Each year as we approach Imbolc, I feel something stirring within me, I’m not sure if it’s just the excitement and anticipation of Spring after a long, cold winter here in Wisconsin, or if there’s something more behind it. It’s a sort of yearning to reconnect with the land after spending so much time indoors. Even as I write this we’re in the midst of a big winter snowstorm, and thinking about the year’s first blooms, the sound of the birds, and the squelch of the ground beneath my feet after the spring thaw, all feel so far away.

Yet I can’t seem to pull my mind from thoughts of these things. The little signs that Spring is here always feel palpable. But between the awe of the winter wonderland I enjoy at Solstice and the first warm days when the world seems to come back alive, is one of my favorite holidays…Imbolc.

Imbolc is the first of the cross-quarter days, and marks the very beginning of spring (the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox). A celebration of hearth and home, Imbolc is the perfect time to hold space for renewal, fertility, purification, rebirth, hope, growth, planning, and new beginnings. Imbolc is also when you release what no longer serves you, shedding darker days behind to make room for new growth.

To share some inspiration with you this season, I’ve rounded up the following useful resources about how to celebrate Imbolc:

 

Imbolc & the Wheel of the Year Article:

This article delves into the significance of Imbolc, a celebration in the Wheel of the Year marking the transition from winter to spring. The Wheel of the Year, representing the cycles of light and dark, is a tool for connecting with natural cycles and understanding personal growth. Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st, signifies the first hint of spring. Energies associated with Imbolc are renewal, fertility, purification, and new beginnings. The article provides insights into the traditions, symbols, and deities linked to Imbolc, emphasizing the connection to the Goddess Brigid, a symbol of light, fire, and fertility. It concludes with suggestions for how to celebrate Imbolc, including feasting, divination, planting seeds, and connecting with the energy of the sun. If you want to embrace the Imbolc season, the article serves as a comprehensive guide to the rituals, traditions, and deeper spiritual meaning associated with this important seasonal celebration.

 

Imbolc Altar Cloth and Crystal Set:

This cotton altar cloth features an exclusive Imbolc design featuring my digital collage artwork! Use this cloth to decorate your Imbolc altar and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year. You can also add three of my favorite Imbolc crystals: tumbled Amethyst, tumbled Infinite Serpentine, and rough Pyrite, to enhance your connection to this sacred season.

 

Crystals & A Card Spread for Imbolc Article:

This article provides insight into practical, hands-on ways to celebrate Imbolc. I suggest specific crystals, such as Red Garnet, Carnelian, and Pyrite, to work with during this time. Each stone carries symbolic meanings related to the returning warmth and energy. Additionally, I share a sacred, Imbolc Card Spread for introspection and guidance during this period. The seasonal spread covers aspects of foundation, direction, growth, and illumination. Use this spread to uncover hidden influences, regain clarity, focus on personal growth, and receive Universal messages.

 

FREE Goddess Brigid Coloring Pages:

Celebrate Imbolc with these 3 FREE printable coloring pages to honor Goddess Brigid! These coloring pages (hand-drawn by me!) include images of the Goddess Brigid, a Corn Dolly, and a Brigid’s cross. You can print these pages at home and color as an act of devotion or meditation. Corn dollies are often made in her image and are called “Little Bride’s.” Brigid’s Crosses are woven each Imbolc and hung in the home as a symbol of protection, fertility, abundance, and blessings.

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #17 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Carnelian meaning, including:

Carnelian for clearing Tarot & Oracle decks

Tyche Retrograde & Carnelian

Less conversation, more action with Carnelian

Evolution of Carnelian's lore

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Carnelian meaning!

Crystal Confab Podcast Episode 17: Carnelian Meaning - Transcript: 

Crystal Confab Podcast Intro: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for a casual chat about all things crystals.

 

Adam Barralet: Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Crystal Confab. When it comes to crystals, there are so many different colors, but orange is one that we all have to have because we need it for our sacral chakra. And I remember a few years ago, I was actually doing a bit of a stop take of all my tumbled stones and realized that I just don't have enough orange crystals. It was actually the color I have least of. But one thing I think everyone has when it comes to orange crystals is the famous carnelian, and that's what we're diving into today.

