Crystals and Gemstones

Crystals and gemstones have been used throughout the ages to improve various human conditions. The color and mineral composition lend energy to improving situations from headaches to digestion on a physical level and love loss or mood imbalances on an emotional level. But these rocks don’t stop with just the physical or the emotional aspects of our lives. Crystals and gemstones can help us mentally and spiritually as well. By using your intention combined with the inherent qualities, color and vibration of the gemstone, you can transform any situation with determination and focus. Gemstones are a tool just like you would use a hammer to effectively put a nail into a wall, gemstones help integrate and align you with the intention that you have decided to put into your consciousness and make manifest in the world.

The color and vibration of each of the gemstones relate to and balance one or more of the chakras. There are seven basic energy centers within and around you known as chakras. Each of these energy centers regulates aspects of yourself on a physical, spiritual, mental and emotional level. You want to keep these energy centers in alignment to maintain overall health and well-being. Using a color or chakra meditation is helpful as well as the use of gemstones.
Using gemstones is easy.

Simply carrying the stone in your pocket or purse and touching it from time to time during the day brings your awareness back to your goal or intention. Placing it in your pillow case at night or on your desk where you can see it is another way incorporates it in your life. A tumbled gemstone is small enough to carry in your pocket or put into your pillow case without weighing you down. They are pretty and affordable, too! Of course, wearing gemstone jewelry like a necklace, bracelet or earrings is very effective and attractive as well. Here are a few gemstones you may want to consider.

Selenite helps to align you with higher consciousness. As you develop spiritually it is beneficial to allow yourself to listen to or sense guidance from your higher self, spirit guides or angels. This stone opens the crown chakra to receive transmissions of information and wisdom. On a physical level it helps with the spine, bone and muscular structure of the body. Selenite is a white stone, though recently I have found red selenite (it looks orange to me) that can re-align the emotional structure of one’s consciousness.

Charoite is a stone that helps to open your consciousness to higher spiritual thought. The purple coloring aids in protection on all levels and for the transformation and transmutation of negativity. The negativity it transforms is not only from outside sources but also from your own negative thoughts that you may not even be aware of. Therefore, charoite is an excellent stone to help you become more conscious in general. As you become more conscious you are able to step onto your spiritual path and consciously move forward assisting others on their path.

Jade is good fortune and good luck. Everything about this stone is good. It promotes loyalty, financial success, synchronicity, excellent health and anything else you can associate with love, joy, happiness and success. The green energy promotes overall well being. Carry this always!

Rhodochrosite opens the heart to give and receive love. You may feel that you are a loving person and yet I would like to have you ask yourself how you are about receiving love, attention and blessings. You may think you are good at receiving yet how do you feel about receiving and allowing loving relationships, close connections, intimate relationships and trusting in the full process of love and relationships. This stone is not just about romantic love but the kind of friendships that are balanced, deep and fulfilling. If you are having some challenges with allowing friends or family into your heart and your physical sacred space then you may want to bring some of the pink energy of rhodochrosite into your energy field. Life is too short to keep people at arm’s distance. Open your heart and allow love!

Amber comes in various shades of golden yellow. It is actually petrified pine resin. Amber helps to allow the energies of love and closeness as mentioned above while still maintaining the appropriate levels of boundaries in relationships. There is a fine balance in combining your energy fields with others. Amber helps maintain a healthy balance by protecting you from energy vampires. It cleanses your aura. Amber is also a balancer of self-esteem and self-confidence.

Experiment with these and other gemstones for yourself. Remember, it is the power of your intention, positive thoughts as well as the color, vibration and mineral content that effectuate the change you want in your life.

Facebook

It appears I have a new addiction. During this time that I've been resting to recover from Acute Bronchitis, my mind still wants to work but not on "work-work." I've been playing on the internet. Who would have ever thought you can socialize online. I certainly never went there before. Now it's a whole different story.

