While my husband continued recounting his day, I realised my mind was wandering to a number of topics: a big trip coming and the anxiety it brings. Thoughts of cleaning, cooking and the week’s chores beforehand were also circling abstractly.

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As my gaze shifted from the endless blue of the midday sky to the road leading into the village, my eye was drawn to many quick flittering motions around the eaves of our friend’s roof.

I remembered that she had told us at the beginning of spring that she was always happy to see and hear the return of the House Martins Delichon urbicum to their nests at the front of their home. Always a welcome sign of spring returning after a long winter.

Photo Credit

Now, however, as I watched them zip to and from the house, practising their flight, I realised the new hatchlings and their parents were preparing to fly back to their winter home.

Though it brings a sense of sadness knowing that their departure heralds the shorter days and cooler nights, this year, after the intensity of the heat and the dryness of the earth with little to no life-giving rain, this early sign of the autumn to come was a beautiful sight to behold.

These little birds will face many travails as they make their way back to Africa, and who knows exactly where their winter home is? I found myself wondering if it is another human dwelling, rock face or tree. Hopefully, when they return in 2027, they will carry a temperate, cooler summer season.

Though they are practising to leave, it was a joy to witness their preparations as they whirled around each other in quick, short loops. I considered that their journey would be far more physically demanding than my impending trip to Chicago and that when we see them again it will be 2027!

Saffron Dennis is an astrologer and crystal therapist based in the East Anglia region of the UK. You can book her for an astrology reading, remote crystal healing or as a speaker at your local or online event at divinebaytree.com

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Other Names – Blue Yellow Stone

A trip to Hope Valley near Castleton in Derbyshire will take you to the one and only place in the world where you can find the semi precious stone, Blue John. This beautiful blue, purple, white and yellow fluorite is found within the limestone rock of this picturesque valley.

Hope Valley - Photo by author

The legend states that the name Blue John was given due to its colours, with the French word bleu for blue and jeune for yellow. When the stone was worked in France, there was no official name for it, so they just named it for the colours, and the name has stuck.

In the Treak Cliff cavern where we visited (there are a number of mines in the area; this one was suggested by a local to us), there are a number of veins that have been worked over the years. There are deep purple crystals along with the lighter yellow and white, and so when the stones are cut, there are gorgeous, striated crystals that can be polished into decorative pieces.

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If you take a walk along some of the tracks that the local sheep have created around the hillside, you will even find tiny pieces of the crystal risen to the surface that shimmer in the sunlight.

It was a blazing hot summer’s day, as many in 2026 have been, and it was a bit of a trek from the car park up to the entrance of the mine, but once within the mine itself, a cool, consistent 11°C greeted us.

The Treak Cliff mine was originally opened to extract iron ore around 1699. But once the beauty of Blue John fluorite began to be coveted as a decorative piece, the price of the crystal rose, and so the mines began to produce Blue John as its primary output.

The stately homes Chatsworth House and Kettlestone Hall are both close by and have examples of decorative Blue John to be seen among their collection. There are also examples of this crystal in London at the Natural History Museum.

Blue John finished forming around 240 million years ago and is a mix of fluorite and calcium, with the addition of iron creating the yellow and manganese creating the purple and blue. Within this mine are also pockets of calcite, quartz and iron ore.

As we descended into the mine, it came to mind that this was a period of time when the Sun was separating from the opposition to Pluto and that Mercury was just entering Leo to form its opposition to the Lord of the underworld. As I write this article today, Mercury is in exact opposition, and it seems fitting for a communication about a journey into the depths of the underworld to uncover the wondrous gifts in these caves.

Fluorite is known for its reaction to UV light, which is called fluorescence, named after this crystal. Blue John is reactive to UV light, and it was when I was in Seattle last year that I got chatting with the owner of the crystal shop, who was so excited to speak to a British person about a British stone; so much so, she took a piece of Blue John out of her display cabinet, called me outside, and held the piece in her hand in the sunlight to show how brightly the stone shines in UV light.

Blue John Fluorescence - Photo by the author

Fluorite forms in cubes, and so when seen in situ, it can be easily identified when it sits among other minerals. In the Treak Cliff cavern, the Pipe Vein was my favourite place to see the depth of purple. Whereas the Ridley Vein is an example of the yellow with the striations of blue. The picture below is the Pipe Vein.

Pipe Vein Treak Cliff Caven - Photo by the author

There is a lot more to see in the caves, some wonderful stalactites and stalagmites, in Aladdin’s Cave and Fairy Land Cave, as well as fossils of all the prehistoric sea creatures that lived here over 330 million years ago, when the area was much warmer and covered in the ocean. The compressed bones in time became the limestone and deposits of calcium that became part of the calcite and fluorite pockets we see today.

Fairyland, Treak Cliff - Photo by the author

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Working with Blue John

· It is Calcium Fluoride, and a member of the Halide group of minerals, so it is the stuff that is added to toothpaste and mouthwashes to protect teeth from acidic breakdown. As a solid crystal, it is safe to lay on the skin.

· Fluorite is a good tool to use as a strengthener for skin, teeth and bones. The blue and purple contain manganese, and the yellow contains iron, and both are generally required together for healthy bone, pancreas, kidney and liver function. Hold or tape a stone near the area on the skin, or use the indirect method to make an elixir. The Halogen content makes it slightly toxic to ingest, and it is soft, so also prone to damage.

· As a cube, it can provide structure and a container for thought formation and retention, making it THE stone for studying anything you wish to retain. If you or a loved one is currently studying for exams, this is the stone to use while studying and then take into the exam to help release the knowledge onto paper.

· When looking to free your mind from rigid structures and thought patterns and create new, healthy ones, this is also the crystal to turn to. Think about how solid a structure a cube is and how it sets a foundation and balance.

· As this Fluorite comes from the Hope Valley, I cannot help but think about how a name is relevant, and I like to think that this stone gives us realistic hope. If you put in the work, keep diligent and structured, then you have the right to hope for the best!

· On an emotional level, it helps to release the tension and stress we can carry and brings healthy structure to our thoughts and habits. It clears the mind, relaxes and restores; think about the positive side of the air element, and a gentle cleansing wind blowing through to clear the mental cobwebs.

· A stone to use to remove the energies that create sick house syndrome and around machines that create electromagnetic stress.

· In Chinese medicine, this stone was known as the Worm Stone, as it was used to remove parasites. This can be psychosomatic as much as physical, so again it speaks to removing a block to healing, or protection from psychic vampires! Use for anything that would be deemed a virus or bacteria, so colds and flus. It is also a good pain relief tool. Interesting how all the small fossils in the cave around Blue John looked like worms and bugs!

Fossils - Photo by the author

If you have a chance to visit the Peak District and can take a trip to Hope Valley, a visit to the caves is well worth it.

After the tours of the mine we had a cup of peppermint tea for me and regular tea for my husband. They use water filtered through the limestone and collected at the bottom of the cave for their drinking water; the tea tasted wonderful!

Heart cloud in Hope Valley - Photo by the author

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Saffron Dennis is an astrologer, and crystal therapist, based in the East Anglia region of the UK. You can book her for an astrology reading, remote crystal healing or as a speaker at your local or online event at divinebaytree.com

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There is nothing happier than a wedding planner in early summer! And what greater wedding to celebrate than that of the Divine Feminine to the Divine Masculine energies.

As the Sun sits at the midpoint of the Taurus season, we are now in the Northern Hemisphere, enjoying longer days, flowers blooming, and time out and about in nature. There is something so joyous about this time of year when we can make plans to be with friends and family and enjoy the outdoors.

We are blessed in our garden with a couple of pairs of Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) that wake us up early with their cheery song. A group of finches are called a Charm, and why not? They are beautiful to see and hear this time of year; only a truly hard heart (or very tired soul!) would be upset to be awoken by their happy song.

Cornelius Nozeman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Native to Europe and North Africa, but now spread around the globe, these are some of the few birds we see in the UK regularly with bright colours, especially as habitat is being demolished rapidly for songbirds; sadly so here in Bedfordshire, my local county.

These tenacious little bundles of seasonal joy enjoy seeds and small invertebrates as part of their main diet and are currently assisting in my garden by wading through the many weeds to find tasty morsels.

Peter Broster, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

As well as their acrobatic call, another delightful fact about these little charmers is that the females are just as colourful as the males and can be difficult to tell apart; neither one is showier than the other in their plumage, and they are a pleasure to witness by sight and song.

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Chart courtesy of Astrotheoros

The UK Beltane chart does not have a connection between the archetypal symbols for the Divine Mother (Moon) and Father (Sun). The full Moon was on the 1^st of May and benefited from a trine to Jupiter, though when emotions are already deep and immersive, adding further sentimentality to the mix is not always welcome. Many celebrate the 1^st of May as Beltane; however, astrologically, the cross-quarter season markers are the points when the Sun reaches 15° of each fixed sign.

With the excitement of the Uranus ingress behind us now, there are still many factors this season to look out for. Here are some snapshots leading up to the Summer Solstice.