 

Now carnelian is a crystal that has a long, long history. I believe it might even be mentioned in the Bible. And so I wanna ask Nicholas, tell us a little bit about the evolution and the history of carnelian today.

 

Nicholas: Yeah. I would love to. This is such a fun topic because I think when we look at the body of written lore of all gems, particularly in the nexus of civilization and forward in time, we see so much written about it. And it doesn't always feel very consistent at first, so we kinda have to unpack it piece by piece. So, for those who may not know, carnelian is a variety of chalcedony, which means it's cryptocrystalline quartz, just like onyx, which we talked about toward the top of the the the first season, and it gets its color from small amounts of iron.

 

And, this iron is something that feels kind of intrinsically motivating, grounding, energizing. You pick up any crystal book today, and you're going to find those kinds of keywords. Maybe it's about enthusiasm or energy or creativity. If we go back in time, we might channel the same kind of force to maybe more everyday concerns back then, you know, before we had phones to scroll on and spare time to write and draw, things like war and conquest, but also health and healing. So, some of the earliest magical kind of associations with Carnelian stem from a very kind of mundane use.

 

If you needed to put your seal of approval on something quite literally, you had to have a seal that was carved out of something that you could press into wax or later clay, and it needed to be a material that went in easily and came out easily without residue left over or you didn't get a clear mark on it. And of all the materials that we find in places like Mesopotamia, Sumeru, Babylon, this general region, one of the most important materials for the use of these kinds of seal stones, cylinder seals, and inscribed gems is carnelian. And the reason is kind of twofold. 1st, there's just the mundane functionality of it because of the thermal properties of quartz and therefore of carnelian. It goes into wax really well and comes out very cleanly.

 

Secondly, of all the materials that were available and durable enough to be carved, soft enough to be carved, but durable enough to last, carnelian really fit the bill. It was an added bonus that it was beautiful. Now these cylinder seals were things that were used by people in positions of power. So to own one was to represent your power. So if you were to inherit 1, even if you didn't have a lot of, let's say, like, social currency, it could signify a kind of symbolic agency.

 

And so Carnelian took on these associations with power, with wealth,

I am so excited about the first ever World Crystal Healing Day, founded by Nyree of Crystal Auras by Nyree.

World Crystal Healing Day (WCHD), taking place on January 22, 2025, is a groundbreaking global event founded by Crystal Auras by Nyree. This annual celebration highlights the transformative and healing power of crystals, showcasing their ability to support mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. With a mission to raise awareness of crystal healing’s profound benefits, WCHD aims to empower individuals to integrate crystals into their daily lives for enhanced balance and inner peace.

In our fast-paced world, the demand for alternative therapies like crystal healing is rising. WCHD emphasizes the timeless wisdom of using crystals for wellness—whether for calming the mind, balancing emotions, or fostering personal growth. The event also honors the rich cultural heritage behind crystal healing, promoting ethical practices while encouraging individuals to unlock their full potential.

WCHD offers a unique opportunity to unite a global community of crystal enthusiasts and spiritual practitioners. Whether you're a seasoned crystal lover or a newcomer to the practice, this day provides a space to connect, share, and celebrate the power of crystals in healing both individuals and the planet.

 

Tune in now for an interview with Nyree about World Crystal Healing Day!

 

Stay in touch with Nyree on Instagram @crystalauras

 

Are you interested in becoming a Certified Crystal Healer? Find out more about the CCH and Advanced Crystal Practitioner Program HERE!

It’s a common practice to make a resolution to better yourself each time the new year rolls around, but it’s even more common that after a couple of weeks into the new year, those resolutions get tossed aside and forgotten - just like the previous year. Would you like to try something new this year? Something that will change your life right away so that you’ll actually want to stick with it? Make a resolution to clear and balance every aspect of your life, and it will result in a year you won’t want to forget. Read on to discover how you can call upon your crystals for the New Year!  

It's a new year! And many would have you think this means it's time for a new you. But... what if instead of a new you, you just gave the old you a little helping hand?