I've truly embraced and discovered the world of Facebook. I've been cultivating my social network and connections with people around the globe. It's been interesting and something I normally wouldn't have time to do nor is it something that I should spend time doing. Yet as time goes on I have realized it's something I most definitely "should" do!

I've reconnected with friends from high school and college. Now that's really cool! One of my friends lives in Dubai and I was able to see her and wish her a Happy Birthday because of Facebook. I really love it.

There are some marketing advantages as well, of course. I started a group for The Crystal Garden. If you are on Facebook, please join the Group called The Crystal Garden and also become a fan of The Crystal Garden. There is probably a way for me to link this to that yet I've not gone that far yet.

I've posted photos there like this one so people can see the Angel Room. Some of our customers have moved away and miss attending classes at The Crystal Garden so it gives them a chance to visit online.

And I also posted a picture of this Angel Gemstone Oracle Reading. The Angel Messenger Practitioner (TM) Program is coming up in March. It'll be held on March 13, 14 and 15. The Angel Messengers who have completed this course have found it highly beneficial for personal growth but also for the many people they help because of their training to connect with the angels.

I'll be offline for most of the weekend in order to go shopping for gems for The Crystal Garden. It'll be good to step out and away from the computer but I'm sure I'll miss it. That's what happens with an addiction. I guess there could be worse addictions. Back to balancing life . . . that's what needs to happen.

The Gem Show is for resellers to buy for their stores. I love to shop for crystals. We sell a lot of crystals and gemstones at The Crystal Garden. Our shelves are pretty bare. All the big pieces are gone with the exception of one piece so I better fill up my vehicle! Next week the shelves will be sparkling again. (they are still sparkling . . . just not at the magnitude that they normally are. )

I have gratitude to all our customers because unlike most retailers, our sales are up over last year.

Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude!

Thoughts on Being . . . . Superwoman!

Mama Mia! I am constantly amazed at how much I get done, how much work I still have yet to do, how much more I accept to do, and how much I want to just sit and read a good book under my favorite quilt.

One of my staff at The Crystal Garden has convinced herself that I don't sleep at night but instead, plug into a wall socket to recharge as I keep on going. My best friend, Melissa Applegate, thinks most humans can do only 20% of what I accomplish. So, now I'm bragging a bit, yet it feels good to pat myself. I can hear my mother from the Other Side saying, "Margaret, SPS! Self Praise Stinks!" The thing is - I'm not so sure it's a compliment to be over-the-top the way I am with working on so many things.

There is a downside. I love to garden and despite my distant admiration, my garden continues to bloom and grow. I know some weeds would like to be pulled. I also know it's time to feed my plants their fertilizer. (For those of you reading who don't know - I live in South Florida. It's good to fertilize when the weather cools down - it's 77 degrees! HA!)

Lately, I have been pausing to attend my yoga classes. I have a great instructor, Mary Rosi, at my store, The Crystal Garden. I like the realignment the class provides to me. My body feels stronger, my mind is clearer, my emtions more balanced and my connection with the spiritual realm is reinforced. It makes for a better yoga practice when Mary suggests to dedicate the practice for that given class to someone or something that is important to you. This is a very effective tool. I've dedicated my practice to my manuscript, Crystal Consciousness, which is soon to be published by Llewellyn Worldwide. You may want to get on my mailing list so you can be in on the first copies that hit the shelves. Sign up at info@thecrystalgarden.com

I've also dedicated my practice to my father, Al Lembo, who is 95 years old. WOW! He's an amazing man and I've learned so much from him. If it wasn't for his generosity, financial support and constant you-can-do-it encouragement, we all wouldn't have The Crystal Garden today. So cheers to Al Lembo and my mother Antoinette. (She's guardian spirit now . . . .) I believe I got my super powers from my family heritage. My father always had many jobs going on at the same time and so does my brother today. It must be coursing through my veins to accomplish all that I do.

