Leap of Love

By reaching out and saying what we need, we are able to activate the universe to deliver. So often, I am bothered by something, or feel despondent, alone or in pain, and my salvation comes when I talk it out. It's like taking out the trash. After I've done it, really emptied all the worries, fears and issues honestly, I feel relief, and I can go on. I am lucky. I have two sisters, a mother and friends whom I employ regularly as my heart's trash collectors. They are supportive, non judgemental and loving, no matter what. I am also skilled at reciprocating the favor, to anyone who needs me. I know how powerful it can be to unload the negativity and resentment, the fear and the worry from your heart. The truth is, that even if your outlet is a journal or a pet, a trustworthy stranger or your guardian angel, you are not alone and these burdens need not be yours to bear. Let the universe help with your load and trust that you are heard, seen and loved. And just remember that we are all made from the same stardust and even in our solitude, we will always be connected, supported, nurtured and loved.

This belly chain is called Leap of Love and it is made of pink chalcedony, rhodonite, rhodochosite, rose quartz, pearl and ruby. It offers love, strength, healing, vitality, energy and compassion among other things.

Good Vibration

I hear and read every day that the vibration on the planet is changing. The shift will take us all to a higher vibration. One of Love. I had the pleasure of experiencing the feeling of this shift one evening recently when I attennded a gathering with Julie Anne Blackmore, www.howtobeyou.com. The guidence she gave was that when you can let go, emotionally, of ALL attatchments, to people, things, outcomes, history, opinions, reactions, and just BE (you), you reach this state. You (I, actually) give because you want to, you are kind and loving because it makes YOU happy, you are compassionate without taking on other people's pain and suffering, you CHOOSE not to take on other peoples anger, aggression, malice and fear. You CHOOSE to exist in love every second of every day. So, I tried this, letting go of all attatchments, of fear of losing, of fear of not having enough, of not HAVING my children , my husband, my family, friends, my car, my beads, my cats, all the things I love. I let go of all the past and all the future- wiping my mental slate clean. I was O.K. with the thought of LOSING, because.....well, because, I just was. Then it happened. My body started vibrating. First it was like a shiver, but it kept on escalating. It traveled from my scalp to my toes, vibrating, on and on. It was the most amazing feeling. I asked Julie Anne, "is THIS what it means? The vibrational change on the planet?" Of course, she said yes, the vibration on the planet is changing, one person at a time. When we can let go of our fear, our anger, our attatchments to outcomes and things, ideas and people, and exist in love and compassion, for the sake of our own selfish desire to feel these things, our own vibration changes and it can be felt. All over the planet.

The vibrational buzz lasted all that night and a few more times the next day, but for me, this shift is a process, an evolution. I still slip back into fear of not having enough, of conservation. This belly chain represents my evolution. I started making it, using the stones I was drawn to. It has a lot of precious (and expensive) gems like emerald, peridot, chrysoprase, opal, and malechite. I shut down that voice inside of me that was afraid of not having enough emeralds for later and I used all that I wanted. As I was working, I started feeling happy, jovial really. The chain came together and was not calculated or planned, it was just born. At completion, in my hand, I held a piece that could be called nothing but JOVIAL HEART, because that is the way it made me feel. My heart was happy. So in letting go, I got the greatest gift. And in these words, and actions, I will try to live because the feeling of love and happiness are so amazing. I hope you feel it soon and often too.

Courageous Endevor

I have been letting my inspiration run, unleashed. Making what I want, what I feel, and not conforming to any rules. The center stone of this piece is Botswana agate. It reminds me of Saturn's rings. It makes me feel far off and mysterious. Like anything could happen. The black stones are obsidian and they have some reflective mica sparkle that makes me wonder about what was happening to that lava as it pooled and crystalized. Mysterious, unchained, uncharted energy. I added aquamarine, smoky quartz and crystal quartz to the mystery. Grounding, protective and healing. This piece is called Courageous Endevor. It represents taking the risky route and letting my intuition guide me on my path. I hope you can follow a similar path and make your own courageous maneuver. You know, the kind of thing that puts a half-smile on your face.

Inner Sun

Sparks of light ignite to life my cells.
A fire within burns and warms each centimeter of the space in which I exist.
My soul dances
Alight and aloft in celebration of its journey. Of its being.
My will to live is infectious.

Written February 2005 by Shelley

This Belly chain is called INNER SUN. The poem explains what it does.

True Love

Today is Mother's Day. I am both a daughter and a mother and what I can tell you is that motherhood represents the first true love. As a child I remember feeling such a deep feeling of love for my mother, the thought of losing her made me ache and cry with pain. As I grew, this desparate fear subsided and I was able to appreciate the entertainment value of our relationship. Anyone who knows my mother will agree that she is an incredible woman. Funny, smart, creative, generous and loving. I think I love the fact that she has always been a fun and amusing companion most. We have amazing discussions, laughing often. My mother writes poetry. It flows through her. She can't help herself. She practically speaks in prose. She never ceases to amuse me. A couple of years ago she fell backwards from a standing position down a short flight of concrete stairs. She spent her 57th birthday in the ICU and could have easily died from the intracranial bleeding and swelling. Not only did she pull through, she wrote the most amazing poem about the experience. Anyone who can take this situation, write about it, and in the telling, make you laugh and smile is someone extraordinary. Yeah. My mom really is amazing. And I know it. I don't take our relationship for granted. She was my first, truest and deepest love. Happy Mother's Day.