 

Here are the top 5 quick-fix ways to use crystals for the new year to help you get clear, cleansed, healthy, & balanced:

 

 

#1 - Clear Out Last Year's Energy to Make Room for Shiny, New Year's Energy

We all do it... I do it, and you do it. You carry things from your past into the future. Sometimes these things are good, like happy memories, but other times, you carry around things that don't serve you going forward, like unresolved emotions. The New Year is a great time to start with a clean slate, so taking some time to dump your baggage is the #1 way to clear and balance your energy for the new year.

 

#2 - Cleanse Your Space to Welcome in Some Positive Vibes

Now that you've left your last year's baggage in the past (where it belongs!), it's time to cleanse your space of any energy that's no longer serving your highest good.  By allowing stagnant energy to linger in your environment, you're inadvertently telling the Universe that you're fine with outdated, dare I say, "Meh..." energy in your field.  You need to clear this energy out of your space so that the Universe knows you're ready for bigger and better things. Make way for positive vibes!

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post on Using Selenite & Black Tourmaline for Cleansing & Protecting Your Space so that you can welcome in some positive vibes.

 

#3 - Clear Your Energy Field for a Positive Outlook

You've gone through our first 2 quick-fix solutions for a great new year and you're on a roll!  Our #3 tip is to use healing crystals to cleanse your energy field.  There's no sense in clearing out last year's energy and cleansing your space just to be a big blob of energy that no longer fits in with the super positive vibes you're creating.  I recommend a quick-fix Selenite "energy sweeping" technique for clearing out any energy that's not serving you in the new year.

 

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post, "Best Selenite Formations for Cleansing" so you can start the new year on the right foot.

Having a hard time keeping your vibes positive?  Whether it's your own negative thinking or bad vibes from others, sometimes negative energy is tricky to deal with.

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post, "Using Black Tourmaline to Transform Negative Energy Into Positive Vibes" so that positivity will prevail in the new year!

 

 

#4 - Focus on Wellness & Self-Care

Many of us remember to do the simple things like routine energy cleansing, but when it comes down to energetic self-care, it's easy to fall short.  Quick and easy healing exercises are ideal (because you'll actually DO them), but are they effective?  Let me put it this way, is it better to do little exercises more frequently because they are quick and easy?  Or is it better to put off self-care because you don't feel like you have time, and then find yourself in an energy healing crisis because you've neglected your routine? If you're like me, you know the answer...it's always better to be doing something than to do nothing at all - especially when it comes to your energetic well-being.

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post, "3 Tips for Self-Care with Crystals" and get you...

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #16 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Larimar meaning, including:

Larimar for abundance & love

Harmonising water & fire elements with Larimar

Larimar for healing your inner child

Full Moon in Cancer & Larimar

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Larimar meaning!

 

Podcast Transcript:

Crystal Confab Podcast Intro: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for a casual chat about all things crystals.

 

Kyle Perez: Hello and welcome to another Crystal Confab, where I get to be with some of my favorite people on the planet, talking about my favorite thing on the planet, crystals, minerals, gemstones, and all of that good stuff. Today I'm of course joined j by Adam Barralet, Ashley Leavey, and Nicholas Pearson, and we're going to talk about arguably the most famous or infamous modern crystal mineral of especially the esoteric world, larimar, the beautiful wavy blue pectolite that I'm gonna show you some beautiful pieces of now. This is a really lovely slice of the beautiful Laramar, and this is a beautiful piece where you can actually see the outside of where it was formed. It forms in these beautiful volcanic bugs. And before we dive into it properly, we're going to talk a little bit about sustainability, and I think it's really important with Larimar, and I'm going to open it to the floor of my friends.

 

Who wants to dive in first on this interesting topic of sustainability in gemstones especially related to Larimar.

 

Ashley Leavy: I'll have a go. So when it comes to any crystals and minerals, we were kind of talking before the show about the importance of, you know, discussing ethical sourcing, And that's kind of the first thing I wanna hit on here. And I think that this term ethically sourced is something that we have just seen. People are using a broad brush to paint this idea of ethical sourcing. You'll see, you know, dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of Instagram pages and Etsy shops and everything saying ethically sourced minerals or consciously sourced minerals.

 

And what does that really mean? Because there's no regulation on this phrase. There's no governing body to determine what ethically sourced really means. So when people are using this phrase, don't just take that at face value, dig in a little bit more. In my eyes, there are 4 key components that we have to consider when we're looking at whether or not a mineral is ethically sourced, and there's like a 5th bonus one that I'll tell you about too.