· Mars and Venus, the other symbols for Divine masculine and feminine energy, are in an applying sextile. But Venus at 13° Gemini is sandwiched in an enclosure between the two malefics until the 19^th of May, though not a square or opposition; it is still an uncomfortable energy, and Mars is strong in His own sign. Venus is looking for fun connections and collaboration, the tweeting of a charm of finches, but the reality is Her legs may be tied to the perch, and though the song is beautiful, it carries only so far; the party needs to come to Her. Communication can be fraught with untidy words and be particularly fractious, almost Mercury retrograde in its feel, as Venus’ desire to mix with others is thwarted by technical hitches and having to kowtow to other’s demands.

Carel Fabritius, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

· Mars and Saturn’s idea of the Truth is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, and this is where fanatical ideas can come to the fore. At this time, Mars also squares Jupiter, so both benefics are being caught up in Mars’ rhetoric. What is spiritual enlightenment? Who has the authority to dictate what we do and do not believe? The Sun offers enlightenment from up on high with the sextile to Jupiter, and so looking within to our core and the stability that comes from the knowledge that the One, the Universe, is the only certain, and the days and seasons will follow on as always.

· Later on in the season, leading up to the Summer Solstice, we do have the week of the Venus application to Jupiter for the second conjunction on the 9th of June, while Jupiter is exalted in Cancer. Look at the house this falls in and see if you notice just a little bit more ease and flow around the topics. The last time these two met was August 12^th, 2025. How was that week for you? A nice time to spend with family and friends, maybe even a holiday! Maybe this time around, there will be a little moment of calm before Jupiter prepares to jump into the fires of Leo in late June, but that is after the Solstice, and so for another time!

If you have a chance to put all the chatter and noise of the world events aside for a few hours, maybe getting out into your local area and identifying your local songbirds can help Venus in Gemini sing to you, what messages are currently tied down by all the work, responsibilities and frustrations you are currently dealing with? How can you connect to the inner voice that is trying to get your attention by asking you to open your heart to its own song?

If you really love your tech, then how about using a bird song identifier on your phone? Or even the mindfulness app that is taking the world by storm due to its adorable little birb helpers, Finch!

Enjoy the early summer season and see you safe and sound at the Solstice!

Saffron Dennis is an astrologer, crystal therapist, and horticulturalist based in the East Anglia region of the UK. Remote Crystal Healing appointments are now available. You can book her for a reading or as a speaker at your local or online event at divinebaytree.com

Albert Durer Lucas 1828-1918

Gerard, the famous herbalist, in his General History of Plants published in 1597, suggests some interesting uses, one of which;

A practitioner in London, who was famous for curing the frenzy, after that he had performed his cure by the due observation of physic, accustomed every year in the month of May to diet his patients after this manner: Take the leaves and flowers of Primrose, boil them a little in fountain water, and in some Rose and Betony waters, adding thereto sugar, pepper, salt, and butter, which being strained, he gave them to drink thereof first and last.

The humble primrose was once associated with the world of the fae and was colloquially referred to as Fairy Cups, probably due to its slight soporific nature, enticing us to sit for a few moments and drowse on a calm, warm spring day, the newly woken bees buzzing in desperate lookout for sustenance.

For pollinators, primrose is a helpful food source as gardens are just waking up to spring. Having this plant in your garden in the early season welcomes bees, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects to a spring breakfast.

By the time we get to the hotter part of the year, the primrose draws back, releasing its flowers to the earth, allowing the flashier summer sun lovers to take centre stage.

The Grade 2 listed park, Primrose Hill in London, is named after the plant. The primrose was once abundant in the area when it was wild space, and it remains a blessed green area for locals to rest and enjoy nature’s wonders, even though the human locals are among the highest earners in the country! However, the park is still open to the public if you would like to enjoy a picnic, a walk, or time with family and pets to relieve the pressure of modern life in the capital.

As a herald of the end of winter and the beginning of spring, Samuel Taylor Coleridge brought us this beautiful poem.

To A Primrose

The first seen in the season

Nitens et roboris expers

Turget et insolida est: et spe delectat.

—Ovid, Metam. [xv.203].

Thy smiles I note, sweet early Flower,

That peeping from thy rustic bower

The festive news to earth dost bring,

A fragrant messenger of Spring.

But, tender blossom, why so pale?

Dost hear stern Winter in the gale?

And didst thou tempt the ungentle sky

To catch one vernal glance and die?

Such the wan lustre Sickness wears

When Health’s first feeble beam appears;

So languid are the smiles that seek

To settle on the care-worn cheek,

When timorous Hope the head uprears,

Still drooping and still moist with tears,

If, through dispersing grief, be seen

Of Bliss the heavenly spark serene.

And sweeter far the early blow,

Fast following after storms of Woe,

Than (Comfort’s riper season come)

Are full-blown joys and Pleasure’s gaudy bloom.

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Happy Ostara, Aries ingress day, or Spring Equinox (or Autumn for you in the Southern Hemisphere), which is also International Astrology Day.

With world events creating real disruption, fear, and worry for people worldwide, it is essential to find any tiny moment of quiet we can. Sadly, for many, even a few seconds of silence are impossible, and for those caught up in the machinations of the super wealthy, I wish your future to be one of peace and an equilibrious state in which to live out your life.

Here in the UK, we may be dealing with some price hikes and a little disruption, but every morning, I am grateful for all I have and remind myself whenever my privilege gets too haughty to rein myself in a bit!

At the moment of the Aries ingress, on the 20^th March, 2026, at 14.46 GMT, we have Leo rising. The Sun, in its joy in the 9^th House, is also exalted in Aries. However, the host, Mars, is tucked away in Pisces in the 8th, co-present with a Mercury stationing direct, conjunct the North Node, all trining Jupiter at 15° Cancer in the 12^th house.

Chart courtesy of Astrotheoros

There will be many excellent Mundane astrologers unpacking this. Check out the Astrological Association UK, a charity that supports astrology and astrologers. Here is the YouTube channel for insights into the astrology of the world at large.

On a more personal note, what does this look like for us?

Today, as I write, it is the 17th of March. When I drew my morning two tarot cards, I received the lessons of #20 Judgement and the 2 of Cups, Love. An interesting combination of release, rebirth and renewal. It is the moment before moving into a new cycle, with a call to connection, through understanding the inner beauty of each soul we meet.

The 9^th House, as the place of Divine truth, will be illuminated by the Sun. My mind reverts back to my last few days, where the warm spring morning at sunrise has cast that magical mist that Neptune has recently brought to the Aries realm. The illuminated sky, with hues of pink and lilac from the newly risen sun, heralds a bright day to move on and take action where we see fit. As the moisture is gently burnt off by the rising warmth of the sun, the birds sing their praise of the return of light with earnest passion, driven by the need to procreate and celebrate their existence.

As the Sun makes its way through Aries this year, it will also have to deal with a connection to Saturn a few days later. The brick wall of fanaticism, scepticism and the hard no that Saturn can sometimes demand, will be challenged by the exalted Sun to open up to the wonders of nous; true spirit knowing. I wonder how many of us will decide that enlightenment comes from demanding open, honest discourse, and that the rules imposed by certain humans have nothing to do with true morality or divine law. How can we question those who stand in our way, and stand up to the oppression or demands put upon us that are unjust?

Looking at the lord of Aries, Mars in the 8^th House, how easy it is to unbind from those connections, especially those emotional entanglements. People and situations that tug at the heartstrings are the most challenging to break free of. A stationary Mercury conjunct the North Node is a big “See Here” arrow and demands our attention to situations that can be difficult to parse, especially those we have been enmeshed in for a long period of time. We may need a quiet space, some gentle music, and a big dollop of good intent to keep the discussion from veering into histrionics! After all, Mars is engaging with the trine to Jupiter in Cancer; feelings could become overwhelming, and martyrdom could become a new pattern, which would be an unwelcome guest in the astrological new year. Challenge the ungrounded emotion by speaking your truth clearly and purposefully. Passion is great when it is focused, but untethered passion can lead to connections that create even further entanglement.

The question will be how to ground all this boiling water. A chart with no air or earth is going to find stability and diplomacy demanding. I find that something as simple as weeding, a never-ending task even in a small garden, can get the body moving and allows the mind to wander off, if you let it, into less worrying places.

For some, grounding will come through a purely physical pursuit, such as running, some sets at the gym, cooking a meal, pottery, or moving meditation. Whatever you do to get connected to your body and the environment around you, try to speak to the Divine as you do it, so that any residual energy that has been cultivated in fear, worry, or frustration can be taken into the earth to be transmuted into love.

Saffron Dennis
An astrologer and crystal therapist, also trained in horticulture. Based in the East Anglia region of the UK, I am available to book a reading or as a speaker at your local or online event at divinebaytree.com

When my children were young, I was employed at a large supermarket. With years of difficult work memories to unpick, the environment at its best creates frustration, and at its worst, anxiety as soon as I step into the building.

Shoppers and staff were just going about their business, filling trollies (or carts in the US) with groceries. I went in with the attitude I often do, get in and out of there as quickly as possible. However, I encountered that one person whom I find on every visit, the Shopping Nemesis. They come in many forms, but one always finds me.

Many of you may understand this experience. A person stands, blocking all entry points with their trolley, hovering at the exact shelf you want to quickly grab a weekly staple item from. Our dear fellow shopper dithers for ages, determining if one brand of baked beans is any different to its neighbour. They pick up every version of the same item to read all the ingredients, and, me being me, will wait (patiently!) for what seems like hours, but in reality is about 30 seconds for them to make a choice and move on.

