Saturday April 28, 2012
Ashley Leavy
Our guest tonight was crystal healer Ashley Leavy, wonderfully verbose (our favourite type of guest), she began by explaining that from her childhood her grandfather actually got her into stones and crystals, as well as botony and all things natural. She collected stones and studying as much on geology and such, progressing to the history of such items' attibutes and uses throughout various cultures. Her mother also encouraged her and her brother's to explore and choose their own spiritual path/s.
In 2007 she began acquiring certifications, such as Melody Love is in the Earth Levels I and II with its founder Akeeya.
From my question, Ashley clarified that at first it her study was more scientifically geology and minerology, which evolved into her researching the energy aspects. A self-declared skeptic, she has come to realize the healing and energy aspects of such crystals. We all but joked at how science concedes on many points on which there really is no concrete "proof" per se.
We discussed how individual crystals contain various different energy and vibrational levels; such as that the energy level/s of amethyst being very different from rose quartz, due to their locality, crystaline latice structure, trace elements, colour, plus the shape has an effect; even an amethyst from Uraguay would be different than one from Brazil. I posited that perhaps the distinctions could be from the locations' different Ley-lines, which she felt was a very good point, that the geography could be a big part of the impact on a crystal's energy.
Ashley stressed the importance self-experience being the best way to learn which crystals work best for one; what a book on crystals may report may not be what's right for a specific individual, but most would be very intuitive and experiential.
CC pointed out she tends to choose her crystals more Touchy-Feely, asking if that is Ashley's approach. Ashley generally does the same, being very kinesthetic, and indicated how people can choose a stone based on sight, touch, even from an emotional level. CC wondered if one can Outgrow a stone, which Ashley concurred, addressing that issue in one of her YouTube videos, regarding what to do when a stone's energy is not as compatible as previously, that one can give it to a friend who could use it or that one can return the crystal to the earth as gratitude and thanks, which also helps create more of a bond with the earth.
Although it was uncharacteristically quiet in the filled chat room, CC reported Kat had submitted a question, wanting to know the difference/s between using crystals and Reiki symbols for healing. Not a Reiki Master herself, but having had Reiki sessions, so from a client's standpoint, Ashley felt that crystals take in Universal Life Force energy, and light energy, and also the energy of human thought and intention, using the crystals as an amplifier, while Reiki energy is being focused through a person as a clear conduit for the energy. Both take the Universal energy and manipulate them in different ways to be absorbed by the body for healing.
I pointed out that witch and pagan friends both back east and out on the west coast use crystals as offerings to Deities as well as healing and other magickal aspects. Ashley concurred that spoke of how all early cultures used crystals for varies aspects and uses, such as Navaratnas that one can enhance with positive attributes, balance and such, as well as in Tibetan Buddhism, Norse traditions, early Christianity, the ancient Egyptians, and Native American tribes in north and south America.
Half-joking, Henry wondered as to when using an amethyst for headache healing, whether one actually holds it to one's head. Amused, Ashley clarified that indeed, such placement is accurate, generally at the point at which pain is felt. With a terminated stone (faceted, as opposed to a tumbled stone which is smooth and round), one points the Point of the crystal away, to send the pain elsewhere, while when endevouring to attract something, face the point towards oneself, such as citrine for prosperity, also knows as a Merchant's Stone, to bring such positive energy into one's body. I added how gamblers do bring citrine to casinos, but also pointed out, to everyone's amusement, that a badger claw are also considered good luck for gambling, though strangely online (to link from here), I was able to find more on badgers' tooth being the luck talisman over a claw.
Ashley explained in detail many of the powerful distinctions between rough/raw stones over tumbled stones.
I pointed out that a pagan friend back east had had a literal phobia of malachite, feeling it drained her energy. Ashley has over two hundred books on crystals, and a self-confessed sponge on the information on crystals, and the consensus was that malachite was not for beginners, being so powerful and strong. Ashley disagrees with that; that it's about Comfort Level and personal experience; chances are a negative experience will put one off from specific stones. We agreed that possibly malachite could simply have overwhelmed her as being a first-time or early user.
With my having to scoot at the halfway mark, Henry had me outro to the first break, at which, much to Henry's high amusement, I sort of crashed and burned a bit, but managed to get us out to the musical interlude.
Coming back (forgetting to unmute my mic for a moment), Henry and all wished me a Happy Birthday, the following day being the traditionally celebrated day of my birth.
Ashley defined for Henry that a crystal being a mineral with a regularly repeating atomic blueprint; all those molecules are stacked in a specific order, and repeating that pattern, so while all crystals are minerals, not all minerals are crystals, while amorphous minerals such as obsidian and opal have no repeating patterns at all. Meanwhile, stones are any type of crystal or mineral as long as they lack any metalic content.
With gemstone one can have precious and semi-precious gemstones. The precious gemstones limited to diamonds, sapphires. rubies and emeralds; semi-precious gemstones are ornamental stones, such as birthstones such as topaz, peridot iolite.
As Henry's positing, Ashley felt all rocks have some level of energy, she pointed out there being a YouTube video (though not quite enough information for me to be able to find it yet myself), about someone trying to disprove crystal healing, replacing a crystal on a person with a Werther butterscotch candies, but that as one needs Intent, that such "debunking" really doesn't uphold its conclusion.
CC asked about auras and hematite, which Ashley concurred, while some healers avoid using such items as amber or jet due to their organic components.
CC also indicated having pendulums, some of which contain stones. Ashley explained how such can be used for focus.
