Crystal of the Week, Labradorite

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @thewandcarver

So, I have chosen the lovely and magickal Labradorite for this blog. Hard to imagine I have not done this one yet!

My Labradorite ~ photo by i.macy

Labradorite is one of my favourites and not just because it is one of the most beautiful crystals in the world with its kaleidoscope of various colours.  They are not only full of hues of blues and greens, purples and yellows but can sometimes be orange, yellow, brown, and reddish. There are some which have a decidedly black look to them in places as well which are Black Labradorite, a dark gemstone famous for its grey base, black specks & high luminescence. It is a crystalline variety of plagioclase feldspars which is mainly formed from a combination of sodium feldspar (albite) and potassium feldspar (microcline or orthoclase) at low to medium crystallisation temperature.  It is also called Larkivite by some, however, there are differences.

Labradorite got its name because the first place it was discovered was in Labrador, Newfoundland, Canada.  It can also be found in many places, including in Finland, Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Italy, Madagascar, Mexico, and the US.  The Finnish variety is called Spectrolite and is slightly different as it exhibits the full range of colours. Shall we get on to the magick now?

Magickal

Firstly, Labradorite protects ones’ aura. This means it creates a force field throughout the aura, protecting and strengthening the energies within and preventing others from ‘tapping in’ to your personal energy and draining you.  Can you guess whom this would most benefit? Any Empath would benefit highly.  But just as much it can protect the non-empath from the psychic vampires out there just waiting to get in and suck your happiness dry.

If you are practising your psychic knowing, psychometry, clairaudience, clairvoyance, or clairsentience skills, Labradorite is one of the best crystals to have with you.  It can help you to develop your gifts as you make better connections with Spirit.  Labradorite is a Stone of Magic, a crystal of shamans, diviners, healers, and all who travel and embrace the universe seeking knowledge and guidance. For self-discovery, it is excellent for awakening one’s own awareness of inner spirit, intuition, and psychic abilities.

Wearing or carrying Labradorite allows one’s innate magical powers to surface. It enhances the mental and intuitive abilities of clairvoyance, telepathy, prophecy, and coincidence control, and assists in communication with higher guides and spirits in accessing Akashic records, psychic readings, and past-life recall. It provides an ease in moving between the worlds and permits a safe and grounded return to the present.

Labradorite tempers the negative side of our personality, the traits and actions that rob our energy and may produce depression or shame. It assists in reducing anti-social, reckless, or impulsive behaviour in children, teenagers and adults who are easily led into trouble by others, and may aid in detoxifying the effects of tobacco, alcohol, and to a lesser degree, hard drugs.

Healing

Labradorite is beneficial to the lungs, and may assist with respiratory problems, bronchitis, and colds. It assists in digestion, regulation, and metabolism.  It has been used in treatment for the eyes and brain disorders, to stimulate mental acuity, and to reduce stress and anxiety. It may also be soothing during menstruation, for PMT symptoms, and for pain relief.

When used for physical healing purposes, one should hold or carry as a touchstone, or wear as jewellery. When the healing process is complete, the stone should be cleansed under running water. If by chance its surface becomes cloudy, place it in a glass with mineral water and set in a spot where it will have sun and moon light for a few days so it may be recharged, regenerated, and refreshed.

Correspondences

Gender:  Masculine

Planetary:  Earth

Zodiac:  Aquarius, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo

Element:  Water

Powers:  Protection, Psychic Healing, Psychic Powers, Psychic Protection, Strengthening

* Chakras:  All [particularly the Throat]

Deity:  Isis, Arianrhod

* I have had a recent experience where Labradorite was very helpful to me by placing it over my heart chakra. I had had a particularly hard day and was quite upset. This helped me to feel as though all the aggravation simply flowed away. 

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to those whom this way wander x

Sources

Experience

The Crystal Bible, by Judy Hall

The Illustrated Directory of Crystal Healing, by Cassandra Eason, 2003

Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic, by Scott Cunningham, 2002

The Magick of Broom

Originally posted on 02/11/2017 via speakingofwitchwands.net

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

What is Broom? Technically, it is not a tree…more of a shrubbery, and is sometimes referred to as “Reed” …still, it is considered in the Celtic Birth Tree Calendar as one of the thirteen woods which comprise the CBTC.  Broom [or reed] is the 12th month of Celtic Tree calendar, 28^th October – 24^th November and is the 12th letter of the Ogham alphabet – Ngetal.  If you were born on 31^st October, Samhain, both the Broom and the Blackthorn would have great meaning for you.