A girl doing the shopping bill (1862), by Domenico Induno (Wiki Commons)

I found this visit’s Shopping Nemesis in the frozen food section. He had a walking stick and a no-can-do attitude oozing from him. Hello, Saturn, Neptune. He could see I was waiting to get to the peas, so it took him twice as long to scan his item and move on. Of course, as we live in a polite society, and I try my best to calm the raging Mars in Aries in my chart, I thanked him for holding me up! After all, he was not in the wrong; it was my impatience that was the issue. I gave myself an internal dressing down and dashed down the next aisle, where I came face to face with him again, coming from the opposite end of the aisle, heading right to the place I was aiming for. Internally, I groaned and went off another way. A quiet few minutes ensued, and then, turning the corner, he was back, at another shelf I had hoped to quickly whip an item from. By that time, I had riled myself up to the point of extreme frustration. I am sure he could not have cared less.

To add to the joy, a couple cut me up with their trolley and did not even look at me, let alone apologise, and a staff member would not move the cage they were unloading from without me having to ask. My ire had reached volcanic levels by the time I reached the checkouts, where there were two manned tills and a queue longer than the Great Wall of China.

Begrudgingly, I took myself to the self-service till, something I have vowed I would not do after a previous episode of immense annoyance. I put the bags on the end of the till, and the famous “unrecognised item in the bagging area” shot up on the screen. The staff member in charge of the self-service section shuffled over with a surly look, swiped her card over the screen and said, “Watch and learn”, in a bored monotone. WATCH AND LEARN! I am literally screaming in my head, and I know my look advises her of the error of her words. I suggest more staff on tills may be the answer between gritted teeth!

As I am packing my items (and after about five times, where the assistant has had to come back and swipe her card), I see the majority of the people who were about ten deep in the queue walk past me merrily, including my Saturnian friend, as two extra checkouts had been opened while I was unloading my trolley. My rash move to the self-checkout, in actuality, caused a delay and just added to the frustration.

With my annoyance fizzling out after recognising that this was all a self-inflicted, raising of my cortisol levels, I decided I could at least be humble enough to thank the staff member. After all, I am sure she was not trying to upset me with her words; I was just in a state where I took them as offensive. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a Happy Days smile and wave, this was a barely audible, no eye contact, thank you, but it is a start, right?

The situation is not new to me, and I doubt that writing this article will make me immune to it happening again, after all, I had eight years of supermarket workplace trauma to work through. I do not use that word lightly. The general public as a whole can be very challenging to work with, with pockets of light amid the daily grind. I can tell many stories of customers who have been abusive and rude, as well as times when I have been less than helpful myself. Swings and roundabouts, as we say here in the UK.

Looking back at my youthful self trying to make my way in a harsh world, I give that much younger Saffron a massive hug and a thank you for keeping going, while working a generally thankless, mundane job and raising a family. Also, remembering my perception of rude customers, that they, too, were dealing with the challenges of modern life.

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Which brings me to my point, I am sure you were all wondering when I was going to get there! We will know when our behaviour, whether internal or external, is off course. Our body will react and advise us if we choose to listen. The body language of the recipient of our ire may shift and change, and if we choose to keep on in the same vein and push the limits, we will create further hurt and frustration.

Having worked in a supermarket, on the customer service desk, no less, I remember how people can be difficult and how challenging it is to maintain a smiley, happy disposition for 8 hours straight. We all have other things going on in life. I will never forget a former employer telling me after I broke down in tears at my desk to “leave my troubles at the workplace door” when I was going through a divorce and a house move. This was particularly unhelpful and cold, and I do not believe that is always possible. We are humans, and we all have many responsibilities on our shoulders.

Amid the self-shaming and blaming, we can find saving grace. I have spent many hours watching and reading Brené Brown's excellent work to help me process some of my own thoughts and actions on this topic, and I highly recommend her videos and books. Because after all, there are no saints here! I am sure you have all done or said things you are not proud of. But constantly berating ourselves for an honest mistake, a reaction to a situation when we are tired, overwhelmed, nervous or anxious, is telling our delicate heart that we are wrong and bad in some way. What we have been is human, and that is a daily task to navigate, shaped by the experiences that have led to our conscious or unconscious reactions.

Cutting ourselves some slack, thanking the rule master for the lessons, and creating time to wind down, contemplate, and find the grace within will remind us that none of us is perfect. I am sure on more than one occasion I have been another person’s Shopping Nemesis, and for that, I am going to give myself leave to be thankful that I can help someone else learn that fun lesson.

These situations are an opportunity to expand our horizons of what keeps the mesh of society and humanity ticking. It helps us to perceive views and thoughts that have been hidden from us, sometimes completely outside our known existence. As long as the error is not repeated and not malicious in intent, there should always be space for love and empathy for the situation and a chance to extend ourselves the grace to grow from the experience.

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A crystal to help work through temper, anger, and frustration is Peridot.

Peridot, sometimes sold as Olivine, can help reduce the inner dialogue that builds destructive thought patterns, which can lead to anger. Green, as the colour of the heart and the middle of our visible spectrum, shows how calming the mind helps to pull us gently back into equilibrium. If you know that a situation (such as grocery shopping) causes frustration, take the time beforehand to prepare. Wearing a Peridot ring on the index finger is particularly helpful in reducing the heat of anger.

Hildegard of Bingen stated that, “this stone will strengthen the intellect and wisdom as well as creativity”, and “Enlightenment and good knowledge will never disappear when you wear Peridot on your heart.” So, a Peridot pendant is also a good choice.

As a crystal to help combat thoughts that can lead to shame and guilt, Peridot can help to remove those patterns, allowing us to work through what leads us to take the same route over and over.

I will, however, leave the supermarket to its own devices for a few days until I have built up the fortitude to tackle that one again.

Love as always
Saffron

Then I open my Substack feed after many weeks of not even checking in, and find a friendly, synchronistic comment from a subscriber who is a joyful balm for the soul, on some of my previous work. Hence, I decided the Universe was giving me a huge punt up the proverbial in the nicest possible way, to, as my friend had mentioned, just write something!

Though it is no longer possible for us as over-50s to be “young” in these realms, we can always be students or new to a subject. Age does not dictate the amount or lack thereof of authentic curiosity.

Nicolaes Maes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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The 3rd of February 2026 is Imbolc, a time of shedding the old, and though there are connections to women having to “cleanse” themselves after birth, we are also thinking of the Maiden Goddess stepping gently forward into the world anew.

At the end of last year, I lost a dear friend, one of my oldest, in tragic circumstances. It shook me to the core, and though not a complete shock, the grief I felt for weeks after reverberated. Knowing that this soul was feeling so desperate that the only way to heal the pain was to let go of mortal life, felt for me as if an anvil had been placed on my chest while a blacksmith hammered on top of it daily. I felt more sorrow over his challenging life than the fact that he had moved on. Death and dying are difficult subjects for many people, and yet, I saw the grand water Trines that had come through at the time, activating an 8th House placement and realising that though those of us left behind are extremely sad, and haunted by his pain, he is free, and hopefully his soul is recovering peacefully.

My father-in-law had passed only a few weeks earlier, and we were still reeling from that in our home. I also had to make the difficult but kindest decision to have one of my rabbits put to sleep the week before Christmas. Add in costly repairs on both mine and my husband’s vehicles, and it was no surprise that we were not exactly jumping for joy at Yule.

I remember back in my late teens, early 20s, when my friend who passed, would come over and chat for hours, just wanting to connect, be heard. I now realise that even back then, under his faux banter was an aching melancholy, quietly eating away. I wish I had realised then what I know now. But that is where age and experience assist.

Sadness, grief, and loss are part of the human condition, and I spent much of December contemplating these feelings. I also spent much of December and January (when not working) reading fiction. And though that may seem a tad boring for some, it was a huge balm for the soul for me to find the space in my life where I could connect back to something magical or otherworldly. I have Neptune in the 1st House with the Moon in an exact superior square, so no wonder I nurture myself in magical realms.

A week ago, I woke up from a pleasant dream, not one I can remember, but I felt content before even opening my eyes. It had been a few months since I could remember not feeling an ache in the chest. I lay there, realising that though life can be a challenge, there are so many things that I personally have to be happy about.

My Husband and I are blessed with good physical health. After living over a decade in my 30’s and early 40’s, suffering a chronic illness that was painful and debilitating, good health is extremely valuable, and I appreciate it every day. My husband has some aches and pains, but they are signs of a life lived. We both have work we enjoy, having worked in places that, let’s just say, were not so accommodating, we are now lucky to have colleagues and clients with whom we enjoy engaging. I have the basics of life, food, shelter, books and a bunny, who is now the last one standing, and is spoilt with food and cuddles, and he loves it!

“This is it, this is THE feeling”, I thought, contentment washing over me, as I snoozed, in those few moments before opening my eyes, I wanted for nothing else, and it felt good. I thanked the Universe right away, as I knew that at some point during the day, I would find something to shake that feeling!

