Amulets: Broad vs. Narrow Bandwidths
At this time most of my amulets fall into two broad categories: strung gemstones and symbols, or collections of gemstones and symbols held together with wire. The strung necklaces and bracelets include many chips of various gemstones; even when one stone predominates, I include a “secret” chip or two of another gem as a balancing influence, like seasoning to a dish. For example, the Heart in the Clouds Necklace, a giddy confection of sun, light, and heart-energy, has a single olive green labradorite chip, the deeper and more categorically aware energy of the magician, that the wearer might awaken to purpose and understanding amid their lightness of heart. Other strung gemstone amulets have almost equal quantities of several different gems.
Above: Heart in the Clouds Necklace (click for more). The labradorite chip is at upper left - note the green fleck of iridescence.
Above: Stone Buddha at Trout Lake Abbey, WA. Heart in the Clouds is intended to amplify spiritual growth.
Although the strung bead amulets have unique energy signatures and are both created and blessed with specific intentions, they can manifest their power in various ways according to the energy and needs of the wearer and the quality of time. For example, the Lily Pool Necklace, creating with soothing, cooling, and beautifying abilities, might serve one wearer as a source of calm in a stormy family relationship; another might wear it to facilitate communication with plant and lake spirits while she walks; a third might not imagine a specific purpose but, looking back over the period in which she wore the amulet, might discern some subtle transformation or charming influence only noticeable over time.
Above: Lily Pool Necklace (click for more).
The strung bead necklaces are not necessarily subtle, though they are well-balanced and broad in scope. The same criteria apply as for any other amulet: their power stems from the inherent qualities of the stones and symbols, the qualities of time, space, and consciousness by which they were created, and the energy signature and intentions of the wearer. For example, many find the Dragon’s Heart Necklace difficult to wear because of the hot, fiery, and drying nature of the many red-dyed agate stones it contains, though it is carefully balanced with the appropriate calming moss agate. However, one appropriately drawn to the necklace, and so using it to accept their own power (the quality of the amulet) would almost certainly find the process less jarring or frightening than they would with an unbalanced approach (say, a rope of plain red-dyed agate).
Above: Dragon's Heart Necklace (click for more).
Above: Some may find red, orange, or yellow gemstones too heating and drying.
However, just as we might eat mild foods for weeks and then turn to the spiciest dish we can make when the weather turns cold, often maintaining balance as we grow and develop requires the correction of imbalance. In my next post, we will explore the second category of amulets (gemstones and symbols bound with wire), including those few created for highly specific purposes, narrow and effective in their powers. Finally, we will discuss intuition and the rather playful methods of selecting an amulet to wear.
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