Jewellery by Amanda Handmade

Hello there!

So, I want to share a post about some absolutely STUNNING handmade copper and natural crystals and stones jewellery! I mean, seriously, STUNNING stuff! I own so many pieces and can’t get enough! All 100% handmade with love, peaceful positive energy, and lots of crystal healing magic by my lovely friend Amanda Carmagnole of ‘Amanda Handmade’ in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

Amanda has always been such a generous soul (gifting me so many beautiful pieces), and she was lovely enough to spare me some time for a little Q and A and this is what we spoke about:

1. When did you decide you wanted to go into jewellery design? How did it all start?

I left my job as a sales manager at Mauri Pix in 2014 but I had no other job to go to. So I decided to start making feathered jewellery.

2. How would you describe what you do and the jewellery you design?

All I can say is I let go and get creative, but the jewels have a duel aspect... it’s not made just to look pretty. There's also the healing aspect of it. Each stone has its own healing properties as well as the copper.

3. You grew up in Britain and have lived most of your life there before moving to Mauritius. How have these countries influenced your work?

I think in the UK is a very multicultural place to live but it’s a very big place in comparison to Mauritius so you find that people don't always mix with each other like we do here. So, I have come more into contact with the Hindu culture and the belief system. That being so it has helped me to look to other cultures and work more in tune with the Divine Feminine energies of many times and places.

4. You work a lot with crystals and semi-precious stones, as well as copper, what are you favourite materials and why?

Oh....That's a really hard one....how to pick one stone above all the others, I simply love Jasper, all kinds of jasper. It’s such a beautiful stone and there are so many different kinds. No two stones look alike and then you get the picture and poly chrome jaspers and it's like an artist has made a gorgeous painting on the stone. But I have many that I love equally.

5. What is the design process like?

To be honest I very rarely draw a design. The stone tends to dictate how it will be made. It's a very organic process for me and a very connected one with the stones.

6. What projects and designs are you currently working on?

At this moment I’m working a little with wood as well, making some healing wands with crystals and copper and just trying a few new things before I go headlong into my new collection.

7. What is one of your favourite designs that you have ever done?

I think this is one of my favourites, again a jasper stone... but it's just a simple design and it looks so magical, well to me anyway. But I have made many that I really love, especially in the Goddess collection.

8. I particularly like your Goddess Collection. Where did the inspiration come from for these pieces?

Well, I have been very fortunate to come together with a group of beautiful ladies in a woman's circle. We have worked in many different phases, meditations, and energies of the goddess. So, this for me was something that helped me bring to fruition something that I had wanted to do for a long time. It's surprising, but it really helped to bring that little light of an idea in to this physical collection, and each piece having an energy to make the wearer feel like the goddess she is meant to be.

9. What can we look forward to seeing from you next?

Of course some more jewellery design in the new year but also tools for healing... some home decorations in the form of sun-catchers and wall hangings and maybe a piece or two of furniture that incorporates stones and copper.

10. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go into jewellery design?

For me it's something I really love to do. So, if it’s something that you love to do, go for it. You are expressing yourself through the medium of your choosing and people will be wearing what you make; so be passionate, and make the best you can and enjoy it, love it and express it and go for it.

Much Love,

Amanda

Please check out her amazing pieces and gorgeous collections at Amanda Handmade in Flic en Flac, Mauritius. It’s  such affordable jewellery for incredible quality! You can check out the jewellery by appointment. Call her on (+230) 5738 9509 or drop her an email at a.carmagnole@gmail.com.

The vibes when you are with Amanda are very serene and I always feel joyous when I am hanging out with her. I am really grateful to have such a talented and loving friend; we share so many great memories together. I wish Amanda all the light and success with her new collection and upcoming creations; you deserve it girl and I am sure it'll be a smashing hit!!!!

I couldn’t begin choosing which photos to use, as everything is just a visual feast. I am certain I will share another blog post of more photos soon!

Check out Amanda's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TranquilityMarketingLtd/

       xx love & light xx

Beltane in the South, Day of the Dead, and Moon Energies

Namaste

With recent Beltane celebrations here in the Southern Hemisphere, and the full moon coming up on November 4^th, I thought I’d share a few things on Tiger*Wolf! Full moon energies can be felt up to four days prior to and following the actual date, and as this is the only full moon of the Scorpio season (which is my zodiac), I am already feeling the energies quite intensely. I’ve been emotional all day, with moments of deep gratitude, sudden fear and sadness, joyful tears, and tearful frustrations. And, I’ve been allowing all of these feelings to flow through me before gently letting them go.