Henry wondered how one Determines what properties of what different stones and crystals heal and in what manner. Ashley conveyed that there's a wealth of knowledge from countless ancient writings and texts, though mostly it's via an author's personal experience/s.
Bloodstones (as well as carnelian), for dreaming, dream recall and astral projection was discussed before I had to leave the show at the halfway point to scoot down to USC for a screening of How To Change The World a student film on which I'd worked thirteen months earlier. As Henry asked if I had any questions before I left, I did point out I'd sent her a Friend Request on Facebook, and that I'd add that link along with her Crystal Healing aspect on Facebook as well.
Meanwhile in my absence, back on the show...
Henry asked after the use of such healing with chakras, which as Ashley clarified what the chakras are and how they function, etc., Skype dropped her and after a few moments bring her back. She continued onto the use of various gemstones used in Vedic astrology, and recommended the albeit out of print books Gem Elixers volumes 1 and 2, by Haresh Johari, the science into which he gets quite well and why the different stones are used. Ashley relayed also using the nine stone Navaratna for Vedic astrology, and that a link from her website one can get a free Ayurvedic gem analysis, via astrogems.com based on your time and place of birth. CC followed up this regarding birthstones, which Ashley clarified the distinctions between birthstones and zodiac stones.
Answering CC's question about the best place to wear a stone (as she prefers as a necklace), Ashley indicated if it feels right one can wear a stone all the time, though some stones such as moldavite might be a bit too powerful to wear all the time. Any stone (not toxic or radioactive), pretty is much fair game; to stay more grounded, one might consider hematite or black tourmaline as an anklet, to work on self-protection, one could wear citrine or amber with a cord long enough to reach the solar plexus; for greater compassion or empathy, one could use rose quartz over the heart chakra.
CC took the show into the final break, after which Henry asked whether having a box of crystals need/ed to be worn or recharged or such. Ashley replied intention is what's more important as well as their being cleansed, such as running under a tap, or a fresh water pond or stream, but caution is to be used as some crystals such as selanite kyanite or angelite can melt or deterioate with water. Sunlight can be a good method, but some such as amethist could be damaged by fading; clear quartz spheres can focus solar rays and start a fire, so understandably, know which item and method you plan to use. Moonlight is safest, either outside or on an inside windowsill for direct or indirect moonlight.
While there aren't exactly stones that Don't Work Well with each other, Ashley cautioned that wearing too many stones at once could "send mixed messages," so should be avoided when possible. CC reported opening her gem bag before the show, she noticed a tourmaline pendant that seems to have lost its green hue. Ashley suspected that some such may be due even by one's natural body oils from handling them. CC confirmed she'd had that happen to a sodalite ring.
After reporting tonight our having listeners from the UK, Australia, the US, Switzerland, and two in the mysterious "Other," Henry asked as to how one decides what stone to get for what ailment one might have. Ashley figured one can research by books or online, while others take a more intuitive approach, at a store and see which one they feel will work for them.
Asked what is the rarest crystal, Ashley has heard one called painite which is considered to be the rarest crystal, but she's unsure as to its validity. To do online research for scientifc information and locales, Ashley recommended mindat.org and webmineral.com, but she's sure that the painite comes from Brazil.
Henry had read soemwhere that Russia had uncovered some rare stones and crystal, and just now being released. Ashley though he might mean shungite (but he didn't know precisely what had been found), a carbon based mineral about which she discussed as being protective against electro magnetic frequencies and chronic fatigue syndrome.
As to the most expensive crystal, Ashley knew it mostly had to do with size and/or rarity, that certainly diamonds would be most expensive. Being rarer than diamonds, emeralds are quite expensive; tanzanite fluxuates in price due to its occasional popularity rising and waning.
CC had Ashley discuss the interesting lumurian crystal and to its popularity, and its connection to ancient Lumeria and/or Atlantis and/or Mu. Ashley had been a video with fellow healer Hibiscus Moon going to Sedona, during which it was proposed that Atlantis and Mu might not be ancient and legendary, but most likely co-existing in a parallel dimension to us, a theory that resonated with Ashley. CC and Ashley also discussed how crystals became modes for storing information and data.
Ashley answered Henry's inquiring regarding other uses for crystals apart from healing including (but not limited to), dream and astral work, dowsing, scrying and divination, computer data storage, feng shui, enhancing prosperity, crystal grids (amplifying sacred geometry to get a desired result; manifestation, sending healing energy, protection, etc.), pendulums, etc.
CC was checking Ashley's website and asked about Aura Crystals (about which Ashley has also spoken on one of her Youtube videos). Whilst Skype freaked out and dropped her again for a few moments, Ashley pointed out how Aura Crystals being "man-enhanced" are still good for healing, while others feel the coating place upon it contains its energy, so she ran for herself an experiment to see if such were still viable.
As the show was winding down, Ashley gave out her crystalhealer1@gmail.com email, her website URL; she referred to her her YouTube channel, and her plugged her Madison Wisconsin Mimosa Books & Gifts New Age shop information, and that one can contact her regarding her online correspondence course/s, as well as live teleconference courses.
Henry gave out some of our show information such as the website, implying via my bio there one can find my site's aspect of the show, though he didn't quite mention the show's Facebook presence (mostly as I tend to do that).
Henry added that the next week's show guest would be Mark Phillips, producer of My Ghost Story on the Biography channel, who will be looking for people with ghost stories to be on his show.