Yet I must say, I really love it! I'm very creative and I feel I have a mission. I know I only have a specific time frame in which to achieve it so I have to hurry up and get it done. I am Divinely Guided so I can't ignore the responsibility to serve my fellow humans.

• I know I must continue to publish books, oracle decks, spoken audio CDs and more.
• I know I must assist my fellow retailers, authors, vendors on a national level by serving as President for the Coalition of Visionary Resources.
• I know I must run my father's businesses to ensure the funds to care for him and preserve his work for my sister, my brother and I.
• I know I must be a good friend and partner to my sweetheart Vincent.
• I know I must be a good family member to my cousins, neices, nephews and more.
• I know I must be a good friend to my friends.
• I know I must be a good manager and leader for my staff and the community.

So, I'll stop and plug in for a while, re-charge and revitalize!!! I don't look too bad - actually I look marvelous! I'm smiling at YOU!

Truth be told, I'm off to my chiropractor and then to Macy's. See I do stop and play a bit!

Many Blessings,

Margaret Ann

Crystal Consciousness

I'm done! I've finished the manuscript. Thanks to Melissa Applegate for her help in editing!

I've sent the final manuscript off to Llewellyn. Let's all pause now for a moment of heartfelt prayer that Llewellyn and all the powers that be at the publishing house LOVE my book. I know the content is really extraordinary. The approach I've taken with the teachings are different than any other book in it's genre.

I'm much more relaxed now that the book has left my desk. Now it's time to focus on preparing for the pre-publication blitz and the holidays.

I had such a great visit to NYC. I spent time with my family for Thanksgiving (and edited the book late at night.) Vincent took me into Manhattan to all the spots I wanted to visit.

First we stopped at East West Bookshop NYC. I'll be there in June while I'm up at the Book Expo of America at the Jacob Javits Center. I've spoken at East West Bookshop in Seattle last June.

Vincent took me to lunch at a quaint Italian Restaurant on 14th Street then we jumped on a subway to head uptown. We walked past Radio City Music Hall on the way to Rockefeller Center.

After a few photo ops we continued through the throngs of tourists for a quick prayer at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Actually, we sat, kneeled and prayed for over a half hour there. We headed out again in the 41 degree weather (says the Palm Beach girl) to meet Vincent's nephew, Kevin, for a cup of coffee. We ended up at Trump Tower. We sat and chatted for hours.

Our final walk brought us past Bergdoff Goodman. My mom was a seamstress for very famous people there back in the 1940's. She had a career of over 12 years there. So my nostalgic connection with Mommy had me pay homage to the place. Afterall, I was generally spoiled with the fanciest dresses! I was a little doll! (ooops - self-praise? naaaah . . . gratitude for gorgeous dresses and Mary Janes!)

We stopped at the Apple store - their flagship store and took the glass tubular elevator down to visit the Genius Bar. I really tried to get myself to switch to an Apple Mac Book Pro but couldn't leave the PC behind. I just ordered my Dell Latitude. Customer service was great with Dell. (and Apple has excellent sales people as well!)

Finally, we walked down 59th Street past all the fancy expensive hotels on our left and Central Park on our right. We ended up at the Time Warner Building for a green salad at the Whole Foods on the bottom floor. mmmmmm . . . .

We all had a great time! I LOVE NY!

Sequestered with my book, Crystal Consciousness

I'm tucked away with my laptop working on my book. I've sequestered myself within a hotel looking out at skyscrapers. Some authors go to a mountain cabin. I guess you can't take the New Yorker out of me, so I'm gazing out at tall buildings overlooking the Miami River! It's not NYC but it is an easy drive away to change the setting to keep me focused.

Really . . . how focused am I if I'm having a moment of diversion writing in my blog? Oh well, I've achieved quite a bit this morning so a little break of writing on my blog is still writing, isn't it? I'll just consider this diversion a bit of time dedicated to creating a pre-publication buzz for my book.

