16 October, 2021

Crystals for Samhain



 
With Samhain being round the corner, it is time to gather our energies and focus on this time where the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is at it's thinnest. 

Whether you'll be celebrating the Sabbath on your own, or with like minded individuals, crystals can very well play a major role in your process. 

Here are a few Crystals that are appropriate to use for the occasion, as well as a brief explanation as to why. (Oh, by a few, I mean 30).

1) Fluorite

Fluorite allows the mind to flow freely, thus making it an excellent crystal to use during this time of the year, where the so called veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is at its thinnest. 

2) Obsidian

Obsidian is associated with magickal activities such as scrying, and is a great stone to be used for protection and grounding.

3) Smoky Quartz

Looking through Smoky Quartz feels like one is looking through smoke to see what's on the other side. It is an excellent stone to use in meditation around this time of the year, and can help connecting with the spirit world be an easier process. It is also a good grounding stone. You might be noticing a pattern already - grounding is crucial in day to day workings, but even more so at some a highly energetic time. Unless properly grounded, it can become a very overwhelming experience, very quickly.

4) Hematite

Hematite stimulates concentration and focus, enhancing memory and original thought.and - you guessed it - is an excellent grounding stone. The shiny nature of this black crystal makes it also ideal to use for scrying.

5) Labradorite

Labradorite is associated with divination and intuition, and is also an excellent tool for those of us who might still be dealing with the trauma of loss. It is a good emotional healing crystal.


6) Howlite

Howlite is associated with communication, patience and helps to eliminate rage, pain and stress. A calming stone, Howlite facilitates awareness and encourages emotional expression.

7) Botswana Agate

Botswana Agate is a comforting, protective stone that can bring comfort to those of us dealing with loss. It is sometimes called a 'Stone of Change', and is a great tool to use for grounding and to help release repressed emotions to allow room for healing.
 

8) Rhodonite

Rhodonite is a stone of compassion and balance. Around this time of the year, it is particularly useful as it allows those of us dealing with the aftermath of losing a loved one to acknowledge and deal with our emotions, whilst still functioning and forging ahead in our mundane lives. 

9) Rose Quartz

Not the crystal you were expecting to find here, right? Most commonly known for its associations with romantic love, many seem to forget that Rose Quartz is primarily a stone for self love. It is an excellent emotional healing stone, and is provides us with comfort.

10) Unakite

Unakite is a stone of vision, opening the third eye and useful for scrying - not as a scrying mirror, but to lend its energies to help make it happen.It is therefore of little surprise that this crystal is very much sought after around this time of the year. And, guess what? It is also a great emotional grounding tool too!

11) Amethyst

Besides from being a healing stone, and very pretty [an irrefutable opinion], it is also a stone of calmness and levelheadedness. It is a very useful stone to use in meditation, and it is said to alleviate sadness and grief.

12) Angelite

Angelite is said to be a very high vibrational stone that activates and aligns our throat, third eye, and crown chakras. As a consequence, Angelite helps attune oneself to a higher frequency, which is useful for connecting to one's guardian angels and spirit guides.

13) Apophyllite

Apophyllite is also linked to the higher chakras, and particularly useful to help connect with the spirit world. It is a crystal that is particularly useful to help develop one's Clairs - that is, clairvoyance, claircognizance, clairaudience, clairsentience, clairalience, and clairgustance. 

14) Apatite

Apatite is said to clear away confusion, apathy or negativity, and to stimulate the intellect to expand knowledge and truth. It is also a great stone with work with when dealing with the aforementioned Clairs, especially clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience. Apatite also can help expand the awareness of past-life experiences.

15) Aventurine

Aventurine is a stone of compassion and empathy, and stimulates feelings of wellbeing. Aventurine comes in a variety of colours, but the three colours that work best for Samhain are Green Aventurine, Yellow Aventurine and Red Aventurine.
Green Aventurine is a comforter and heart healer, and assists with past life work.
Yellow Aventurine helps balance emotions and alleviate grief.
Red Aventurine helps one be more open to receiving other people’s suggestions and creative feedback, and help incorporate these new ideas into one's expanded consciousness. 

16) Emerald


Emerald is said to enhance psychic abilities, specifically Clairvoyance. 