Manifest Your Destiny

About six months ago, my five year old daughter, Kieran, informed me that she wished for a kitten. She pleaded and begged. She made promises. She showed a willingness to learn. Because I too wanted her to have the experience of growing up with a cat, I told her that for her sixth birthday she could have a kitten. I asked her to tell me about her kitten. What was it like? She said her kitten was an orange, female tabby named "Clarissa". My daughter is very creative. She drew this picture for me, so that I would know what her kitten looked like. She found a blank paged bound journal and filled every page with pictures of her and Clarissa and their adventures together. She had us write the words that she dictated. She called the book, LUCKY DAY and it is a great piece of work. In LUCKY DAY, Clarissa sleeps on Kieran's bed. She sometimes dresses up as an angel or a clown. She is playful and mischevious. She is sweet and affectionate. The perfect feline companion.
Yesterday Kieran turned six. As she slept, curled up next to her was her manifestation, Clarissa, just as she described her. Orange tabby, playful and sweet, quiet and confident. I've never had such a kitten. My mom was detirmined to be the one to find Kieran's kitten. After looking on line and putting the word out to friends, last week she was hooked up with a friend in L.A. who's neighbor had discovered a mother cat with a litter of kittens under her house. There was an orange, female tabby in the litter. I was concerned because feral kittens are hard to socialize sometimes, can de infested with deadly parasites and can easily die due to their challenged start. After three days under the bed, a successful trip to the vet and a lot of flea combing, Clarissa seems to be everything Kieran asked for. She is truly a manifested destiny.

I'm Not Perfect

I haven't cried this much in six months, since the last time I stretched out of my comfort zone, ready to grow. Yesterday, self doubt made me vulnerable. What I do with gemstones is risky. I make a promise. I take a leap. It's hard to prove. I imply that I have power, that we all do. I go out on a limb. Sometimes I question myself. Can I REALLY do this? Am I qualified? Can people really trust me? The loudest voice inside of me says YES!!!! That voice says, " you are a spiritual being on a human journey. You are not meant to be perfect all the time. Sometimes you will be wrong, you will make mistakes, you will say, "I'm sorry". But what you are doing, is from your heart. It is not forced, it flows. You come from love and you feel love when you work. You infuse your love into every piece you make. There is nothing but good in this." So, intuitively, I know that I am capable, trustworthy and engaging in my life's work. So, what made me cry so hard yesterday is that someone I respect, who has been working with stones longer than I have, held up a mirror to me and questioned my process and my use of gemstones for therapeutic purposes. The small amount of self doubt in me, that will probably always lurk in every healthy practitioner, showed itself and hit a nerve, causing a flood of tears. If I were counseling someone in the exact situation, I would tell them, "Keep going. It's O.K. to risk making mistakes, this is how you learn things. Keep trusting your gut, your intuition. When people question your abilities, thank them and listen. Good leaders are not gods. Those who never admit their mistakes or their shortcomings are not true leaders or practitioners (remeber Hitler, and countless others who became dangerous and deadly in their arrogant ignorance)." And because I can be gentle and nurturing with others, I am also gentle and nurturing to myself and I will take this good advice. This, and I have received feedback from too many people that my work is valuable and helpful that I can not ignore.

This belly chain was created for my sister, Stephanie, who has always been psychic but sometimes questions her messages and her abilities. This piece was created to strengthen her gifts, and protect her while she works. Steph, take my advice that I gave to myself. It is good advice.

Help Yourself

One of the secrets to the joyous life I have discovered for myself is passing it on. You want joy, pass it on. You want love, pass it on. You want recognition, pass it on. Give it away to get it. Pass it on to make it flow. More than half of the jewelry I make is given away. Sometimes I create un unexpected surprize and just send something off. The joy I get from reaching out and shaking up someone's day is so enlivening for me. I get a spark of desire to do something for someone else and it instantly fires me up with creative energy, drive, inspiration and happiness. This works in relationships too. You want an apology- say you're sorry. You want a hug- give one. You want aknowledgement- give it. You want to have a meaningful friendship- be a true friend. You want generosity- give give give. The secret is to risk by being the first one to act. Try it. It may inspire those you encounter to be less selfish, less superficial, less angry, less self-centered, less rude, more friendly, more open, more fun, more generous, more loving, more apologetic, more attentive and of course, more happy. This piece is fire agate, green tourmaline, moss agate, tiger's eye, hessonite garnet. It is a piece to be worn close to the heart for the treatment of depression. Who should I send it to?