While in the North my family have been celebrating Samhain and enjoying the Halloween festivities, here in Mauritius my Anamchara and I have spent the past couple of days both in calm and quiet reverence of Beltane, and in inner reflection and tribute to our ancestors and our Spirit guides for the Day of the Dead (which is celebrated locally). The Wheel of the Year, which is a calendar of nature and metaphor for the cycle of the seasons, originates in the Northern Hemisphere and the dates are advanced by six months in the South, to coincide with the natural changing of the seasons in the local climates below the Equator (which is why we’ve recently celebrated Beltane over here). The Wheel represents the eight ancient festivals known as Sabbats, which are spaced at approximately even intervals, celebrating the natural cycles of the Sun and Moon and the effects on the Earth (e.g. the seasons, the equinoxes). This cyclic aspect also represents the progression of birth, life, decline, and death; as well as the notion of Samsaara (the life, death, and rebirth).

Wheel of the Year Dates for Southern Hemisphere

As part of my Beltane and Day of the Dead rituals, I did a card reading to help me navigate the current energies within my life. I wanted to know which things from the past continue to linger that I need to let go of, the seeds of energy which I need to plant for the coming season, the passion and inspiration which drives me, the helpful energies to allow me to bloom, the opposing energies and challenges, and how to overcome these. Here is the spread that I used which you may also find useful for a reading. Please let me know how you find working with this card-spread; I’d love to hear about your experiences and share our insights.

And here’s some information for the upcoming full moon, in the sign of Taurus, as well as some information about how to use the different energies during the cycles of the moon. I’ll be doing a release ritual on November 4^th to help navigate the shifting energies of the seasons and the cyclic changes that are natural within me also. Letting go of the old, reflecting on the winter that has passed; inspired by the fertility of Spring, planting seeds to grow in the coming months; ushering in the coming Summer, trusting the Universe and opening myself to abundance and the blessings of the Great Spirit.

Cycles of the Moon

New Moon: New cycle – new possibilities – symbolically reborn – summon your whole self – cleanse the psyche for the month ahead – SET YOUR INTENTIONS – begin the process of manifestation for what you want to enter your life.

Waxing Moon: New growth – building up power for manifestations – continued action – action plans – INVOCATIONS – attracting new energies – imagine and focus on success.

Full Moon: Vitality – surge of power – amplified creativity – take action – RELEASE – let go of what you no longer need or have outgrown – step out of the old and celebrate your emergence in the new – inner transformation – focus on gratitude.

Waning Moon: Meditation – reflection – balance – dig deeper into psyche to discover the roots of issues – dispel negativity – endings – cleansing – LET GO OF THINGS WHICH NO LONGER SERVE YOUR HIGHEST PURPOSE.

Dark Moon: Turn inward – go deep into the psyche – SHADOW WORK – Shamanic journeys – solitude – psychic power – dream revelations – divination.

           x love & light x

Orelia Chakra Necklaces

Namaste...

Today, I’d like to do a review of some beautiful jewellery I purchased during my spring trip to visit my family back in London.  They are these amazing chakra necklaces by Orelia. I’d just like to mention that this is not a sponsored blog post; I am just really chuffed with these necklaces and wanted to share my thoughts! They’re so lovely!

So, I discovered these beauties while I was strolling around Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship store (waiting for a friend of mine, so we could go eat yummy rotis!) and stumbled across the Orelia concession stand. Some items were on sale, which instantly grabbed my attention (‘cause I love a sale, as any girl does) and then synchronicity so happened that I saw these chakra necklaces. I’ve been working with chakra energies for a couple of years now (I’ll post about the 7 chakras soon), most especially since the beginning of this year when I did my Holistic Reiki courses. I do some Reiki cleansing and healing for my chakras every day, which is so important, and I’ve really been feeling the difference in my physical body as much as on the etheric level. I also do distance Reiki cleansing and healing of the chakras for my loved ones too and they’ve been feeling the positive benefits as well. However, my chakras aren’t always in balance, which is a normal part of life; sometimes they are just barely in harmony and need some good TLC.

As I often work with my lower chakras, as they’ve been out of balance for years before my spiritual awakening, I was so happy to find the Root chakra and Sacral chakra necklaces! I grabbed those instantly and then got so happy with my finds that I decided, on the spot, to just buy one of each chakra so that I could wear it pressed against my skin when I’m meditating or working with specific energies, and healing specific physical and/or emotional disharmonies.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have the Solar Plexus chakra necklace in stock but I ended up purchasing that online, so that worked out fine.