Emerald is also associated with the eighth planet Mercury in the Solar System. Lord Budha (Devanagari: बुध ) (Tamil: புதன்) is considered as the god of the planet Mercury. According to Hindu mythology Lord Budha is considered as one among the nine Navagrahas. He represents green color and gemstone emerald. He is also the god of merchandise and protector of merchants. He is of Rajas Guna and represents Communication. as well as the Navagraha.

 

17) Kyanite

Kyanite is an excellent stone for meditation and attunement.  It is a stone that is said to align all chakras and subtle bodies instantly., providing balance of yin-yang energy and dispels blockages, moving energy gently through the physical body.
 
Its blockage removal properties make it a great stone to use to allow channeling and mediumship to take place.
 

18) Malachite

Malachite clears and activates the chakras and attunes to spiritual guidance.  It is a crystal that is said to enable you to absorb and process information, release negative experiences and old traumas, and stimulates dreams. It is of no wonder that it is an excellent stone to work with during this time of the year.

19) Ruby Zoisite a.k.a Anyolite

Ruby Zoisite is said to help create an altered state of consciousness, and stimulate psychic abilities.   Anyolite instills joy, spontaneity, laughter and courage, bringing passion and a zest for life.

20) Citrine

Citrine is found both in its natural form, as well as in a heat-treated form. In the photo above, you can very clearly distinguish which one is which - naturally formed Citrine tends to be more of a pale to lemony colour, whereas heat treated Citrine is more of an amber-orangey colour. Heat treated Citrine is made in a lab environment where amethyst is, quite literally, treated with heat, to change its colour. If you'd like to read more about the process, you can check out this very sciency article here. Citrine and Amethyst, together with Prasiolite, tend to often form in the same areas, and the mineral inclusions in them as well as the heat under which they form determines the end result. Some people, like myself, don't mind whether the Citrine is natural or heat treated, whereas others like to solely use naturally formed Citrine.

Naturally formed Citrine is somewhat uncommon to come across and therefore tends to be pricier than the other 2 aforementioned crystals.

Citrine is an excellent crystal for interpersonal relationships. It smooths family or group problems and promotes solutions and cohesiveness. Citrine healing properties can help with physical, emotional, and spiritual balance and issues. Its foremost energy is to aid in manifestation.

21) Sunstone

Sunstone provides a source of strength if you are dependent on others emotionally, or have suffered the sudden loss of a partner.  Sunstone instills good nature, heightens intuition and allows the real self to shine through happily. It dissipates fearfulness

22) Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is one of the most sought after stones in use since man’s history began. Its deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision. It is a universal symbol of wisdom and truth.
 
A stone of truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. It can be used for all forms of deep communication.
 

23) Selenite

Selenite is said to provide clarity of the mind, helps with expanding one's awareness of the self and of ones surroundings.  It is also said to open the crown and higher crown chakras and accesses angelic consciousness and higher guidance.  It is a stone that can be used for past life regression and is an excellent stone to use in meditation and psychic workings.

24) Moonstone

A stone for “new beginnings”, Moonstone is a stone of inner growth and strength.  It soothes emotional instability and stress, and stabilises the emotions, providing calmness.  Moonstone enhances intuition. 
It is said that in Hindu legend, the belief was that Moonstone is made of solidified moon beams.

This stone is sometimes compared to a moon hiding behind clouds, and is brilliant to bring out that which is hidden, shining its light to break through the darkest moments. It is therefore a good stone to use during this time of year, as it helps bring respite from melancholy and feelings of loss.

25) Dragon's Blood Jasper

Dragon Blood Jasper is said to contain properties that manifest themselves in the form of great courage and adaptability. It is said that Dragon's Blood Jasper helps awaken the kundalini, which once  activated, it allows the soul and mind to persist through hardships by becoming more resilient and adapting to ever-changing circumstances.
 

26) Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline is an excellent stone for protection and grounding - which when doing any ritual work is always good to have, but during this time of the year, things can get very intense very quickly, therefore having Black Tourmaline handy is.. well.. very handy indeed. 


27) Red Jasper

Red Jasper is reported to increase emotional focus and balance. Red Jasper can also be used for increasing memory of dreams.It is an exceptional grounding stone that helps one better engage with the world around them - both the physical and the spiritual.
 

