stonetotem: How to Know if it's Right For You, Part 2

For part 1, click on this link: stonetotem: How to Know if it's Right For You, Part 1

Whew, it's been a while! So, how do we really know? For each person, it will be different. The most important aspect, though, is that it will not be a rational decision - we don't want to come from a mental process when we choose stones. First of all, stones have different qualities and energies just like people do. There are wonderful works on the properties of stones, and I've read and cherished many of them, but I have found that just like all Italians don't have dark hair (my grandfather was blonde, and a friend in high school was a red-head), all rose quartz are not going to help you out with your self-love issues. Probably most of them will to some degree or another... but it's not written in stone (pardon the pun). If this is your issue, when you look at the stone (or if you're lucky enough to be able to hold the stone), do you feel it in your heart? Do you feel a reaction to it in any part of your body? Try to become aware of this - you may be one of those people who have a "gut reaction" to something: your gut may be telling you yes or no to this stone. Does the stone make you feel dizzy? It may be too much for you at this point in time. Bigger/stronger/more powerful energy is not necessarily better! The body knows!

Another way to choose a stone is to notice which colors you are attracted to - colors in nature, colors of clothing, colors in artwork, etc. I always feel that when I'm pulled to a particular color, that's the color that I need in that moment and I try to bring it into myself. Stones are a great way to focus this kind of work because you can carry them around in your pockets and you can also wear them. But just as bigger is not necessarily better, more is not necessarily better. My dad has a favorite saying, "Too good is no good" - meaning that you can blow it by trying too hard or by going for too much at one time. He's a Virgo, so he must know this from experience.

Another point that I'd like to make about choosing a stone is that healing is not always as straightforward and simple as it my seem. I learned this many years ago at my very first visit to a health kinesiologist, whom I consulted because it was taking longer than I wanted to get pregnant. What did she work on? My ear. My ear? Why? Because it was the first level of healing that my body needed before it could get to the deeper issues. At this visit I also found out that though I had been eating Brazil nuts because of some medicinal property, I needed to stop eating them because they were actually bad for me - another case of something supposed to be doing one thing, and in reality doing something else. So, even though we think we need rose quartz because we are filled with self-loathing, we may first need some red coral for vitality and for grounding, we may need some amber to focus our will and help us move or act, some pearl or moonstone to feel more connected to our feminine nature. Do you feel attracted to a stone, even though you don't think that it has anything that you need? More than likely, it does have something that you need! This is why I feel that it's so important to listen to whatever intuitive ways you have of knowing. The more you trust and follow your intuition, the more "accurate" and trustworthy it will be.