 

So first, are workers paid fairly for their labor? That's a big one because a lot of the time, they are not. 2nd, are workers operating in safe working conditions? And that's one that my colleagues here will pick up specifically in this conversation about Larimar because it's really important to know. So are workers paid fairly and are they working in safe conditions?

 

3rd, is any child labor used to collect those minerals? Because this is something that, again, we see very frequently. 4th, what is the environmental impact of that sourcing? The answer is it's never gonna be 0. So we need to look at what we are okay with and what are we not?

 

Are there reclamation efforts? What is the extent to which there is environmental impact? Does it affect the ecosystem, the plants, the wildlife in the area? Is there, you know, toxic runoff? There are so many things to consider when we're looking at environmental impact and this is why in some countries they're starting to roll out more and more environmental impact studies before mining rights are granted, which is great.

 

We're seeing a little bit of a trend that way. So those are the four things that I kind of look for at a minimum. All those boxes have to be ticked to my satisfactio...

The new year is a common time to make big changes and set the stage for transformation and a fresh start. Most of us have grandiose plans at first, but quickly slip back into old habits. So how can you be sure to stick with your plans and stay on track with your goals in the new year? Try working with these top crystals for new beginnings!

Crystals work great along with your intentions for helping you reach your goals. For example, Rhodonite is a fantastic crystal for new beginnings.  To start a new routine in the new year, simply reach for a piece of Rhodonite and hold it in your hands.

 

Close your eyes and think about exactly what you’d like to do differently in the new year.  Visualize it in great detail - is it a new wellness routine, a commitment to read a book per week, or quitting a habit?  See it as clearly as possible, as if you can see it playing like a movie in your mind’s eye.

Once you’ve been able to visualize this new routine, hold the crystal over your heart for a moment to show gratitude to the stone. Your stone has now been imprinted, or programmed, with the information from your visualization.

 

Once you’ve programmed your stone, simply carry it with you, in your purse, pocket, or handbag.  

Any time you feel yourself begin to stray from your new routine, just reach for your stone for a bit of support and a reminder of that good feeling you had during your visualization, as well as a reminder of what you're working toward and why it's important to you. This will help ensure that your good intentions for creating new beginnings keep their momentum the whole year through.

 

Since you’ll be carrying your stone throughout the day, you’ll need to be sure to cleanse it frequently.  One of the simplest methods of cleansing is to pass it through the smoke of burning herbs. Try rosemary, mugwort, or lavender.  

A great alternative method to smoke-cleansing your stones is to ring a bell or sound a chime near your crystal.  Sound is a powerful cleanser of energy and is quick, simple, and convenient.

For more ideas, see this article on other common crystal cleansing methods.

And while you're cleansing your stones, you may wish to cleanse your space while you're at it. By allowing stagnant energy to linger in your environment, you’re inadvertently telling the Universe that you’re fine with anything in your life that feels stuck.  Clearing this energy out of your space tells the Universe that you’re ready for new energy that's more aligned with your current vision and goals.

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post on Using Selenite & Black Tourmaline for Cleansing & Protecting Your Space so that you can welcome some new energy in the New Year!

 

Something important to remember is that new beginnings don't just magically happen.

Lasting change typically requires our effort and focus. Many of us remember to do simple things like routine energy cleansing. But when it comes down to energetic self-care, it’s easy to fall short. Quick and easy healing exercises are ideal (because you’ll actually DO them), but are they effective?  Let me put it this way, it's better to do little exercises more frequently because they are quick and easy than to put off energetic self-care because you don’t feel like you have time. It’s almost always better to be doing something than to do nothing at all – especially when it comes to your energetic well-being.

Click Here to Check Out Our Classic Blog Post, “3 Tips for Self-Care with Crystals” and get your New Year’s self-care routine in place now!

Do you have big dreams for your personal growth and spiritual journey but sometimes feel like you need extra guidance to stay on track? Crystals can be a powerful ally in aligning your intentions with your daily life. That’s why I’ve created the Crystal Healer’s Datebook:

 

 

This all-in-one calendar, spiritual journal, and crystal companion will inspire you to deepen your connection with crystal...