28) Carnelian

Carnelian is believed to help timid speakers become both eloquent and bold - thus helping with communication. Carnelian lends the courage needed to help overcome difficulties. It improves concentration and removes irrelevant thoughts in daydreamers, and during meditation.
 

29) Bloodstone

Bloodstone - also known as Heliotrope - heightens intuition and stimulates dreaming. It is a grounding and protecting stone. Bloodstone is regarded as a gem of noble sacrifice and can offer courage and solace to all who are called to give of themselves for the good of others. Heliotrope was called "stone of Babylon" by Albert the Great and he referred to several magical properties, which were attributed to it from Late Antiquity. Pliny the Elder (1st century) mentioned first that the magicians used it as a stone of invisibility. Damigeron (4th century) wrote about its property to make rain, solar eclipse and its special virtue in divination and preserving health and youth.
 
 

30) Black Onyx

Black Onyx is a great stone for protection and shielding from negative energies, and is a good stone for grounding. It is said to assist in facing one's shadow side with courage and learn important lessons so that old patterns and traumas can be released. It is therefore said that Black Onyx can help banish grief.

All of the above crystals are in stock at Fata Morgana in varying amounts.

I hope that this list of sorts has been helpful! Feel free to get in touch should you wish to claim any of the above-mentioned crystals.

Until next time,

Ros

 

13 August, 2021

Spooky Season 2021

Hello everyone! 

Apologies for the radio silence around these parts - if you follow the Fata Morgana Facebook Page you'll know how busy we've been these past few months, so finding time to sit down and write has been very difficult. 

Today, Spooky Season has been launched! Friday 13th seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get started on the Halloween stock 🎃


There is a lot that will be shared on the page, as well as on the shop's instagram - so the best way to be kept up to date is to follow the accounts if you don't do so already. 

Another thing I'm trying to stay on top of is the Fata Morgana TikTok account - there you will find a mix of stock related posts, and silly posts. After all, work can - and should be - fun! 

This summer I have held a workshop already, and am currently working on the material for the next one. I'm going to tentatively say it'll happen at some point in September - but that entirely depends on how much material I prep for it, and how quickly I manage to get it done. 

So, between regular shop things, keeping 3 social media accounts up to date, writing material for the workshop, and creating stock items myself, it is a constant race against time. I'll try to write again soon... Promise! 

Until next time, 

Stay spooky! 🎃


Ros

20 February, 2021

Chakra 101: The Root Chakra


You will hear people referring to chakras in popular culture, in conversations, and in spiritual practice - but do you know what Chakras are and how to work with them? It all sounds like a bunch of jargon at times, I know. So, this is where I shall attempt to drift away from the proverbial mumbo jumbo, and explain it in as simple a way as possible. 



 

The Root Chakra


Sanskrit: Muladhara (मूलाधार, Mūlādhāra
Meaning: "root and basis of Existence."
Etymology:  Mula means root and adhara means basis.
Number: 1 of 7 Primary chakras.
Origins: Hindu tantrism. 
Symbol: A lotus flower with four red petals and a yellow square in the centre. On each petal, there sometimes are Sanskrit letters - va, scha, sha and sa. In the center, there would be the syllable lam - which is the Mantra of this Chakra. 
Colours: Red or Pink. 

Muladhara is located near the Tailbone beneath the sacrum - which is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine that forms by the fusing of sacral vertebrae S1–S5.

The Root Chakra's kshetram, or superficial activation point, is located between the perineum and the tailbone/pelvic bone. 

Because of its location and connection with the act of pooping, it is associated with the butthole. 

It is also believed that Muladhara is a subtle abode of the Hindu God Ganapati.

The Root Chakra's Function

The Root Chakra keeps us grounded and roots us to familial beliefs that support the early formations of identity and a sense of belonging. It is all about family dynamics, and basic needs like feeling safe, supported, and provided for.

One might say that the Root Chakra is the centre for all of our primal needs. The main focus of this chakra is food, sex, shelter, and survival. Given that Humans are Pack Animals, this chakra also encompasses loyalty and honor to the “pack.”

The Muladhara is gorgeously primordial with earthly feminine power. It is the power of touch during love-making, or the loving affection in the form of hugs and kisses we give to our children.