It's really a great book. I'm extremely excited about it. Although it's primarily about crystals, colors, chakras, aromatherapy, herbs and resins - Crystal Consciousness is much more. I've incorporated spiritual teachings from various indigenous cultures including Toltec, Native American, Mayan, Italian, and Buddhist philosophies. The book is a tool for transforming your life and incorporating spiritual practices into daily life with the sparkle of gemstones and the scents of essential oils, plants and tree resins.

I'm really ready for the final editing process to be complete. My good friend, Melissa, is working with me to edit and tweak the 12 chapters.

The publication of Crystal Consciousness is set for Fall 2009 by Llewellyn Worldwide. That is, of course, dependent upon the actual completed manuscript getting delivered within the next 10 days or so. There are many pre-publication jobs on the to-do-list. But for now, I must stay focused on completing the editing. So now I return to my sequestered state of consciousness!

Recreating Yourself

Sometimes it takes a cosmic 2 x 4 to recreate yourself. In that re-creation you just may find your authentic self pursuing your Divine Purpose. I believe that is true for me. It took many years (20) to really create a well established business but the journey was worth every moment of challenge and lessons. There were definitely moments when I stood in the middle of my store and exclaim to God/Goddess/Great Spirit - "Hey! if you want me to do this work, you need to send me customers so I can pay the real estate taxes, the staff and my vendors! I also would like to get paid some day!"

It was interesting that every time I did my exclamation someone would come in and make a very large purchase on that same day. Usually within a few days, I would also receive a letter giving gratitude for all that The Crystal Garden provides. So I would say, "OK, I guess I'll keep doing this, but please help the store not to struggle to make ends meet." Now I am more proactive. I am blessed with a phenomenal staff. We are all good at holding a vision for meeting our daily sales goals. I am attracting more wholesale clients. And, I am also attracting larger events, like Dr. Eric Pearl with 150 people and the Crystal Skull event in Jan 2009 with 300 people, which definitely help us with our sales and making the rent and all that is due to everyone.

Yes, I did just mention wholesale. I've created a wholesale division over the last couple of years. It started as a publishing division and is expanding. I published my own guided meditation CDs in 2005 and I've added Smudge in Spray to the line. I recently realized that it's time to add my whole line of medical grade essential oils including my proprietary blends called Euphoria, Lift Me Up!, and Auntie M's Anti. I am in the process of creating a really amazing Oracle Deck which will be self-published. The graphic art and the photography is being done by Victoria Rose Martin. I love working with her. I also have a new CD coming out to use to instill positive thoughts into your consciousness. That should be out by Winter 2009.

The thing to remember here is all of this was birthed out of 20 years of being in this business. I started The Crystal Garden with Carol Lonsdale in 1988. She left in December 1996 and continued on to grow my business. But we had humble beginnings. We started with just one small room of merchandise, much of which was consignment. I had gemstones from Arkansas and one Brazilian dealer. We had a few books, some incense and a lot of enthusiasm. I still have extreme enthusiasm for my work. I am so grateful for my career and the many facets of it. I like running many companies (I handle my father's real estate companies as well.) It's all very rewarding. And I am never bored!

Crystal Skulls

It looks like I'll have to go see the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" - the latest one that includes crystal skulls. I'm sure my personal experience with Crystal Skulls is much different from Indiana Jones - well relatively speaking, that is!

The Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull shown here on the left will be presented through me and The Crystal Garden,(due to a connection with Liz Alpert who is connected to Eric Pearl - talk about "reconnection" -woo woo!) YOU will get to see this amazing gemstone - this Crystal Skull in person on January 22, 2009 in Boynton Beach, Florida! It will be another off site event by The Crystal Garden at the Boynton Woman's Club, a Mizner historic landmark building.

My first experience with a crystal skull evolved from a journey I took to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Back in about 1993 I had a vision that one of my "jobs" here on Mother Earth is to connect the grids of light around the planet to accelerated Love, Peace and the raised consciousness of all beings here.