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #15 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Snowflake Obsidian meaning, including:

Snowflake Obsidian for balance

Harnessing winter season energies with Snowflake Obsidian

Snowflake Obsidian for working through grief and personal lows

The interplay of stillness and movement within Snowflake Obsidian

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Snowflake Obsidian meaning!

 

From energetic protection to past life healing, Obsidian is the crystal of transformation. When used with the right intentions, Obsidian acts as a guardian, truth-seeker and mirror to the soul, offering its ancient wisdom to guide you toward deep inner healing. This is why I've created my Unlocking Obsidians Course - to help you uncover and harness the raw, untamed power of Obsidian for empowerment, clarity, and a stronger connection to your authentic self.

In this immersive course, you’ll discover:

Obsidian’s Origins & Formation – What makes this natural glass so unique?

The Many Types of Obsidian – Black, Rainbow, Mahogany, and beyond—each with its own distinct energy.

Practical Techniques – Learn how to use Obsidian for energy clearing, scrying, protection, and deep healing.

How to Spot Fake Obsidian – Ensure your crystals are the real deal.

 

Whether you're a crystal lover, healer, or spiritual seeker, this course is designed to help you embrace Obsidian’s transformative power in a way that feels supportive rather than overwhelming.

 

Podcast Transcript:

 

Crystal Confab Podcast Introduction: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection, but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for crystal confab, a casual chat about all things crystals.

 

Nicholas Pearson: Hello, and welcome to another edition of crystal confab. My name is Nicholas, and I'm here with some of my best friends, and we're gonna confab about a new crystal. And this week, we don't actually have a crystal to talk about. So, maybe that's a really great place to start. Our ally for the week, our topic, our subject, our friend is snowflake obsidian.

 

And, you know, technically, given that it's obsidian, it's not a mineral, it's not a crystal, it's in this kind of weird liminal space that I think we'll talk plenty about, but, you know, what what reason do we have for throwing a non crystal in our crystal confab?

 

Ashley Leavy: I would love to jump in on this one right away because this is actually a question that I get from my students a lot. Like, you know, is it okay to work with these things that in the healy-feely world, we often just lump everything together and call it crystals, but obsidian, like Nicholas said, is not actually a crystal. The reason that we work with crystals in the world of crystal healing, we can generally agree, there are lots of reasons, but in general, you know, crystals have this perfect orderly structure to them. And it's thought that by bringing that perfect stable structure into our own energy field, into our space, then the energy of our field, our space goes through the process of entrainment and starts to mimic that perfect stable structure of the crystal. But Obsidian, since it doesn't have that internal crystalline structure, why would we still work with it?

 

And I like to think of this as, you know, there are lots of different reasons that we can turn to crystals and point to different crystals and look at where their properties come from, where their energy comes from, because everything has energy in this world, whether it's a crystal or not. Right? So just because obsidian isn't a crystal doesn't mean it doesn't still have this amazing energetic quality to it. And with our stones of all sorts, we can point to a lot of different ways that they get their properties and associations. Like,

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #13 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Bumblebee Stone meaning, including:

Harnessing joy with Bumblebee Stone

Bumblebee Stone for hearth blessings

The complex make-up of Bumblebee Stone and how this is reflected in its energy

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Bumblebee Stone meaning!

Podcast Transcript:

Crystal Confab Podcast Introduction: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection, but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for crystal confab, a casual chat about all things crystals.

 

Nicholas Pearson: Hello, and welcome to the crystal confab. I'm Nicholas, and I'm joined today by 3 of my favorite human beings, especially in this crystal world, Adam, Ashley, and Kyle. And every week, we get together in confab about a new crystal. And this week, we've got kind of a fun stone coming out of the toolbox, and I think it'll be a great conversation. We get to unpack a whole lot about it, and that stone is bumblebee jasper.

 

So I'd love to pass it off to Kyle to get us started to talk about the makeup and nature of this stone.

 

Kyle Perez: I am so excited to talk about what I like to refer to and I think we all are more inclined to refer to it as bumblebee stone than bumblebee jasper, and this is an important differentiation. Let me get my mouth around that. It's important to know that a jasper has quartz as its base. Its micro crystalline quartz is what makes a Jasper a Jasper. They throw Jasper on anything that is opaque.