The necklaces are made of brass and then plated with 18 carat gold, which is really great as I enjoy working with the properties and energies of gold; they cost £18 each. They are quite dainty and sit high up around the neck; usually the pendant sits just below the indent of my collar bone. This makes them really great when paired with light, simple, flowing blouses or dresses with a lower round or v-neck. My Anamchara says that they are somewhere in-between a necklace and choker style, which is quite apt. The quality is really great and I’ve worn the Solar Plexus chakra necklace all day for a few consecutive days, through sweat, sun, perfume, and rain – and it hasn’t affected the colour at all!  

If you have any chakra jewellery which you wear, or you’d like to wear more often, or use as part of your spiritual practices, please share your experiences, I’d love to hear from you! What I have done is to use Reiki to cleanse each item before wearing. Then, after cleansing and grounding myself, I’ve held each, one at a time, and concentrated my intentions into the necklace repeating a short chakra mantra three times for each one. I like to focus my energy so that the necklaces will aid me with healing, balancing, and aligning my chakras in harmony. I say the mantra once in my mind, then once aloud softly, and finally once again loudly with lots of gratitude, joy, and love. And, so far, these necklaces have been working REALLY well as part of my spiritual routines.

Every now and then, when I feel their vibrations are a bit sluggish, I just cleanse them again with Reiki energy and place them near my large pieces of clear quartz. I also sometimes place them amongst the crystals with which each chakra is associated. For example, I place my Solar Plexus chakra necklace in my bowl of tumbled citrine; my Root chakra necklace with my red jasper; and my Sacral chakra necklace with my carnelian egg.

The necklaces are truly so pretty and perfect for my bohemian style and life. Orelia is a brand that I will definitely be purchasing from again, especially their 18 carat gold plated pieces. I think these necklaces were really affordable for such good quality and I’m very happy with them. I do however think that the concession staff at Topshop could up their game though; there wasn’t anyone around for a long time and when someone did finally come along it took her ages and a half to get information about their stock when I asked about the Solar Plexus necklace. However, online purchasing was dead easy and arrived just as expected according to the confirmation email. No problems there!

If you’re interested you can head over to http://www.orelia.co.uk/ to see if there’s anything that takes your fancy. They even do free UK and European delivery (excluding Russia) when you spend over £25!

           x love & light x

Feather Magick

Namaste...

Finding a feather is a gift from the Great Spirit

Has it ever happened to you that you’re walking down a road or avenue and a large feather on the ground catches your eye? It’s soft and delicate and seems to be calling out to you or beckoning you in some way as it really stands out from other feathers you’ve seen; you can’t help but give it your attention and admiration. The feather is beautiful and wondrous and it has changed your state of mind and suddenly given you a different feeling inside, a different mood, and a new perspective on your day or on life and your connection to the universe. The power of feather magic is in the way we feel a breath of fresh air is blown into our lives.

Birds have long been regarded as messengers of the gods; ancient people believed they would carry messages to and from the heavens. Birds were one of the few creatures who could defy gravity, and so, they were regarded as sacred in many cultures around the world and their feathers were considered to be magical gifts.  Finding feathers can be a special and sacred moment to discover a message and/or usher in good things into our lives. Feathers are magically connected to the element of Air and this makes them especially helpful for messages and magic related to communication. Each feather has its own special power depending on the bird of origin, the colour/s, the place in which it is found, and other factors.

A small collection of feathers I've found - Placed inside a seashell

Feather meanings

Different feathers have different meanings depending on the bird of origin. The colours of the feather are often a clear indicator of the bird from which it came. However, it can be difficult to identify the bird from the feather we find, as many birds have similar or same colours, but don’t let that worry you, as you can still work with the magical energies of the feather without knowing which bird it has come from. Knowing the bird of origin can help you better understand the symbolic meaning associated with the animal and the messages and energies that the feather brings to you. If you are able to identify the bird from which the feather/s came, then you might also like to do a little research into whether the bird is connected with a particular deity.

But, even without that information, feather magic, as all magic, is intuitive and you can personally connect with the feather you find. Through meditation, or your own personal practices and rituals, feel the power and the meaning of the feather magic. You will bring your own powerful energy into the feather through your concentration and focus.