We cannot understand contentment until we have experienced discontent. We rarely change things that make us uncomfortable until our hand is forced. Although the goal should be equilibrium, it can take some hard knocks before we get there. Sometimes those hard knocks are necessary, and we have to be the ones to pound on the door. But wisdom comes from knowing when to back down, when to offer an open hand rather than a fist shake. Grace rather than enmity. The time to let go, rather than holding on tightly. Saying goodbye while your heart breaks.

Chasing the dream can be exhausting, and then if you are lucky to reach the goal, it’s not what you wanted after all. Maybe the dream was too big, or maybe it was just someone else’s dream. As I get older, I look back over the years and realise that some of the things I thought I wanted, even five years ago, no longer interest me. I am also considering activities I really want to engage in before my time is up. A bit of travel, I think. Art appreciation, reading good books, and some nice meals out with my Husband and friends. They feel doable at the moment.

When you find that sense of contentment, even if it is fleeting as a ray of Sun in Aquarius season, hold that memory and then, when in the midst of the frantic life of work, commitments and responsibilities, remember what it feels like to be truly centred. The more you practice this, the calmer you feel.

This moment for me was a clear sign that I was preparing to move forward after the deepest part of grief, and though there are days of sitting and contemplating the last few months, I know that Spring is on its way, though the rain is belting down against the window as I write.

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Some crystals that you may like to work with for grief. If you are suddenly shocked or traumatised, then Rhodonite is a great help. I have a palmstone of this crystal, and I held it to my heart the night I got the sad news, just breathing. Grief reaches into the lungs, and that shallow breath we get can create further worry and stress to the physical body. Understanding what was happening to me at the time, I grabbed this wonderful first aid crystal and held it tight to my chest.

Mangano Calcite is one of my go-to crystals for working with grief over the long term. It has soft, gentle energy, feels calming in the hands, looks lovely in pendants, and can be worked with for long periods.

Sudzie, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Jet is my favourite black crystal, though it is actually fossilised wood. You may remember photos of Queen Victoria in her later years with lots of Jet jewellery as part of her mourning dress after the death of Prince Albert. Jet is known for helping to contain grief. I have been wearing my pendant often, though at first I dropped a Jet palmstone, and it shattered. It is said that a broken crystal takes the hit, so you don’t have to. It’s also a sign that it has taken on too much, and can’t cope. I hadn’t cleaned it enough!

As curiosity and contentment seep back in, and the light is noticeably building here, I aim to find my authentic voice and bring you some more very soon. I have ideas and plans that were in the works last summer, and as Saturn is about to join Neptune in Aries on the 14th, working its way through my fifth house, hopefully I can settle down into some further insights.

Blessings to you all, may you feel the light of the Sun on your face, curiosity in your minds, and love in your hearts.

Saffron

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An excellent question came through the Q&A box from Adam at Sol Astrology, asking about the connections of Mercury to the Earth sign Virgo, not just as the domicile, but also as the exaltation lord of the sign. No other planet holds the distinction of being both exalted and in domicile, so Mercury is both in Virgo and, conversely, in detriment and fall in Pisces, it seems at first just a little quirk, the trickster quality we know and love.

Meg had already mentioned that the conjunction is not seen in traditional astrology as an aspect and speculated on the conjunction belonging to Mercury. Saturn is associated with the opposition, Jupiter with the trine, Mars with the square, and Venus with the sextile. On this, I agree; it is something I have considered for many years, especially as Mercury has its joy in the 1st house, a place that can be above or below the Ascendant degree and is rarely far from the Sun. Also, from an alchemical view, as the end product of the conjunction, Rebis, the divine two-headed hermaphrodite. I will not go into this as it is not my field, but if you are interested, I will leave you to study further.

Heinrich Nollius (Life time: before 1700), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Now, to the questions at hand, where do we get all these associations? Well, the ancients were phenomenal astronomers, mathematicians and philosophers. There were great men (yes, generally only men as far as surviving texts go) writing, discussing, cataloguing and creating detailed documents of their findings.

However, as those of you who have read the excellent book by Demetra George, Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess, will know, before the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman stories we know and love today, there were matriarchal communities that had their own beliefs and traditions.

We are told these traditions involved human sacrifice, cannibalism and torturous death. I am not sure the history is entirely accurate; it is, after all, the victors who live to tell the tale. However, I do not deny that it does seem that in some communities, this was part of their religious practices; I am just not sure how widespread these were.

Hermes is the name that the Greeks used for the winged messenger, whom we now call Mercury, as a placeholder for the closest planet to the Sun. As we can see from this step, a conquering nation takes over the land and the people, integrating the stories of the locals into their own system.

There are similarities but also differences between the Greek and Roman versions of the Deities. For example, Ares, the fierce warrior Gods name translates (depending on your sources) to bane, destroyer, ruin. A few words that express the challenging nature of this God.

Mars, though also a God of war, by the time he becomes fully integrated into a Roman, manages to learn some decorum and honour. He is the father of Romulus and Remus, therefore the Grandfather of the Roman nation. His name stems from Mãrvors and Mãrvortius, meaning moenia* to strengthen or defend a wall/hill. He has learnt the art of war, rather than just fighting for fighting’s sake.

There are many more connections for Mars that I have been researching for my talk at the Academy of Astrology conference on December 6th. I will be getting into all things Mars that day, as transiting Mars conjuncts my Ascendant, and at the time of the talk, it is also on the MC here in my hometown. I clearly couldn’t choose any other topic as this is also a trine to my natal Mars in Aries.

However, I digress! With regards to the discussion on Virgo as the exaltation and domicile of Mercury. I have been working my way slowly through the classic book by Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, over the last few months. It has been a fascinating insight into the way stories are intertwined, shift and change through interpretation, interaction and understanding.

Meg mentioned in her talk that the name Hermes came from herm, a stone pillar also called a cairn, which marks a boundary or place. Graves, in his description, states that;

**” Zeus’s rapes apparently refer to Hellenic conquests of the goddess’s ancient shrines, such as that on Mount Cyllene; his marriages, to an ancient custom of giving the title ‘Zeus’ to the sacred king of the oak cult. Hermes, his son by the rape of Maya - a title of the Earth-Goddess as Crone - was originally not a God, but a totemistic virtue of a phallic pillar, or cairn. Such pillars were the centre of an orgiastic dance in the Goddess’s honour.”

Once, Adam of SolAstrology asked the question regarding the domicile and exaltation of Mercury in the Earth sign of the descending Goddess on the verge of entering the underworld; this passage came instantly to mind.

If we consider the above statement and examine the symbolism of Virgo as the sign of the virgin —not as the modern understanding of a young girl, or a woman who abstains from sexual relations, but as the Goddess, who has chosen her partners and not had any forced upon her. As she prepares to descend into the underworld at the Autumn Equinox, we gain a deeper understanding of Hermes’s role. He stands guard over the place of her descent, marking the spot with a cairn and guides her with his lamplight into the underworld as the psychopomp.

The Earth Goddess, (Virgo,) holds the seeds of the following year's harvest within as the wheatsheaf, storing and protecting them through the winter in the belly of the Earth while in Her Crone phase until the following spring, when the warmth of Her beloved Sun God the seed of Her loins and also Her husband and King is strong enough to welcome Her back out into the overworld as the Divine Maiden again, beginning the eternal cycle.

The tarot cards that are associated with Mercury are the Magician; Here Mercury is the wily, clever, trickster who can manipulate all the elements. The Lovers is Gemini. In the Thoth (Egyptian name for Hermes) deck by Harris and Crowley, there is a brilliant depiction of the sacred children as an echo of the adult couple, illustrating the union of the divine male and female.

The Hermit is the card for Virgo. People often find this a strange connection when first coming to the Tarot. Still, now, with an understanding that the word “Hermit” itself stems from the Greek word ***eremites a person who wonders the desert alone, and that the only way to guide travelers in a desert lanscape was by building cairns, to mark the way, we can see how apt the old figure of cthonic Hermes wih his torch containing, the protected spark of spirit, to light the way is.

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The above picture is the Hermit card from the Gringonneur Tarot (Charles VI) deck. The character here has an hourglass rather than a torch in his hand. The torch is at the top of the mountain/carin, as the guiding light. That flame looks to me like a demure lady looking back over her shoulder as she enters a cave. Or am I just imagining it?!

*https://archive.org/details/anelementarylat01lewigoog/page/496/mode/2up?q=Mars

** Graves, Robert, The Greek Myths - ISBN 9780140171990, Penguin, London England.

*** https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=hermit

The Sun and, in turn, the solar system it encompasses, travel through the Milky Way, our galaxy, which, according to NASA, contains approximately another 100 billion other stars. As the speed at which we are all travelling is immense, it is our Sun’s protective shield, the heliosphere, that keeps the planets, asteroids and all other matter within its sphere together.

Picture - Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

During the conference, the esteemed astrologer Israel Ajose delivered the Carter Memorial Lecture, “Exploring the Symbolism of the Planets in Astrology,” noting that in the past, the Sun’s symbol had a tail. Israel asked us to consider what that could mean. There were a few speculations from the audience, but I instantly thought of the heliosphere; it was one of those synchronistic moments, as I had prepared it for my talk. Notably, this symbol is still used today as the alchemical symbol for the metal gold, which, as we know, is associated with the Sun.