The idea of the first grid came to me in the form of a vision around 1991 while I was voice channeling with and for my friend, Melissa. I rarely voice channel in semi-trance yet in that moment in time, I was practicing the gift of voice channeling. The information that came through was received as a vision in my mind’s eye. I thought the information was for Melissa, but as it turned out that she was holding the vibration for me to receive the information as she was a practiced voice channel already.

That first realization of creating crystal grids was revealed at my third eye center in a true clairvoyant fashion. Remember – clairvoyance is the ability to see visions that someday you may need to act upon. I saw myself facilitating a visualization process with a group of people that I brought with me at the pyramid site of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. I had never been there but as I described it, Melissa recognized the description of that Sacred Site and was able to tell me where it was located. I knew at that moment that I would be bringing a group to Chichen Itza to re-activate the grids of light.

The vision revealed the specific placement of people at various points within the site. In the vision, I saw the grounds or compound of Chichen Itza, but I didn’t know the magnitude of the vision until I arrived at the site many years later. Everything was exactly how I saw it and I was able to place people and their crystals around the site just as if I had been there before.That vision was around 1992 and it wasn’t until January of 1994 that the first tour to the Yucatan occurred. It was called Ruins and Rituals: Explore the Yucatan Peninsula, a spiritual learning vacation.

The interesting part unfolded between 1992 and 1994. There were many spiritual journeys that took place during that time and since then but hopefully the details and realization of all those trips will be published in one of my books one day. (It was cut out of the book on crystals that I'm currently working on so it will have to be in another book - perhaps one called Activation of the Grids of Light.)

During the second visit to Chichen Itza after the completion of the grid process, I was waiting for the group to reconvene with me on top of the Venus Platform. While I waited, a very handsome man arrived and asked what we were doing. As I explained, I came to the realization that he would become part of the group for the day. He joined in for the rest of the meditations and became friends with us. He lived in Miami and he had a mission in our lives. Because of connections that he had, he arranged to have Max, the Crystal Skull to The Crystal Garden about a year later. It was profound to have Max - the crystal skull - in our Angel Room with about 50 people squeezed in. Even Nick Nocerino was there. That was a real surprise. Life is interesting!

As a side note, it was while I was waiting for everyone that the "handsome man" told me about the Internet. I hadn’t even heard of it until that moment on the Venus Platform. Now, that really is in alignment with connecting the grids around the world. I remember that I really didn't believe him when he told me of the technology. At that point, the Internet had been out for a while but for some reason I just didn't know about it. But I digress . . . .

Years later in 2000, I went on Sacred Sites tour to follow the Ley Line of Michael and Mary through France and England. During that trip, we went to Tintagel which is the birth place of King Arthur. On the drive to Tintagel, I kept hearing Marcus, our spiritual tour director, say that we would go see the Crystal Skull. I kept asking him, "Marcus, there is a crystal skull in Tintagel?" and he would say, "No, Margaret, there is no crystal skull in Tintagel." As he continued to speak with the other facilitator, I kept over hearing him say that we were going to go see the Crystal Skull. Finally, this mild mannered man, lost his patience with me and really told me strongly, 'MARGARET - THERE IS NO x!$#%%!!! CRYSTAL SKULL IN TINTAGEL!!

I sat back in my seat bewildered as we drove through the English countryside of Cornwall and pondered on why I kept hearing the words Crystal Skull. When we arrived in Tintagel, the first thing I did was visit a crystal shop. (what a surprise, right?!) And the first thing I saw was a collection of all sizes of crystal skulls!!!! I now have one - Baby- who is very clear with a rainbow infraction at the third eye center. It's an amazing piece. Last night I was reading a bit more on crystal skulls through a Google search on my Blackberry (that I really love) and found this link http://www.crystalinks.com/crystalskulls.html As I read through, it confirmed much of what I already know, but one more dot was connected.