My smudging wand (gifted to me by a talented friend) and a smudging bowl I made 

How you can use feathers in your magical and/or spiritual practice

Here are some suggestions:

·         Decorate your altar or other magical arrangements – you can use feathers in connection with the element of Air and the cardinal direction which you associate with this element. They are often used in spells and ceremonies to promote change. You can also help the energy of the feather to flow through a sacred space, or your entire home (which is a sacred space itself!) by placing it/them in a small vase in a special spot or amongst your favourite crystals

·         Meditation – you can hold the feather/s in your hand to connect with the Bird spirit and/or blow gently on them to communicate your spiritual intention

·         Medicine bags, power pouches, wands, rattles, talking sticks – all these magical items often include special feathers, which have specific meaning for the wearer or one who carries it. Talking sticks especially are adorned with feathers because they carry the power to help people express themselves with authenticity and truth, and communicate with compassion and understanding of the self and others. Many ritual tools can be adorned with feather magic

·         Dream bags – you can always place a feather into a small dream bag, or pouch, and combine this with the appropriate herbs to induce lucid dreaming. You can also just pop one under your pillow and ask the Great Spirit to help you connect with power of the feather and the symbolic magic of the bird of origin, as well as help you better discern or interpret the message that the feather has brought you

·         Smudging – you can use a bundle of feathers as a smudging wand or use a large feather to fan the smoke in the direction you desire for cleansing, including the body, and this lends additional power to the smudging ritual

You will know when you find a special magical feather. It won’t be like any other you’ve come across, it will wave at you and speak to you and you will feel that you must take it with you. They are often clean and undamaged, as though they literally just lightly floated onto your path like a little gift!  These gifts I’ve received have come home with me and are tucked away in special boxes, wrapped in cloth, or placed inside the pages of books and I let their energies lay there, effervescent, until they call to me again to use them. I often use my magical feathers for the abovementioned magical and spiritual practices and I let myself be open to the Great Spirit, the spirit of the Bird, and the pulsating energy of the Air. My Anamchara and I were recently gifted with these beautiful Myna bird feathers (see below) which we found on our path one sunny afternoon. I’ve popped them in a little glass vase with some small crystals and I am letting their magical flow freely throughout my sacred space! 

Myna bird feathers, celestite, citrine, and seashells

           x love & light x

The Little Bird

Namaste...

Oh, what a blessing it is to befriend a bird! This little fella, so small and so cute, clearly just learned how to fly. He flew over and perched on the side window, admiring himself in the wing mirror of the car. And then... my Anamchara was not only able to stroke him but the little beauty perched in his hand (he pooped on it too, but it was worth it)! He really had to fight hard not to give into the urge of taking this little feathery adorableness home!

I wonder what message this little bird brought for my Anamchara. Spirit and totem animals of the Air are symbols of freedom and perspective. They connect us to the higher realm of the sky because they both live on Earth but are able to fly. They soar high above and provide a bridge between the ordinary human world (the sky representing freedom that is far removed from everyday life) and the spiritual realm.

Birds help remind us to slow down and appreciate the element of Air, being the breath of life (known in Hinduism as Prana), and the way in which this element can bring us joy, peace, and refresh our mind, body, and spirit.

Some symbols and meanings for Bird spirit guides, totems, and messengers include:

• Freedom
• Perspective and seeing the ‘bigger picture’
• Air and Earth elements
• Finding your Voice (song birds)
• Luck and happiness (Bluebird)
• Positive changes (white birds)
• Justice and longevity (Crane)
• Peace and maternity (Dove)
• Strength, determination, and honour

As a Spirit Animal, Bird generally symbolises elevating your consciousness and nurturing your self-confidence. Symbolic meanings and representations are culturally and contextually bound – Bird has different meanings for different cultures at different periods of time, but freedom is a common thread. Each species of bird has its own uniqueness and special symbolism. I am not sure what the specific meaning is for this little Red-whiskered Bulbul that connected with my Anamchara, nor exactly what message he brought... but the species is known for being highly vocal with a loud, evocative, and sharp call, so I intuitively feel it’s something linked to communication as well as breathing and having perspective on everything going on at the moment. They’re also known for being resistant to human pressures on the environment and are tolerant when their habitats are disturbed. This may also be part of the message from the little bird. We’ll see how things unfold and what other synchronicities manifest to help us better understand. 

If anything at all though, it was such a magical experience! Perhaps my Anamchara has reached a state of Buddha-like Zen, or the little Bulbul was just really tired... or thought my Anamchara was a tree... J

x love & light x

Inspired to Write - Poetry: We Held On

Namaste

I'm feeling rather emotional today. Sometimes, I am apart from the one special soul in my life; it's simply the way things currently are. Today especially, there's a bittersweet feeling that's washing over me... And that, coupled with the beautiful plants growing in the garden, is inspiring me to write and sing.