The Root Chakra is the foundation of life and it urges us to procreate and express physical and supportive love to those we cherish.

How to Activate the Root Chakra
Activating and Healing the Root Chakra are two sides of the same coin. There are various ways to focus on your Root Chakra in order to heal it, balance it, and ultimately, activate it. 


If you're into Yoga, the Yoga Poses for the Root Chakra include the Warrior One, Triangle Pose, and Eagle Pose. 



The crystals portrayed above serve many purposes, but I figured I'd highlight their most relative properties within a Root Chakra workings context - 

Black Onyx - Grounding, Protection, Dispelling Negativity
Bloodstone  - Grounding, Motivation
Brecciated Jasper  - Creativity, Uplifting, Calming
Carnelian  - Drive, Determination, Organisation
Garnet - Passion, Creativity, Inner Strength
Golden Tiger's Eye - Courage, Determination, Relentlessness
Hematite - Grounding, Attract positivity, Stability
Kalahari Desert Jasper - Positivity, Joy, Grounding
Kyanite - Ancestral Healing, Self Acceptance, Grounding
Lava Stone - Renewal, Self growth, Positivity
Leopard skin Jasper  - Courage, Self Acceptance, Motivation
Mookaite Jasper - Self Realisation, Energising, Motivation
Red Jasper - Determination, Self Love, Centering
Red Tiger's Eye - Determination, Centering, Relentlessness
Rhodonite - Balance, Self Awareness, Growth
Smoky Quartz - Dispelling negativity, Clarity, Uplifting
Snowflake Obsidian - Grounding, Protection, Balance
Tourmaline - Grounding, Protection, Dispelling Negativity
 

 
Essential Oils are another good tool to use for Root Chakra work. All of the above oils are fit for purpose. I know that they all seem to be a big jumble, so I've created a handy guide for the oils, indicating both the Aroma family they belong to, as well as what Note they are. If you're confused by the mention of Aroma and Notes, check out the previous blog post where I explained these in quite a lot of detail. You can find it here.



 
Remember to always dilute an Essential Oil using a Carrier Oil if you intend to apply it topically.
 

If oils aren't your thing, Incense is a great alternative. Incense comes in a variety of formats. Resin incense is quite possibly my personal favourite when it comes to Chakra work.  It can be used in a couple of different ways - which I had covered in this previous post

 
If you're more of an Incense Stick kind of person, there is also a selection of such incense you might want to use when working on the Root Chakra, such as the below:


Else, if you're like me and are somewhat clumsy, which means you too have a few incense stick burn marks in your sleeves and/or on your arms, Incense Cones might be better suited - such as the below:


Oh, and if you're wondering what the Red tubes featured in both Incense Sticks and Incense Cones photos are - they are Strawberry Scented incense that come with their own little incense holder, on which the Root Chakra symbol is featured. Also - the reason I included Nag Champa is that, it is a Sandalwood based blend.


And on that note, it is time to bring this post to an end. If you're too antsy to wait for the next Chakra 101 post, and want to read more about the topic, I would highly recommend the Chakra Bible, as displayed above. It is a treasure trove of a book!


Until next time!


Ros

29 December, 2020

End of Year Practices

Now that 2020 is finally coming to an end, we are all hopeful for 2021 being a more positive year. Many people traditionally make New Year's Resolutions, but don't often stick to them long term. I find that setting short term goals, or splitting such resolutions into bite sized chunks makes things easier to handle. 

A great way to usher the old year out and the new year in is to cleanse and bless your home and household. 

I've put together a Home Blessings Bundle, which comes in two variants, with this in mind. 