I've always known about the 13 Original Skulls that are to come back together one day. Jamie Sams book, the 13 Original Clan Mothers, outlines this information very well. As I scrolled my way through this link above, I realized that there were 12 knights of the round table and King Arthur was the 13th. And Voila!, the connection of the Crystal Skull. I'd have to go into quite a dissertation to continue to speak on the important significance of 13.

More recently, I believe that I blogged in an earlier post in June 2008, about meeting another skull called Sha Na Ra while I was touring in Bellingham, Washington this past summer. I was scheduled to teach at Wise Awakening. As the universe would have it, the class didn't fill up and instead I had a private session with this amazing skull, Sha Na Ra, which was Nick Nocerino's Crystal Skull. (Aaaah - connect the dots back to Nick's visit to The Crystal Garden with Max in the mid-1990s.)

What does a person do when having a private session with a crystal skull? For me, it's a time of sacred connection with ancient wisdom of ancient cultures. It's a meditative time of being in no mind with no expectations. Going into silence and having time of staring into the eye sockets and the third eye center of the crystal.

Ancient crystal skulls help bring light, consciousness, and connects the grids of light from other Sacred Sites and ancient cultures. This amazing artifact contains the potential to be a catalyst to awaken consciousness by activating seeds lying dormant within people’s brains and sleeping awareness.

Well, as life would have it, I get the honor and privilege to be a hostess for the arrival of the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull through The Crystal Garden. I am so over-the-top excited! I do believe that people will drive from all over the place to see it. So get your tickets early. E-tickets are available online.

Visit their website at http://www.mitchell-hedges.com/ to read more. And visit Liz Alpert's website at http://www.lizalpert.com/ as she is the one who found me to make this happen! Her jewelry is outstanding!

Tell me your experiences or thoughts on Crystal Skulls. Post a comment now. It's easy!

It's been a while since I've written

Many bloggers blog daily. Now that is a nice discipline. I just can't seem to fit it into my day.

This last period of 3 weeks has been pretty intense for me. I have a tendency to try to do too much. I have so many ideas and ways to assist myself and other have a happier life, that I try to do it all - at the same time! Jeez Louise! Not happening. I have many plates spinning and I don't want any of them to drop.


My Dad was brought by ambulance to the hospital 2 weeks ago. He was home after 3 full days on the Infectious Disease floor at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach. The nursing staff at Bethesda is very good. I am also so grateful for Dad's primary caregiver, Hyacinth. She does an phenomenal job taking care of him. During the hospital visit, Hyacinth stayed with Dad at night. In the past, that was something I always had done. 24/7 care. What a relief to have the help and support this time in caring for Dad.


He's home. He's recovering. He had bronchitis. They thought it was pneumonia but thank goodness it wasn't. Man - they sure did pump him with antibiotics though. At 94.9 years old (he turns 95 on 11/13) it's really wiped him out. Then our other fantastic daytime caregiver, Vern, got the bronchitis, so he was flat out for 7 days. Poor Baby!


I managed to do day care and Hyacinth did the night care. The staff at The Crystal Garden as always handled everything. They really are the BEST STAFF IN THE WORLD! Thank goodness! I am just now beginning to catch up. I'm not as stressed either. My body was trying to get something - like a sinus infection - but I think I was able to get rid of it without antibiotics this time.

I finally heard back from my acquisitions editor at Llewellyn Worldwide - my publisher. I now have direction on how to edit the book. (this info came around the same time Dad went into the hospital.) Yesterday, I finally sat down and started the editing process. I believe the book will have the title of Crystal Consciousness: Heal Yourself using Color, Aromatherapy and Gemstones. At least that seems to be the new working title for now. That could change.