As the Sun protects the solar system from cosmic ionising radiation, it is not just the heart of our celestial neighbourhood; its influence reaches out beyond due to the light it radiates. This light could be viewed from far-off systems and may be part of another world’s myths and legends. It is fun to think that our Sun could be a fixed star with a myriad of stories told by a far-off civilisation. Would they see it as a benevolent or malevolent symbol? Who knows.

Bringing this all back down to Earth and my original discussion on the Sun in our charts and the consultation room. As mentioned previously, it is the light we all see shining out of the newspaper, memes, and astrological content that draws us all in to the study of astrology, that twinkling light we all follow down into the rabbit hole.

Once we have been dazzled by the stories we hear of the Sun signs, our journey with astrology asks us to look deeper. We begin to study the other symbols in the chart. We can, however, easily get waylaid by a Dark Moon Lillith, or the asteroid Urania, before learning the main planetary symbols and the mechanics of the system. This is tempting; we become frustrated with a planet in our chart that we interpret as debilitated, and so we embark on a search for a symbol that indicates the opposite. I know, because I spent many months devouring everything I could on Chiron back in the 2000s!

But the Sun is always at the heart of what we do, sometimes it is easier to see it in the people we associate with, our friends and family often project out their Sun placement and depending on whether they are following their light, or someone else’s version of their light, their plotline of their life, which is how Adam Elenbaas teaches the Sun placement in class at Nightlight Astrology, we can be drawn way off track. Or are we?!

We begin to ask the chart to define meaning and purpose. Why are we here? What is our sacred mission? When will it be made clear? And as seekers, healers, teachers, and travellers, we dive into the symbolism with a Rahu-style insatiable hunger.

As consulting astrologers, it then becomes our responsibility to address and discuss these questions. See the wording here; I did not say ‘answer!’

The twists and turns are like our Sun travelling through the galaxy in its corkscrew, wobbly motion. It is not linear; there is no observable beginning and ending, just chapters in a surrealist novel. If, like me, you admire the writing of Haruki Murakami, Jeanette Winterson, Margaret Atwood or some of the Kazuo Ishiguro novels, you will understand what I mean. Sitting one moment in the Sun's gentle warmth, in a beautiful park, to being thrown into the darkness by one phone call, or a conversation with another person and vice versa.

Stories help us to gain a little understanding of the weird nature of our lives, and maybe because I enjoy this style of writing, I can sit on the periphery and go “huh?! Interesting.” rather than, “everyone is out to get me?!”. Although this has not always been the case, astrology practice has certainly helped in this regard.

When we begin to discuss a client’s life history and reflect the experiences the client had in the form of astrological symbolism, adding the myths, legends and stories that have been assigned these places, we can begin to unpick these experiences for the client and in some cases, they can take an objective view of some of the more challenging aspects of their lives, and then reintegrate the planets back into their experience, like greeting an old friend who we disagreed with in the past, but the shared history belongs to you both and no-one else.

It is not, however, our job as astrologers to fix this for our clients. It is our job to artfully describe the symbolism we see in the chart, without harming the client in any way. Of course, if you are an astrologer with a counselling or therapeutic background, that may be different; you may go deeper. Still, it is essential that we understand the boundaries of our practice and not exceed our expertise.

When describing a planet in astrological jargon, especially to a client new to astrology, we can leave them feeling like they have been given a manual to flying a plane, with an hour to read it, and then expect them to get in the cockpit and go on a solo flight.

It is easy for the astrologer to get excited when they see a connection in their client’s chart to the experiences they are describing, but it is important that we learn to offer the information in a language they can understand.

Just this week, I realised I provided too much information in a one-hour session; it was not wrong, just an overload of deliniations, and the client was a bit overwhelmed with it all. We want to provide value for money and share the insights and techniques we have observed, but that is not always necessary. A lesson for me, to observe myself, and to consider how I am always in need of self-reflection, training and growth in my practice. Luckily, this is where it is helpful for the client to have a recording of the session; they can then review everything at their own pace.

With that said, instead of continuing, I will go ahead and conclude here and continue with part three in the future.

Wishing you all well through the rest of Libra season into the Aries Full Moon.

Join us live on Instagram at the Astrological Association account for our Mars Square Pluto chat.

Photo Credit - Mandi Lockley

There is no doubt that speakers, at many events, can attest to getting to the end of their lecture and realising they missed a crucial section from the talk. Of course, that came to me as soon as I was asked a question after the event about the mention of Mother Mary on one of my slides! Oh no, that was a section I would certainly add in if I could time-travel back.

However, a very wise soul and friend, Raimundo Leong, reminded me that it now gives me a chance to break down the essence of the talk here on Substack, and so that is what I will aim to do over the next few weeks.

Initially, this was a talk on the Sun and the many myths that are associated with our star. However, as I have been working through the Spiritual Companions Trust diploma over the last year, the idea of the Sun and its representation of spirit and purpose has taken hold, so the subject has melded into a medley of stories, with a consulting undertone.

When we start our journey into the realms of astrology, for the majority of us, we are introduced to the subject via our Sun sign. How many times have you told a friend or acquaintance that you study astrology, and their first reaction, if they are not entirely opposed, is “Oh, I am an Insert Sign, what does that mean about me?” Even without much consideration, they are already seeking, even if it is just for a few seconds, and they are not even aware. Why do we get very protective of our Sun placement and feel hurt, or upset if a less than complimentary trait is attached to the sign?

Even more interesting is when they dismiss the placement because they have heard a connection that is less than complimentary, and it is that one comment that, for them, completely debunks the subject. It would be like saying I have tried Brussels Sprouts and dislike them, so all vegetables must be awful! It is even more amusing for the trained astrological eye to see the very trait they are reacting to, being clearly portrayed in their everyday life.

Anyway, that was not really part of the talk, just something that came to mind!

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Once we do decide that astrology has whisked us away on its magic carpet, some of us can go very deep, very quickly into the subject. If money is available, then maybe you can go and visit one or many astrologers to gain their perspective on your chart. Great, that helps keep astrologers in business and the world economy turning after all!

However, it is a slippery slope for some, and no shame here, as I have certainly done this myself; we can begin to naval gaze, to the point of losing our identity and projecting it onto the chart. We may tell ourselves that we cannot possibly do that thing, because we have Mercury in the 8th, not the 10th, and so there is no possible way I could speak in public… Yep, calling myself out here!

So, what happens when you do finally take on clients and this is then reflected back to you? The client is looking to you to provide their Happily Ever After, with all the stepping stones perfectly placed out in front of them with a map, compass and guide to follow, so there are no wrong steps, no mistakes, no disasters, (no fun!) no chance for anything to waylay them from the goal they (or parents/society) have set in mind for them. And you, as the astrologer, have one hour to fulfil that task. Wow, no pressure!

And again, folks, not casting shade out here, I have done this too!!

This is why it is vital that we, as astrologers, do go through this phase; we do spend time with our studies, take classes with respectable schools or teachers or self-study in earnest and really dig into our own chart. Why? Am I not contradicting myself? No, we must do this as it is only by looking at a chart and really getting to know how the transits and placements work for us that we can then see when a challenging transit comes along, how that impacts us, and only then can we have some idea of how it could work for others.

Once we have exhausted this phase, and it does happen eventually for us all, we can then begin to look at our friends, family and the broader world for examples of how differently a transit can look and have a clear understanding of why! It is then that the real magic happens as it opens our eyes to the world with a softer, more empathetic, gentler gaze, and that, my friends, is certainly something the world can do with right now!

Beech tree, St. Leonard’s Forest by Robin Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The dryad had watched in envy at first, but now, as darkness envelopes her, her senses adapt to the fast-darkening skies, and she is pleased that the older Folk who chose to stay are sleeping soundly, so she has the space to herself.

That morning, the Holly King, victorious in the Summer Solstice wrestling match, was cheering and laughing, while Oak looked almost pleased to be able to take a seat on the earth, rest and watch the joyous possession, as they danced and sang at the sight of the rising sun.

From the young dryad's view on top of the hill, she had spied a shadowy form set a little away from the crowded throng. However, from her vantage point, she had noted that both Oak and Holly had given a barely perceptible movement of their head and placed a hand on their hearts with a slight bow towards the shadowy figure.

Other than Mother Apple, who, when dancing around the crowd, bowed deeply and handed a branch of apple blossom and a basket of the tree's fruit to this cloaked figure, before swirling around to dance with a wizened gnome, no one of the other fae noticed the veiled figure.

Our young dryad at the time had been so excited to see the party, the bright colours, the dancing and the merrymaking that she did not notice the point when the figure in the dark veil had disappeared. But now, reflecting on the events of the day, she was curious to know who the figure was.

She turned to her friend, the blackbird, who was in mid song, and asked him, “Who was that, down there in the valley, and why did no one other than the Kings and Queen?” The blackbird stopped mid-trill, looking a little perturbed at the interruption and chirruped.

“So you did see them?”

The bird chirped an affirmative and then flew off into the darkness to continue its song uninterrupted.

“Sorry, I was just curious”, the dryad shouted into the darkness. Our human ears would have perceived that as a gentle rustle of leaves.

The dryad jumped down from the branches and wandered through the grove, the earth beneath her feet still warm from the immense heat of the day. She danced clumsily through the grasses and wildflowers, skipped over logs, and twirled with joy, looking up into the night sky as the stars emerged. Flopping down by her favourite stream, she dipped her long, narrow toes into the water and let the fluid move through her body, nourishing and cooling as it travelled up through her system.