This, is the Home Blessings Bundle #1:

Home Blessings Bundle #1 - Stock Item

Included in this bundle are:

1 x Wooden Pentacle 

1 x Buddha Incense Holder

4 x Sandalwood sticks

1 x Packet of 12 White Spell Candles 

1 x Crystal bracelet - choose between Green Moss Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx, Tiger's Eye or Amethyst

1 x Incense Sticks packet - choose between Frankincense & Myrrh, White Sage, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Protection, Dream Catcher, Prosperity, Luck, Buddha's Blessings, Nag Champa or Opium

1 x Fairy blessings magnet

And this, is Home Blessings Bundle #2:

Home Blessings Bundle #2 - Stock Item

Included in this bundle are:

1 x Wooden Triquetra

1 x Angel Incense Holder

4 x Sandalwood sticks

1 x Packet of 12 White Spell Candles 

1 x Crystal bracelet - choose between Green Moss Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx, Tiger's Eye or Amethyst

1 x Incense Sticks packet - choose between Frankincense & Myrrh, White Sage, Dream Catcher, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Protection, Prosperity, Luck, Buddha's Blessings, Nag Champa or Opium

1 x Fairy blessings magnet

All of the above comes neatly packed in a red velvety drawstring bag. 


Another bundle I've put together is the Protection Bundle. Each bundle comes in a velvety drawstring black/red/purple bag, and contains:

- Packet of 12 black spell candles
- Crystal bracelet (Amethyst/ Black Onyx/ Tiger's Eye)
- Packet of Incense Cones (Dragon's Blood, Palo Santo, White Sage, Frankincense & Myrrh, Sandalwood or Nag Champa)
- 1 Palo Santo stick
- 1 packet of 10 charcoal discs
- 1 jar loose leaf white sage
- 1 jar loose leaf olive

 All of the above items can be used for protection and/or cleansing, so the thought was, why not make it easier by providing this bundle?



Photo courtesy of one of our lovely customers - featuring Olive Smudge Stick, Hand of Hamsa dish, Blank Onyx bracelet and a Custom made Herbal Sachet 

Another item that has been heavily requested recently has been Herbal Sachets. Think of them as Magickal Pot Pourri, in a way. This comparison is being drawn because these little buggers smell good, but every herb in there is included because of its protective attributes. And, they typically tend to include a little crystal as well to boost it all up by a notch or two. These sachets are custom made, depending on the situation the person is dealing with.

 

Sometimes, something as simple as a symbol is what one would prefer to go for - such as the above Hand of Hamsa.

 It is a popular motif in many countries and known by Hamsa, Hand of Fatima, Hand of Mary, Hand of the Goddess as well as the Hand of Miriam. It is often used by people of Muslim and Jewish faiths as a symbol to keep away the evil eye. 

Journaling are also a good way to start off the new year. 


Keeping a diary can help you organise your thoughts more efficiently, and keep track of the important things going on in your life. 

Dream Journalling is an ever growing practice, and the new year is a great time to start working on recording your dreams. The subconscious mind often processes our worries and hopes whilst we are asleep, and so dreams can be an important indication of what's going on beneath the surface which we wouldn't otherwise be aware of. 


Daily Divination practices can be helpful to improve one's divination skills, and also help create a more regular and structured spiritual practice. Oracle cards such as the Goddess Power Oracle Deck are ideal for a single card draw that sets the tone for the day. 

Another option to help you with daily spiritual practices is Mindfulness Meditation. It is often challenging to weave mindfulness into our day as we get caught up in the fast pace of life. It can feel overwhelming sometimes to know what to do and how to start doing something different and having to decide stops us doing anything at all. Having flashcards that provide a brief Mindfulness exercise can help manage the daily stress. 

Last but not least, a good way to see the old year out is to cleanse via Smudging. 


No matter which type of Smudge Stick you use - be it Olive, White Sage, Yerba Santa, Dragon's Blood Sage or something else, they all work with the same premise. You'd need to light it up using a steady flame. I personally use the gas stove when at home, or a candle if elsewhere. Once lit, start from top to bottom, back to front of your home. Don't forget the corners, and all the nooks and crannies which are notorious for dust to gather there. If the dust gathers there, energy is likely to stagnate there as well. You can also smudge yourself, but that's easier to do if you have someone to help you out especially when it comes to the back. 

Once you're done, you can either snub it out like a big cigar, or let it go out by itself. 


And so, this brings us to the end of the last blog post of the year 2020. Feel free to share what you decide to go for from the above, or anything else not mentioned perhaps! Stay safe, everyone! 


Until next time, 


Ros 💜

Essential Oil Spotlight: Bergamot

Bergamot Latin name: Citrus Bergamia Origin: Ivory Coast From: Fruit Peel Process: Cold Expression Consistency: Thin Perfumery Note: Top ...