People born under the Broom/Reed sign among the Celtic tree astrology signs are the secret keepers. You dig deep inside to the real meaning of things and discover the truth hidden beneath layers of distraction. When there is a need to get to the heart of the matter, most certainly the Reed sign will find the core. You love a happy story and can be easily drawn in by gossip, scandals, legend, and lore. These tendencies also make you an excellent historian, journalist, detective or archaeologist. You love people because they represent a diversity of meanings for you to interpret. You are adept at coaxing people to talk to you, and sometimes you can be a bit manipulative. However, you have a keen sense of truth and honour so most of your scheming is harmless. Broom/ Reed people join well with other Broom/Reeds, Ash or Oak signs.

Broom growing wild..as it does 🙂

The Broom seldom grows large enough to furnish useful wood, but when its stems acquire a sufficient size, it is beautifully veined and being hard provides valuable material for veneering.  As its name suggests, it was popularly used for making brooms and brushes and was commonly used for basketwork, especially on the island of Madeira.  In the north of England and Scotland, it was used for thatching cottages and making fences or screens.

A traditional rhyme from Sussex says: “Sweep the house with blessed Broom in May / sweep the head of the household away.” 😊

The branches of the Broom shrub are perfect for sweeping [but not whilst the yellow blossoms are standing at attention, wait till the flowers drop off – otherwise sweeping with Broom branches leads to very nasty luck as the fables warn]. Because of its handy household uses, the flower symbolism of the Broom includes a sense of orderliness, cleanliness, and tidiness. Kind of like a “symbol of good housekeeping.”  Its bright yellow flowers are likened to the gold of the radiating sun, and therefore conjure symbolic attributes of light, energy, vitality, and warmth.  The Broom flower as a symbol also hints at humility – it’s a simple bush…its needs are few [it can live quite well without much tending]. Those who are drawn to the Broom flower as a personal symbol will be humble in his/her ways…. resourceful, too – making the best [and being happy] with simple things in life. Broom flower symbolism also points to matters of the heart; ingestion of the plant is known to affect cardiac function. Folk medicine cites Broom teas as a heart regulator [don’t try it at home unless you know what you’re doing, please]. The Broom is a bright reminder of how simple values can go a long way to balancing the heart.

Medicinal and Folklore:

The whole of Broom is medicinally valuable. The main medicinal ingredient in Broom is sparteine. When consumed in large doses it can cause excitability and hallucinations.  This has been speculated as the reason Broom is associated with witches flying around on brooms. I would imagine this would raise blood pressures to an incredible height so please don’t try this.  The sparteine found in Broom is now used for heart and circulatory disorders. Other preparations from Broom can help with gout, sciatica, joint pain, malaria, fever, kidney stones. I would think it best to leave this to the pharmaceutical companies to know how much and what part of Broom should be used.

Broom flowers ~ Royal Horticultural Society

Flowers of the Broom were once used to concoct an elixir for gout and it was known that King Henry VIII drank the infusion of water with Broom flowers to “cure” the effects of his many excesses.

Before hops, Broom was added to flavour and enhance the intoxicating effects of beer.

My Nana insisted the broom be stored on its end, never on the bristles, to keep the magick from running out.

It is bad luck to loan your broom to anyone, even a friend.

A broom laid in a doorway would detain a witch from entering a cottage. For a witch would not cross over objects without first numbering the parts, and counting all the fibres of a broom would slow her progress. [Wales]

Stand a broom upside down – Marry soon. [Ireland]

Magickal:

Broom was hung up in the house to keep all evil influences out, and an infusion of Broom sprinkled throughout the house was used to exorcise poltergeist activity.  Sweeping the ground with a brush of Broom will clear the area of unwanted influences.

Banishing and releasing spell:

Bundle a handful of twigs to create a small ritual hand broom. Write the name of what you want to release or banish from your life on a piece of paper and burn it.  When the ashes are cool scatter them on the floor around your altar. Take the broom and sweep the ashes from the centre out to the edge of your circle. Gather the ashes and then scatter them to the wind.  [You can also sweep the floor as you burn the ashes, and then take a few pieces of your broom, burn them in your cauldron, and scatter them to the wind after they cool].

~Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes

Correspondences:

Planet: The Moon

Element: Water

Symbolism: Royalty, cleansing, healing, psychic protection, astral travel

Stone: Opal

Colour: Blue

Bird: Geese, kingfisher

Deity: Mercury, Morpheus, Bacchus

Sabbat: Samhain

Folk Names: Scotch Broom

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources:

Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes

Whats-your-sign.com

In Worship of Trees, by George Knowles