Sitting there quietly, running her fingers through the stones on the verge, she sensed a slow movement through the bushes. Nothing much frightened the dryad; she was way too quick for anything to catch her unless she chose it. She stood up and faced the being moving slowly, yet gracefully, through the trees.

“Fair eve to you, young one”, the being called out gently, a slight shimmer in the air around the figure undulated, and there was a sense of agelessness in the tawny skin of the Lady approaching.

The dryad, feeling the immense shift of energy, stepped back slightly and cocked her head to one side, preparing to bolt.

“Fear not, young one, come, sit with me, it has been a long day, and I have a need to dip my feet in your little stream.” She reached out her hand, and the young dryad took it gently, leading the Lady to the water.

Paul Huet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“Sit. It would be good to talk to one with such a clear perception.” The grace in which the Lady sat was magical, dipping her delicate feet in the water, the stream took on a silvery shimmer. When in comparison, when sitting next to her, the Dryad felt that she was more like a landslide. She decided that tomorrow she would practice this grace and poise. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at the Lady beside her. They sat quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the cooling water and the gentle night breeze. Night insects began to chirp, and they could hear the competing blackbirds further down the valley.

The dryad, whose young mind was often off in her own world, suddenly realised who her companion was and said in delight. “It is you! I saw you this morning at sunrise, while the Kings were wrestling,”

“Yes, you saw me, I noted that, which is why I came to speak with you. Not many of our folk do now, especially the young ones. It is rare to be seen. The world moves forward, and though my sons and daughters are honourable, they have their parts to play in the cycles of this place; it keeps their attention on their own business. Sitting and talking to one so young is always a joy.” There was an apple, ripe and delicious looking, in her palm, where seconds before there were none. “Here, dear one, a gift from my daughter”.

The Beech dryad took the nutritious apple, crushed it with her hands, and absorbed it.

“Can I ask you something?” The beech dryad asked, gazing up at the sky that now sparkled with millions of stars.

“That depends,” The Lady smiled knowingly.

“Why can I see you, and the other fae couldn’t? There are many other trees in our grove, and they are far wiser than I, well, other than that know-it-all birch, but he just doesn’t stop talking enough to listen!” She flicked her hair in annoyance.

“Because you chose to see me.” The great Lady smiled and rose as gracefully as she had seated herself. Beech dryad jumped to her feet and felt the compulsion to bow deeply. Mother Earth touched her head gently, and at that touch, our dryad felt the timeless energy, the pulse deep within the earth and herself, but also out there in the stars and beyond; she felt the interconnection of all things.

“ You are Her, I knew it.” She cried with joy and danced around in a circle. The Lady laughed heartily. It was good to be in the presence of such love and innocence. They began to move back through the grove toward the dryad's tree.

Suddenly, the dryad stopped dancing, fell to her knees and put her head to the ground “I am so sorry, Your Highness, I should have been more respectful, my elders are always saying I should be quiet among those with age and wisdom.”

“Please”, the Lady said, holding out her hand and gently lifting up the dryad. “You can call me Grandmother, it is good to have less pomp and circumstance, and more joy and laughter in my presence, it is why I enjoy the Solstice, there is so much happiness, and my child, the world needs that joy to spread far and wide.”

“Yet I cannot go too far from this grove, Grandmother, I am tied to this space and my tree. “ They had reached the beech, which was the dryad's lifeline.

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“As you grow and your tree's tap root reaches the bedrock, your anchor will be solid and you can move further afield. Look at your hands, young one.”

The dryad looked at her hands and drew in a sharp breath. On the palm of the right hand, a silver disc, shining very slightly like the Moon, in the left, the Dark Moon shape that, though black, had a sense of luminescence that drew her within in a gentle protective way.

You will always have a light to guide you and a safe space to hide. Whatever you require will be available, and in times of great need, hold the circles together and call me. As you grow older, you will know each of those times.”

The dryad looked down again in wonder at her palms. When she looked up again to speak, the Lady had disappeared. The young dryad sighed, a little disappointed. She had felt safe and enveloped in love. She climbed into the branches of her tree and hugged its trunk before settling down to sleep. Just as she was closing her eyes, she noticed a female blackbird was perched on the branch above, watching over her. It bobbed its head, chirped once, and flew off into the night sky.

“Thank you, Grandmother, goodnight!”

On what is now celebrated as Beltane Eve (Astrological Beltane is on the 15° Taurus mark on the 5th of May this year, I will be writing a piece on Astrum Opus, look out for that!) many folk who follow the Wheel of the Year Festivals will be honouring this event today and tomorrow.

All photos by the author!

This weekend, my husband and I will honour our 13th wedding anniversary and attend a friend’s nuptials, so we are in for a lot of fun over the next few days, celebrating all that Beltane represents. Joyous in their union, the Lord and Lady usher in the Summer season.

For me, this time of year is magical for the early morning dawn chorus. This morning, immediately catching my ear, I woke to a birdsong I had not previously heard. The time was just gone five. I looked out the window over the fields, a gentle blanket of mist hovered over the land and hedges, being that time of morning when night and dawn meet for a covert few minutes. There was no noise other than this one bird song.

I quickly found my phone and started up the Bird Nerd app and recorded the song. Twice, I checked it as it brought up the Eurasian Golden Oriole. I have to be honest, I have never heard of it, so I was a bit dubious about whether the app had caught the song correctly and thought maybe it was mistaken.

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Later in the morning, I met my youngest Son for a walk around a local woodland, not a big space, but still buzzing with life. Bees, butterflies, insects and birds were blissfully going about their day in the warmth of the sun. I again began to record the birds, including wrens, Chiffchaff, and Song Thrush. A very merry Robin, Mallard Ducks and Blackbirds. And then suddenly, there it was again, that song. The phone confirmed that it was again the Golden Oriole. They are notoriously shy birds and only present here in the UK at the moment in the East of England, where I live, generally covering Europe and into Asia. Therefore, I cannot prove it was the bird that my phone picked up, but for me, it was a marvel, and it left me wondering.

The other blessing today, this time for my eyes, was the first peony I have seen open this year. These are by far my favourite flowers, which are so fleeting in their season, but so stunningly blousy and an absolute show-off, they cannot be missed when they are this vibrant red!

Tradition says that if you take the dew from the grass on May Day morning and use it to wash your face and body, you will stay youthful for another year. So, if you feel inclined, as I have done for many years, that may be a ritual to begin tomorrow.

Listening to birdsong is known for its mental health benefits, helping to reconnect us with the natural world around us through our auditory sense.

When you rise early tomorrow to wash your face in the May Day dew, listen out to the birds as they sing out their mating call. You may hear something you have never witnessed and feel the wonder of all the blessings this magical day has to offer, along with all the beauty this bountiful planet shares with us.

Beltane blessings to you!

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Crystal System – Orthorhombic
Formation – Primary, Igneous, Volcanic
Mineral Class – Island Silica
Colours – Pale transparent zesty Lime to waxy Olive green
Chemical Formulation – (Mg,Fe)2[SiO4]

Other names – Chrysolite, and often mistakenly named Topaz or Emerald

Picture - Saffron Dennis

Astrological Connections

As the birthstone for August babies, Peridot/Olivine/Chrysolite connects to both the late Leo and early Virgo energies.

Peridot is the gemstone-quality version of the crystal Olivine, and as it can be almost lime green when highly faceted to a more milky green when raw, it is a regal piece worn as jewellery. Due to its brittle nature, the gem is challenging to work with. Those gems perfectly formed under a master jeweller's hands are highly sought after, making them costly pieces fit for royalty.

Considering that Leo's energy can sometimes be described as overconfident, even overbearing, Peridot is known to aid those looking to exude healthy, well-bounded self-esteem. With Virgo following on in Zodiacal order, the energy can be pushed into Virgo to deal with the opposite issue, a lack of confidence and self-belief; the stone works well to balance the two natures. As many of us have the Sun in one sign and then Mercury and/or Venus in the sign before or after, it can be interesting to play around with the energy of the month's birthstone to see if, like Peridot, the balance can be bought into your life while working with the power of the month's birthstone to harmonise the planets in your chart.

I am a Leo Sun with the Moon and Venus in Virgo; peridot/olivine is one of my go-to stones to boost my confidence in unfamiliar surroundings. I believe it keeps the Leo Sun burning bright without overpowering it with overexuberant heat.

George Fredrick Kunz in his book The Curious Lore of Precious Stone (Kunz, 1971) states that a previous adept, Giacinto Gimma, collected information on gemstones for amulets: “Golden yellow was, of course, the symbol of the sun and of Sunday. The precious stone was chrysolite (peridot) or the yellow jacinth. The animal connected with the color was the lion, doubtless from the association of the zodiacal sign Leo with the mid summer.” As a talisman to drive off evil spirits, it was believed that the connection to the Sun was enough to shine a bright light on darkness and evil and drive it away.