 

We have talked about this in our red Jasper podcast. Jump back to it if you haven't. Listen, this is a stone because a stone is a makeup or an amalgamation of multiple minerals. At least 2, sometimes more. Lapis lazuli is a great example of a stone or a rock because it has lazuli, it has calcite, it has pyrite together.

 

This bumblebee stone, if you are watching, as you can see, is beautiful layers of orange, gray, black, and yellow. Now I'm gonna read my notes because I don't wanna stuff up the pronunciation. Mount Sirumai or Chirumai in Indonesia, West Java. It is a volcanic area and it has up to or over at least half a dozen minerals within it. It has sulfur.

 

It has aurement. It has aragonite. It has calcite and it has pyrite within it. So it has all of these really interesting things going on inside it.

 

And what's really important is if you can find pieces that have actually been, this is something we've talked about as well, been sealed, coated, or reinforced with some form of lacquer because it has toxic minerals within it. It has arsenic. It has sulfur. It has them within the ultimate and the rialga especially. What's really important is especially if you're gonna wear it, hold it, and connect with it in that way because you don't wanna be absorbing the literal toxic levels of these minerals that are contained.

 

If you have these sorts of pieces, which I do have a couple of, these aren't properly lacquered. I don't touch them too much. I will wash my hands afterwards, and I will always make sure that I'm cleaning after working with them. Otherwise, if they have been coded, they're going to be fine. It's important to ask when you purchase, I think, when you're getting them. Yes, Ashley.

 

Ashley Leavy: Kyle, is there any other way that we can know if they're coated? And does it have to necessarily be, like, coated and stabilized? Or what about just a really, you know, like a high polish like you would find on most tumbled stones? Because I know if you think about something like a fibrous malachite. Right?

 

A little bit more problematic when it's just that powdery sort of malachite compared to when it's been polished. It's sort of fine. Same with, you know, potentially, maybe something like a tiger's eye. Right?

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #14 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Arfvedsonite meaning, including:

Creating cosmic connection with Arfvedsonite

Working with Arfvedsonite to enhance spellwork

Arfvedsonite & the New Moon in Capricorn

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Arfvedsonite meaning!

Podcast Transcript:

Crystal Confab Podcast Introduction: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection, but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for crystal confab, a casual chat about all things crystals.

 

Adam Barralet: Hello, and welcome to another week of crystal confab. You know, I sometimes wonder if I was to discover a crystal, would everyone call it instead of Barralet mispronouncing my name? Well, today, we're gonna talk about another crystal that poor Johan Arfwedson probably gets rather upset often because he was a Swedish chemist who discovered Arfvedsonite, the crystal that we're going to be exploring today. Now this is a bit of a confusing crystal. It is a bit of a rarer one.

 

You will find it occasionally in crystal shops, but even identifying it may be a bit of a challenge. So I'm gonna talk to my other crystal gurus and see what they can recommend on what we can do with Arfvedsonite and how we even work out if it is Arfvedsonite. So here I have 2 different crystals that are in my hand. They're both black. They're both sparkly.

 

This one, when I bought it, was labeled as a strophylite, and this one was labeled as Arfvedsonite. And maybe, Kyle, could you start off by maybe shedding some light on how we work out if Arfvedsonite is Arfvedsonite?

 

Kyle Perez: Well, for me, the most simple way that I've learned to differentiate between the 2 is the simple color shift. I see that within the especially polished stones, it's not as easy within the crystalline form because the crystalline form is quite similar and you don't see that sheen as much. But in the tumbled stones, polished pieces that you kind of see everywhere around the world, It is a bluer flash that you will see within your Arfvedsonite. I don't know if this piece will show up. I think it's showing it off.

 

You can see a little bit of that blue flash. Whereas with your stropholite, it's yellow. I always see that bright yellow flash. It's more of like a yellowy beige, maybe even a little bit of orange, whereas you'll always see the bluey teal shift of color with Arfvedsonite that I've seen, but I think Nicholas might even be able to shed some more light on that.