At the same time that I'm trying to edit, I am also excited about the Angel Messenger Practitioners (TM) who will start their training with me and Archangel Mikael tonight! I believe that we'll have a phenomenal experience. I actually pumped out a Power Point presentation for the program and for the Gemstone Oracle training. It will really improve the ability for those learning to integrate the information. I know we'll be laughing a lot this weekend. I'm a bit comedic when I do this training. (OK - that's an understatement! Ha!) I'll probably offer another training in the first quarter of 2009. So let me know if you are interested.

And next Saturday, Sept 20th, we are celebrating 20 Years of Sharing Love and Light at The Crystal Garden. How cool is that? Very Cool! Here is an excerpt from the most recent email I've sent out:

"Our gift to you is 20% off EVERYTHING IN THE STORE ON SEPTEMBER 20TH! Come by and take advantage of our thank you to you for your many years of support.

Also, The Crystal Garden continues to get greener as we now premier our Green Bags with our beautiful angel meditating logo. Our bags are only $4.99 and quite large and sturdy. Between now and September 20th we will be giving you a free bag with purchase of $50 or more. One per customer please. Of course, you can buy more but the free one is a one time gift! So, if you can't make it on Sept 20th, stop by before Sept 20 and get your gift with purchase of $50.

You may have noticed the 36 stones that are stored in the front of the Angel Room. Those are the Medicine Wheel rocks. Join us for the ceremonial building of the Medicine Wheel. We'll be building it between 1 and 3 pm on Saturday, Sept 20. It's a prayerful story-telling experience. Come at any time between those hours. We've loosened up the ceremonial rules a bit so more people can come and go to experience some of this wonderful event. It's free."

Then - on Thursday, September 25, Dr. Eric Pearl will be presenting a lecture on The Healing Connection - an event created by The Crystal Garden to be held off-site at the Boynton Woman's Club. Read more about that . . . .


And then . . . Mama Mia. . . . really - is there more? Yes! The Crystal Healer Certification Level 2 will be on Sept 26 and 27th. So if you've taken Level 1 - sign up now!



I'm looking forward to all of these good things. I also am very involved in the Coalition of Visionary Resources. COVR is a national trade organization and I am now the president. With the fabulous help of our administrator, Sandi at Soul Journey, I am able to actually fulfill these duties. If you are thinking of creating a store, or go out on the speaking circuit - or even manufacture something that is within the visionary business trade - then this organization can really help you be successful. Check out their website at http://www.covr.net/.

So - that's what been happening in my world. I still find time to sleep, eat, laugh, enjoy my love, Vincent, and breath!

Many Blessings,
Margaret Ann

Summer Days in the Northeast

I've arrived in Springfield for the weekend. Tomorrow I have a full day of Angel Gemstone Oracle Sessions and Past Life Regressions. I'll do a repeat on Monday after a full weekend of teaching the Crystal Healer Certification course - both Level 1 and Level 2.

I'm really looking forward to Friday. Vincent and I will head over to the Gem and Mineral Show so I can shop, shop and shop some more for The Crystal Garden. I'm sure we'll use some of those gems over the weekend during the course at Michelle McCarthy's Heart to Heart Healing Connection. (There are still a few spaces left in the course so if you live in the area you can still sign up!)

During Level 1 we delve into the many levels of each of the chakras. The deeper understanding of the chakras really helps you look deeper into yourself. With this self-awareness you can make transformational shifts in your life. But only if you want to! I find the use of complimentary colors very effective for restoring balance. For example, when someone is angry you would want to add more blue energy and blue stones into their life. Similarly, if you are constantly spraining an ankle or having any other types of inflammations including headaches, then the blue vibration - not the red energy - will restore health and well-being while you uncover the underlying cause of the challenge.

Level 2 is fun because it's the time to develop the third eye, exercise the spiritual body and spiritual sight while reading the body and practicing crystal alignments. The laying on of crystals is fun and feels so good. The depth of relaxation that is elicited during the experience is so healing for the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional bodies.

