox, not finish the job. A quick glance at my eyes tells her that an explanation is necessary. "Come dear, lets get back in your car before some pickup smashes us and allow me to tell you a story". She takes my arm and leads me away from the dead fox and we get back in the car. "Not very many weeks ago, I was walking some of the least traveled trails through our woods", Woman Who Walks begins her story. "I was a few miles deep into the woods when I noticed a bush ahead on the trail moving in a rather unnatural manner. Of course, I had to investigate, and shaking in the bush was a malnourished, dehydrated and exhausted fox. He was too weak to snarl, much to weak to fight and light enough for me to carry all the way back to my house. "After a couple of days of food, water and some love, the fox was feeling well enough and I asked him how he came to be in such a horrid condition. "He said his name was Grass Stalker, that for many seasons he had been the mate of Meadow Dancer and together they had raised some beautiful kits. In fact, he had told me, until the beginning of this growing season, he and Meadow Dancer had led perfect lives just outside of the city. "Unfortunately, he had not appreciated just how dangerous the two-leggeds could be. For more seasons than any of his clan could count they had lived within smelling distance of the two-leggeds, thinking they would never pose a threat, as long as the fox clans could remain invisible. In fact they had developed many sly techniques at staying just outside the view of the humans. "At the beginning of this growing season, strange things began happening. Huge, destructive machines began eating up land and tearing out trees in the areas where the fox clans had been living. Many councils had been held with the elders and pack leaders to decide how best to deal with these developments and to determine what danger they might be in. "While the planning and talking was going on, Grass Stalker and Meadow Dancer were busy caring for their newest litter of kits. On one particular morning, Grass Stalker learned too quickly just how much danger the two-leggeds presence had put him and his family in. "He and Meadow Dancer always rose early to get out and hunt breakfast before the babies would wake up. That way, they could be safe in the den while mom and dad were away on business. "This particular morning, the two-leggeds arrived early as well. They had special plans for their new building project and they wanted to place and set off the dynamite charges before the busy human work day began. "When the huge explosion rang through the air, a deadly fear gripped Grass Stalker and Meadow Dancer's motherly instincts were instantly on high alert. Without a thought, she bolted out of the small woods, rushing to cross the road that now stood between her and her babies. Of course, she was moving rapidly and blindly and never saw the car that never saw her. "When Grass Stalker caught up with his mate mere moments later, she was already dead. Through his tears, he saw a monstrous hole in the hill that had once held his den and his family. He just put his head down and began walking until he ended up in our woods." Woman Who Walks takes a very deep breath and stops her story for a moment. I take a corner of the dirty blanket she is still holding to wipe the tears and sweat that cover my face. "At first, Grass Stalker tried to find a new clan", she picks her story back up. "Except a man fox of his age should already have a mate and an established position within a clan, so he is viewed with suspicion and is constantly chased out. Eventually depression and exhaustion almost drove him to death, and that is when I found him. He often told me he wished I had let him die. Living was just too painful without his beloved Meadow Dancer. "So, today, I did not try to save him. Today I helped him join his mate and children." -+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: WINNER -+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- What's Happening At Ozark Rock Exchange? --+--+--+- MOBILE ORE STORE --+--+--+-- STONE POWER CIRCLE --+--+--+-- ORE FEATURES by Snail Mail! --+--+--+-- If you have a special announcement for the next issue of ORE FEATURES, please send it to stephanie@ozarkrockexchange.com for consideration. -+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- ©Copyright 2003, 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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