 

Nicholas Pearson: Yeah. So, in simplest terms, the majority of any of the astrophyllite we're gonna have access to in the market has crystals that are always perfectly parallel, and they're usually in a very pale quartz matrix. They're more rod shaped, whereas with Arfvedsonite, it undergoes more intense metamorphism and will always be fibrous and kind of twisted. It can have a blue flash. Astrophylite will never have a blue flash, but Arfvedsonite could also be green or gold or orange or several other colors.

 

So if you've got this dark swirly matrix, it is guaranteed to be closer to Arfvedsonite than anything else, but I actually know how they got confused.

 

Adam: But it's not.

 

Nicholas: Yeah. So this is a case of someone attempting to get the chemistry right, and they came very close. So these materials that we usually see labeled Arfvedsonitet are actually, like, more more accurately. A geologist would describe them as, like, quartz amphibole schist. And the predominant species of amphibole, because amphibole is a really big and complicated group of chain silicates, the dominant species will either end up being Arfvedsonite or anthophyllite.

 

Anthophyllite is something we don't see written about in the crystal world hardly ever,

Join Adam Barralet, Kyle Perez , Ashley Leavy and Nicholas Pearson in Episode #12 of the Crystal Confab Podcast as they do a deep dive into Citrine meaning, including:

Working with Citrine during the Solstice

Tapping into the spirit of celebration with Citrine

Harnessing Citrine energy to unlock your full potential

Plus, tune in for a look at whether or not natural Citrine is superior to heat-treated Citrine!

 

Tune in now for a deeper look at Citrine meaning!

 

Podcast Transcript:

Crystal Confab Podcast Introduction: Are you just starting with crystals? Or maybe you have a whole collection, but aren't sure how to use them? Join 4 crystal nerds, healers, workers, and lovers for crystal confab, a casual chat about all things crystals.

Ashley Leavy: Hello, and welcome to another amazing episode of the crystal confab podcast. I'm Ashley Leavy joined by Nicholas Pearson, Adam Berlay, and Kyle Perez. And we are so excited to be chatting with you today about, I think, one of all of our favorite crystals, citrine. But even though this is one of our favorites, it is also a highly controversial stone for one big reason that many of you can probably already guess. Kyle, what is that controversy over citrine?

Kyle Perez: Well, I think we all know it's natural versus heat treated. Those terms will always come up for citrine, but, weirdly, they don't come up for other minerals. And I just want to start by saying, if you have a really nice ruby or sapphire, maybe even an emerald or topaz, it is more likely than not, especially in jewelry form, that it has gone through some form of heat treatment or irradiation. So it's actually really important to know off the cuff straightaway that so many crystals and minerals go through the heat process. It is to clean them up, make them a nicer color, change their color.

All of these things happen, and it's less out of malice and more out of need. It's more out of desperation. Right? There's not enough of it. There's more desire for this.

So it has been happening for decades. It's not something that's new to the business, and it's not something that I think we should be so up in arms about. Yes. There is some bad heat treatment that does happen to our poor amethyst, and it can make it a bit crumbly and a bit sad, but if the heat treatment is done correctly, it's beautiful. And what the heat treated citrine actually represents is something that forms naturally, which is Madeira Citrine.

If you've ever seen natural Madeira Citrine, I have a couple of pieces that kind of replicate that sort of color. I don't know if it's gonna work very well because I'm on my phone this week. Madeira actually means wood in Portuguese, and so it has that orangey brown wood tone that forms naturally through the heating and the radiation that happens below the Earth's surface. So it's gonna have iron in it and likely trace elements of aluminum too. It has been heated to a certain point, and that's where we get that beautiful range of color and tone from citrine.

There are 2 really important points that separate natural versus heat treated to actually see whether or not one is all of the other, and it's dichroism. Dichroism is the play of 2 different colors or at least 2 colors. And what you will see with citrine is one color when you look at it down one axis, and then we call this the c axis when you're looking directly down the point, and you'll see a different tone. This is a beautiful African citrine coming from Zambia, nice and light. And what happens is that it just shows you that the crystal is natural.

It has an orientation, and that shows that natural citrine side. Your heat treated citrine will very not show the dichroism. It's gonna show 1 rich, strong color, generally more orangey, generally more warm in its tone, generally stronger and more vibrant, and that's how I like to break down and separate them energetically. I think both of them have their place.