Henry Cornelius Agrippa helps further. “So, the chrysolite stone, which is of a light green color, in which, when it is held against the Sun, there shines forth a golden star; and this comforts those parts that serve for breathing, and helps those that be asthmatical; and if it be bored through, and the hole filled with the mane of an ass, and bound to the left arm, it drives away idle imaginations and melancholy fears, and puts away foolishness” (Agrippa, 1898)

Hildegard of Bingen, an Abbess working in the 12^th Century CE, was a genius polymath; however, she had some “interesting” ways of offering support from gemstones and crystals. The advice given in her Liber Vitae Meritorum  (The Book of Virtues and Vices) is, however, clear and straightforward for Peridot; just wear a Peridot necklace! Hildegard believed that Peridot brought wisdom, “this stone will strengthen the intellect and wisdom as well as creativity,” and “ Enlightenment and good knowledge will never disappear when you wear Peridot on your heart.” (Strehlow, 2022) As gold is also associated with the energy of the Sun, it concludes that setting this gem in gold will enhance its properties.

More History

As Peridot is often cited as Topaz or Topazius, you will find that many old lapidaries will use this name rather than the modern Chrysolite or Peridot.

Pliny stated that the stone was found in the Red Sea, 37 ½ miles from the mainland, on an island, hidden away from the commoners and protected from unauthorised presence. The legend told of a gem so lustrous that, in the day, it could not be seen. The servants tasked with retrieving the stone for their masters were sent out at night as the gem shone in the dark. The servants marked the area and then returned to mine the stone in the day. Some sources name the island the Isle of Serpents, an apt name for a green stone!

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Physical Healing

With its combination of magnesium and iron, this stone and its chemical makeup can help us determine some of the benefits Peridot can bring.

Wear this stone to assist in rebalancing the system, and use the elixir for any detoxing regime. It is said to be so helpful that it can assist in cancer treatment alongside allopathic medicine, of course! The liver benefits from this stone as an assistant to remove waste and toxin buildup.

This stone helps nourish the skin and remove the signs we wear on the surface of burnout and overwork. Peridot can assist with helping to clear red eyes and undereye dark circles, liver spots, warts, and all of these problematic conditions.

For most folk, green is the colour on the spectrum that our eyes rest at most efficiently, as it sits right in the middle of our visionary scale. The colour helps bring everything into balance and ease the mind and spirit. Peridot is said to help with Bipolar disorder, hypochondria, nervous and anxious conditions, and anything where there is an unhealthy excess.

On a mental level, this stone is excellent for easing worry, guilt, and self-defeating patterning. It helps us break through our inner barriers to assist our healing process.

References/Bibliography

https://gem-a.com/birthstone-guide-peridot-for-those-born-in-august/ - Accessed 27^th August 2024

Hildegard of Bingen’s Spiritual Remedies (Strehlow, 2022)

The Curious Lore of Precious Stones (Kunz, 1971)

Three Books of Occult Philosophy or Magic (Agrippa, 1898)

Stone Medicine -  (Franks, 2016)

Crystal System – Trigonal
Formation – Primary, Igneous
Mineral Class – Quartz
Colours – Pale transparent lemon to deep orange
Chemical Formulation – SiO2, & Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Li, Na

Other Names – Yellow Quartz

Please note: Many crystals sold as Citrine are often irradiated, heat treated, Amythyst. and can also be synthetically grown

Astrology Connections

As a stone that instantly conjures up a sense of warmth, and the yellow colour lifts the spirits, this is often connected to the summer months, especially Leo season.

The stone is said to gift the wearer/carrier infectious joy and calm confidence without the arrogance that can sometimes be pinned to the chest of the noble lion.

With the connection to the Sacral and Solar Plexus chakras, this quartz also helps with the other gifts of the Leo traits, an innate sense of self-awareness, creative exuberance, and generosity.

As a stone that helps to generate a sense of fun, joy, and abundant spirit, it also aids the carrier in the ability to attract beneficial experiences and wealth—all things that connect to the sign of the lion and, of course, the Sun itself.

Picture credit - Saffron Dennis

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Healing Uses

The stone is slightly warming, which helps us identify some of its beneficial uses.

This is an excellent crystal for the spleen, the organ in the body that supports the immune system by cleansing the blood as it sorts the cells as they pass through.

As the yellow colour connects to the light of the Sun, this stone helps combat the effects of deep, chronic fatigue recovery from illness or surgery or long-term effects of ME. It is like waking up in the morning, with the gentle sun shining through the window on a bright spring morning.

Following on from the benefit of this stone for fatigue, it is also a great crystal to use when feelings of depression or anxiety start to take hold.

The stone connects to the Sacral and Solar Plexus chakras. Therefore if you consider those areas of the body, they are around the intestines and bowel, so this stone aids digestion and the absorption of nutrients from your food.

Other Uses

In Feng Shui, this stone is said to increase wealth, and so by placing Citrine in the southeast section of your home, room, office or business, you are encouraging abundance into your life. Remember to cleanse and programme your crystal before placing it in the area of your home. Also, abundance can mean many things to many people, but I like to use this powerful crystal to bring in enough to support my needs in a healthy, happy way.

Another variation on a theme is that you can place a piece in your purse, wallet, or bag to ensure that you always have enough to pay for your requirements.

As Citrine is an inexpensive but attractive stone, especially when faceted for jewellery, most of us can afford to add a little of this yellow/orange sunshine into our lives.

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In History

Citrine was sometimes mistaken or classified as a yellow stone, which could be bundled in with many other crystals of the same colour. Therefore, it is not explicitly acknowledged in many of the older books on crystals. Yellow Topaz is similar to this crystal, so it is worth considering that they may get confused on occasion.

The first mention of the name for yellow quartz as Citrine was by the modern father of geology, German mineralogist Georgius Agricola (Georg Bauer) in 1546, who noted that “There is another variety of iris (Quartz), and then turned towards the light, it has a colour as yellow as citron. For this reason, gem dealers call it citrina.” (Agricola, Bandy, & Bandy, 1955)

With Clear Crystal mentioned as Rock Crystal in many texts, it is worth reading those delineations and attributing those in part to the properties of Citrine, as the crystal's matrix is the same.

As crystals work on the theory of resonance and colour affects those frequencies, it is easy to see how the uplifting qualities of the stone are noted as one of its main characteristics. As orange is the colour of the Sacral chakra and yellow is the Solar Plexus chakra, as Citrine can be found as the lightest of lemon to deep orange, the stone connects to these areas of the body, assisting in a renewed creative process, releasing old patterns and create a feeling of healthy self-confidence is part of the way this crystal can help.

References/ Bibliography

1. https://www.gia.edu/citrine-quality-factors - Accessed 15th August 2024

2. Stone Medicine – Franks, Leslie. J, 2016,  ISBN 9781620555293, Healing Arts Press

3. The Crystal Bible Volume 1, - Hall, Judy, 2009  ISBN9781841813615, Gosfield Press

4. Crystal Power, Crystal Healing – Gienger, Michael, 2005 ISBN 9780713726770, Cassell Illustrated

5. De Natura Fossilium (The Textbook of Mineralogy) – Agricola, Georgius; Bandy, Mark Chase, Bandy, Jean. A (Translators) via https://archive.org/details/denaturafossiliu0000geor/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

A gem essence can be made from all crystals, but caution should be taken as not all crystals are safe to immerse in water and ingest; please check your chosen crystal is suitable. For example, Malachite and Sulphur, though wonderful healing crystals, are toxic. You can still make an essence, but only indirectly, by placing the crystal in a smaller glass bowl and then adding that to your large bowl of water, as you would a Bain-marie. Some crystals, though not toxic, are friable, meaning they disintegrate in water, which we also do not want. The indirect method can be used for these too.

Creating an essence can be done either on a sunny day or at a specific time in the Moon's cycle. It is especially good at the Taurus New Moon, as Luna is exalted.

While creating your essence, be mindful of your thoughts and try to keep them light and positive; the crystal and essence will pick up the energies you are emitting.

Before embarking on the essence creation process, it's crucial to cleanse the crystal. This step is not to be overlooked, as it ensures the purity of the final product and enhances its effectiveness. You can use several methods for this: Run the crystal in clean water—a stream is ideal, but mineral or, ideally, distilled water works, too. Alternatively, you can place it in a salt or brown rice bowl for 24 hours or sound cleanse with bells or a singing bowl.

After cleansing the crystal, the next step is to programme it with your specific intentions. This is an important part of the process, as it aligns the crystal's energy with your desired outcome and maximises its healing potential. Hold the crystal in your cupped hands and concentrate on what you would like the crystal to assist with. Make it something that resonates with each crystal's energy. For instance, with Amethyst, you could ask for a calm mind, restful sleep, help to rebalance the hormones, etc.

All the apparatus should be cleaned thoroughly before being used to remove any energetic debris.

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You Will Need

Crystal of your choice

A glass bowl (or two, one large and one small for the indirect method)

A muslin cloth or paper towel is used to cover the bowl.

Distilled water

Three single-point Clear Quartz crystals

Alcohol or glycerine to preserve.

Two glass bottles with droppers for your Mother and Stock, brown or blue, to protect the contents from light.

One spray bottle for your dosage bottle

Now, let's move on to the essence creation process. Find a quiet place where the bowl will not be disturbed and receive the sun or moonlight. If using the Sun's energy, place this in the morning for around 3- 12 hours, or overnight if capturing the Moon’s energy.

