Summer always feels like the perfect season to explore art, expression, and creativity. Whether you’re on break from school (or entertaining young ones who are), or just looking for an opportunity to bring more joy into your life, finding a way to unlock your creative potential helps take advantage of the fiery nature of the season. The creative tide of summer has even reached me in new ways, as I recently joined a local ensemble to play the French horn for the first time in many years. Music and art have always been part of my life in different ways, though for several years now they have taken a back seat to my main creative outlet: writing. Over the past several months, my inner muse has been calling out for a new venture, which has taken the form of returning to the French horn with gusto.
As I get reacquainted with the world of music, I’m finding that certain crystals have become important allies for unleashing–and harnessing–the creative impulse in a new and exciting way. I can credit Preseli bluestone for planting a seed for getting back into music, as it is a sacred stone with connections to the bardic mysteries. Researchers noted that natural outcrops of bluestone in Wales, as well as many of the bluestones standing at Stonehenge, are natural lithophones; they are rocks that sing or ring when struck! It’s no wonder that my deep dive into this ancient gem presaged my urge to make music again.
The four stones pictued above are equally important for unlocking your inner muse; moving clockwise from the left, they are chrysocolla, fluorite, jade, and celestite.
Chrysocolla is a complex silicate of copper. It’s a relatively soft mineral and contains a fair amount of water in its makeup. This combination of factors about its composition points to its heart-centered and expressive energy. Thanks to its associations with the planet Venus (and the eponymous goddess), copper has long been connected to beauty, aesthetics, and art. Copper minerals, like malachite and azurite, are used to make vibrant pigments, and pure copper is used to make musical instruments. Work with chrysocolla to open the door to self-expression no matter what medium you use.
Fluorite is a popular member of the halide group, a calcium fluoride mineral. It demonstrates its cubic crystal system through the orderly cubes, octahedra, and other forms it takes. Its inner geometry reflects the way its energy helps us create order out of chaos. Thus, fluorite helps you organize your inspiration and ideas and take action to help them materialize. It is also freelancer’s best friend (whether or not you freelance in the arts), as fluorite can help you manage deadlines and stay disciplined to see your projects through to completion.
Jade has long been connected to the arts. Both nephrite and jadeite (the two gems known as jade) are metamorphic rocks that have undergone deep transformation, becoming more and more refined as tectonic plates compress and fold their parent rocks into something new. Fine jade takes a brilliant polish and demonstrates an inner, luminous quality when carved; it is also sometimes used to make lithophone instruments, bells or chimes made from stone. This gentle gem not only sparks inspiration, but it helps you refine and distill your vision to its most polished, expressive form.
Celestite is composed of strontium sulfate, and it’s usually found in gemmy, transparent crystals the color of the sky on a clear day. This gemstone is celebrated for its angelic nature and celestial energy. It softens and expands the mind, making it more receptive to higher sources of inspiration. It also contains an inner fire, as evidenced by its use in making fireworks, for it provides a bright red flash to pyrotechnic displays. When you feel stuck or worry that you aren’t good enough to pursue art or other creative outlets, turn to this heavenly blue stone to be filled with divine inspiration as it ignites your drive to pursue this magic of making something creative.
In addition to making music, I’m busy writing, planning classes, and working on other creative pursuits that I can’t wait to share with you soon. If you’d like to support my creative endeavors, you can buy a signed book, sign up for one of my upcoming events, or join my Patreon.