We Held On

Cold dark earth

Embraced my weary feet

Let me lay down

Lightly planting my stones

Next to you

Letting us grow

Roots gently crawled together

Fingers fused in the dark

Evening dew on the leaves

Blossoms unfurling in my hair

Morning warmth of your cheek

Brushes my eyes open

love & light

Crystal Healing and Ritual of Thankfulness

Namaste

The past few weeks have been quite a whirlwind emotionally and spiritually. Even physically, my body has, through naturally connection, been affected by emotional plunges and soaring highs. The past few days have been especially difficult, and so, I've been doing a lot of self-healing, and quite a bit of self-energising with crystals, to prevent me from curling up miserably on the bed and going to sleep all day...possibly all week. 

My body does need rest, I will not ignore or neglect what my body is telling me - I am loyal to my inner guru, but it's such a busy time right now that, quite simply, rest needs to be adequate and not excessive.

Crystal healing is helping me right now to navigate, with more confidence and strength, the eternal interaction of light and dark, soul work, shadow work... life... in all it's beauty and chaos (which are not mutually exclusive). Basically, the crystals are giving me a big 'oomph'! :)

By trying to focus on all the goodness that can be found within me, and in my life, I am feeling extremely blessed. Even in the situations that aren't all rosey and peachy-pie, there are still positive things to be recognised and to be grateful for; doing so helps me to navigate life's challenges and problems. Does a focus on gratitude help you to do so?

I am feeling particularly grateful for the abundance in my life. I was gifted some ASTOUNDINGLY beautiful and healing crystals by my anamchara at a moment in time when I really needed some extra TLC and affection. His choice of crystals was intuitively spot on, and they worked wonders on my mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health! The mystic dark green swirls and circles of the kambaba jasper were hypnotising; this stone brought so much peace and tranquility. I held it close to me during a meditation and I could feel it's energy radiating around and through me, soothing me, and restoring balance to my mind, body, and spirit. I have a smaller one, which I keep in a box, that I now need to cleanse and re-energise as I feel this is definitely a protective and balancing stone I need to carry around with me!

With this powerful feeling of gratitude for my anamchara, my family, my friends, and so much more, I decided to do a ritual of thankfulness to shift any lingering, stagnant, etheric pollution affecting me into vibrations of love and rejuvenated energy.

Here is a short gratitude ritual that I practise and want to share with you. Please use it however you feel you want to, as a way of expressing your own thankfulness.

- Take a moment to ground yourself. Breathe deeply and allow higher energies to flow through you. Om…

- Cast your circle if this forms part of your tradition. If it is within your tradition, you may humbly invoke a particularly God or Goddess associated with gratitude and invite this deity into your circle. If this does not form part of your practise, then focus your expression of gratitude to the Universe.

- As you begin, take a moment to reflect on the abundance in your life. Abundance comes in many forms, big and small, from the financial and material to the love of our family and friends, the rewards in our careers and studies, the kindness of strangers, the guidance and support from Mother Earth…

- Focus on the things for which you feel your heart swell with thankfulness. With these things in your mind, anoint your candle and light it.

- Focusing on each item on your altar which represents abundance, you may hold the object or photo in your hand, say aloud what you are thankful for. For example:

I am thankful for my health. I feel healthy, happy, and bright.

I am thankful for my anamchara. I am blessed by our sacred soul connection.

I am thankful for my family. I am loved and cared for.

I am thankful for my job. I love what I do/I am able to support myself.

I am thankful for my garden. I am soothed by the vibrations of my flowers and plants.

I am thankful for my dog. I am uplifted by his loyalty and loving protection.  

- Express your gratitude for everything in your life which comes to your mind. Also, take some time to peacefully reflect on the people in your life who are grateful towards you.

- Take a few more minutes to meditate on the candle flame, focusing on the feeling of abundance within you and your life. Recognizing our blessings is an important thing to do, because it reminds us of how truly fortunate we are.

- If it is within your tradition to do so, give thanks to the Great Spirit and the deity/ies which you humbly invoked into your circle. You may instead express your thanks to the Universe. Then, open your circle.

Aho…

Just a thought to end this post: How can we each increase our appreciation of the big and small things in our lives? How can we inspire others, attract similar energies, and manifest more thankfulness in the world?

x love & light x