Place the distilled water in the large bowl, enough to cover your crystal, and either use the indirect method mentioned above or, if your crystal is safe, immerse it in the water.

Then, place the three Clear Crystal points around the bowl in a triangle. This keeps the energy within the bowl contained while protecting it from outside energies. Cover the bowl to stop insects and impurities from getting in.

Once the time is up, you make a Mother Bottle first. When you come to decant the essence, place the preservative (brandy, alcohol, glycerine) at two-thirds of your storage bottle and then add the essence as the last third. Label this bottle, Mother Essence, with the crystal name and the time and date. Alcohol-based glycerine will last many years, and it can last 2-3 years if you store the bottle away from heat and direct sunlight and keep the lid tight. Be careful when decanting from this bottle; any unsterilised item touching the contents will taint your Mother essence.

Once you have your Mother Essence, you can create your Stock bottle. This is another bottle with one part preservative and one part distilled water. Add 7-12 drops of your Mother essence to this bottle. Mark it as a Stock Bottle with all the details. If stored correctly, it will also keep. Use this to make all your following Dosage bottles until empty, then create more Stock from your Mother bottle.

Lastly, in your Dosage bottle, which can be completely distilled water, add 7-12 drops from the Stock Bottle. This will only last a few days, but you can add a third preservative if you want to keep it longer. This is the essence that you will use to spray around the home or above your head in a fine mist to cleanse your space. Carry it with you, and spray this around you whenever you feel that you require an energetic boost or that the energies around you are getting heavy.

You can use this essence with a dropper bottle and put seven drops under the tongue three times daily. It may seem that this tiny amount cannot combat much, but give it a go and see how you feel, I would love to hear how you get on with your new gem essence.

Lelahel (Leh-Lah-Hel)

Sixth of the Choir of the Seraphim, Archangel Metatron

Attribute- Deus Laudabilis “Laudable or Praiseworthy God”

Second Quinance of the Third Decan of Aries

Psalm 9:12 Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Zion: declare his ways among the Gentiles:

25° - 29° 59" Aries

The tarot card associated with this and the following Quinance is the 4 of Wands - Completion

Dates of governance and influence 2024
14th April - 18th April

March 25th, 5th June, 16th August, 27th October, 7th January

Time 1.40 - 2.00 am

Lelahel Assistance

Invoke this angel to learn the healing arts to help others or request healing for oneself.

This angel assists those seeking renown for their artistic gifts, talents and pursuits and can bring fame and fortune.

Ask Lelahel to assist in finding a long-lasting romantic partnership.

Gifts an aura of kindness and generosity, especially helpful in social settings.

Aids restful sleep.

Astrology

Mars is the Domicile Lord. The Sun is the Exalted Lord.

Saturn is the bound lord through this Quinance.

Venus is the Decan ruler.

25° to 27° 29” is the 12th Part of Aquarius, Domicile Lord Saturn. 27° 30” to 29° 59” is the 12th Part of Pisces Domicile Lord Jupiter.

My Thoughts

It seems fitting that in a decan ruled by Venus, we have an Angel who looks to help those seeking love and romance, fame and fortune, and all the other delights for which we look to the Goddess of Sensuality.

This is a psalm for those seeking help in times of need and who have been oppressed to find a peaceful place to settle and prosper while their enemies are smitten. Quite apt then for Venus and Mars as a combination. Peace is often won at a cost, as we often see around us.

When looking at astrological combinations, there is a good mix of planetary energies depending on the degree to which your planet, ascendant, etc., falls.

If we look at the Bound Lord and the 25°-27° 29” 12th part, Saturn is looking for the longevity of the energy; therefore, asking for a long-lasting relationship or lengthy and renowned career comes under this angel’s care.

When we get to the last 2.5° of the sign, Jupiter adds the aura of generosity and wealth.

This psalm does not offer all of this for free. There is work to do and fights to be fought. Angelic assistance comes to those who are willing to put in the work. After all, it is no good to ask for the ideal partner to cross your path if you never step outside your front door.

Tarot

Four of Wands - Completion (Covers this and the previous Quinance)

Looking at the tarot card that covers this and the following quinance, it is no surprise that Venus rules the Decan. How Venusian the scene, clearly a celebration is taking place; it is often depicted as a wedding in many decks.

Lelahel is an angel who can help bring about the stability of a long-term relationship, and that is part of the story here. The steadiness of the four wands placed in a square creates a structure. However, I often think of four walls, too, and depending on where the four wands lie in the spread, there is a finality to this scene.

Not everyone who marries does so willingly. Not all four-walled rooms are safe havens. When in need of being released from a situation, we are no longer happy; Completion, as Crowley named this card, could be the celebration at the end of a difficult situation as much as the beginning of a new chapter.

For the first time, as we witness our celebrants behind the stage here in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the suit of wands disconnects from the person. The people in the scene do not need to hold up the wands; they stand alone.

From the three wands where our person was looking out wistfully toward the future, here we have the safety of the city and the townsfolk looking over our scene; it is mediaeval suburbia if you will! But how long does that security and feeling of happiness last once you are in the day-to-day drudgery of life? Suddenly, Completion can look like imprisonment if you let it. So, a happy scene of wedded bliss or a celebration after a divorce? Well, you decide! What is certain is that nothing lasts forever, and if we feel hemmed in, we can start to feel the need to break out.

This then leads on to the frustration we see in our next set of wand cards, beginning with the five of wands at Leo Decan One!

Chemical Formula – SiO_2, + Na, Al, Fe, Ti, + (Ca, Mg, Mn)

Other Names – Pink Quartz

Astrological Associations

Planet Venus (Asteroids Adonis & Eros)

Taurus & Libra

As a crystal of love, the obvious planet connection is to Venus, making this a stone associated with Taurus and Libra. The pink colour comes from the variant differing occurrences of the mineral content of Iron, Manganese, Titanium and possibly Dumortierite, so though love is Venus’ domain, this stone can also be attributed to her consort Adonis.

For thousands of years, Rose Quartz has been a symbol of the heart and is used in healing as a crystal for bringing us back to ourselves with gentleness and grace, without self-judgment.

If you look carefully under certain light at a sphere or cabochon of Rose Quartz, you may be lucky enough to find a phenomenon that can occur in the crystal called ‘Asterism’. A beautiful bright six-sided star can appear to be hovering above the stone.

Rose Quartz is commonly found as large, solid pieces, which makes this an ideal medium for carving into ornaments and shaped crystals for healing work.

From Brazil and Madagascar in particular, it can be found in what we would consider to be Quartz formation. It is then sold as Pink Quartz. It will be this crystal that you will find as faceted for higher-end jewellery or sold as a single specimen piece, as did the Pink Madonna, which sold at auction in 2013 for $550 000!

However, as with all crystals, you do not need a highly polished and worked stone to aid you in healing. Rose Quartz in its raw state works just as well as a faceted piece. I love the raw pieces as they feel gently warm on your skin. If you are in the USA, there are many places to find the crystal, especially in South Dakota, where Rose Quartz is the state mineral.

Crystals such as Clear Quartz, Amythyst and Rose Quartz, are found in every holistic shop and worn by millions. Crystals most commonly found, in my mind, indicate a desire for the energy to work with us humans. Clear Quartz and Amythyst are often used as a panacea, Rose Quartz is always our first go-to for love.

Traditional Healing Uses

Many years ago, I gave a crystal healing session with a lady who had adult children. I felt drawn as often occurs with heart chakra work, to use Rose Quartz.

Once the session had finished and I was talking through the aftercare with the client, she opened up about a very early-stage miscarriage that had occurred between her two now-adult children; she had never discussed it with anyone.

She was not visibly upset, indeed she said she was perfectly relaxed after the session, but what she was able to do was acknowledge that she had never allowed herself to grieve the loss or even share it with anyone. The crystal had gently opened a pathway for her to acknowledge a part of her life that needed to be addressed and to hold space for the lost child.

At the end of the session, I gave her the piece of Rose Quartz.

This stone is so good at healing a broken, grieving heart, even if we do not know that we need it. The softening of hard edges around our feelings is a big part of the gift of this strong but gentle crystal friend. Rose Quartz can easily take the strain of the immense emotions, while we process the information.

When we require self-acceptance and self-love, especially in times when the all too regular self-recriminating voices come to mind, call upon the warm, loving energy of Rose Quartz to open your heart to love, removing stubborn blocks and negative patterns.

When looking at the healing attributes of a crystal, consider its mineral composition, shape and colour. As Rose Quartz contains Iron, this instantly brings you to the benefits the stone can give to warm the blood, by helping the circulation. Use for aiding blood that has stagnated and needs to be safely broken down and moved along, such as in painful menstruation clotting.

If you are looking to improve your relationship, it is said in Feng Shui that a piece of Rose Quartz in the back right corner of the doorway is where this crystal should be placed. Remember to cleanse it regularly.

Further Interest

A beautiful book of poems titled Rose Quartz by Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe

http://sasha-lapointe.com/

References

The Crystal Bible Vol 1 - Hall, Judy - Godsfield Press 2009, ISBN - 978-1-84181-361-5

Crystal Healing, The Practitioners Guide - Raven, Hazel -Raven & Co Publishing 2000, ISBN 0 9538890 0 9

https://www.gia.edu/rose-quartz-description Accessed 27th April 2024