Well, as I sit here in my Hampton Inn hotel room, I realize it is time to get back to a boring job. I need to copy all of my contacts into a Word document because I want to get an IPhone - the new 3G version. I can't wait. My Sanyo phone is pretty old as far as cell phones go - so there isn't a way that I am aware of to download my contacts into the new IPhone. If anyone knows how - please email me! Or post your comments here.

Off to the world of Contacts in my cell phone . . . .

Connecting with Mother Earth

I've been home for 2 weeks now and have about 3 more weeks before I arrive in Massachusetts to offer the Crystal Healer Certification Level 1 and 2 at Heart to Heart Healing Connection in West Springfield. While I am there I will shop the largest Gem show on the east coast. We'll load up Vincent's car and drive back to Florida after all my events are over. I'm booked with private sessions for Past Life Regressions and Angel Gemstone Oracle Readings as well.

Being home for so long - 5 week - I have been able to reconnect with the land that I live on. I am so grateful for all my beautiful plants and trees. The mangoes are just about getting ripe. I know that when the animals start eating them, they are ready to pick. I brought 4 mangoes in to finish ripening yesterday when I was out dead heading my rose bushes. If I don't take some in to enjoy, the squirrels hang upside down on the branches and munch away on the mango while it's still hanging on the tree! It's a sight to see.

The hurricanes, all 3 of them that hit 2 years in a row, really challenged many trees and plants. This is the first year that we've had our normal tropical weather patterns of torrential rain every day. I can hear the plants and trees singing and doing a happy dance that they can finally heal and grow again. We haven't had any mangoes on the tree since before the hurricanes so I guess it's been about 5 years. Interestingly, only half the tree grew mangoes. The part that was hurt so badly is still healing. At least I didn't lose the tree. I lost a carombola a/k/a star fruit, 3 coconuts, 2 orange and numerous other young trees.

The summer growth in my paradise-like backyard was deep and rich. I did some trimming for the long-term health of the plants, but I love the tropical jungle affect that they create. One Tarzan-like vine grew over 2 of my bougainvillea bushes. Taking the vine off those plants was really good exercise to say the least!

I compost. I save all of my organic material like vegetable cuttings, coffee grounds, egg shells, and old bread in a plastic container on my kitchen counter. Daily, or sometimes more frequently if I cook more often, I place the contents in a pile in section of the garden in my backyard. I am doing a modified version of composting because one should either dig a hole to bury it or put it into a compost bin and layer it with greens and browns. But, my version feeds the neighborhood wild life. I do this with intention to offer them and Mother Earth some food to eat with gratitude for supporting my life.

I read portion of a book in a Cracker Barrel while we were traveling about Lasagna Gardening. It's a way to layer all the organic materials in an area where you don't want to or have the time to dig up and prepare the bed in the normal way. So I've tried it in my yard as traveling has precluded my ability to get my hands in the dirt.

I placed shredded paper from my shredder and newspaper over the weeds and then threw all my compost in one section of a bed. After enough of the area was covered over time, Vincent and I covered it with peat moss, soil and then mulch. It raised the bed and created an area for rich soil. I've added the tops of the pineapples to that part of the garden. I now have 4 pineapple plants started. Do 4 plants qualify as a Pineapple Grove? Well, now I want to eat more pineapple to add to the garden!

I recently realized that little rabbits like pineapple. I wondered which creature kept digging them up and munching on what was left of the pineapple. Then I saw the sweet creature looking innocent in the bed. We have a baby bunny that graces our back yard from time to time to snack on asparagus ends, brussel sprouts debris and obviously the new pineapple plants.

The baby green iguana who also lives in and around our yard wild, like the marigolds. Yesterday I saw him having a little snack. I've also seen them eat sunflower sprouts. It took me a while to realize why my sunflowers never went beyond sprouting until I saw one of the iguanas snacking away.

There is also a young possum that comes by at night. My cat, Gabrielle, who is an indoor cat, enjoys the visit through the glass door. And, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon enjoy the boudoir of my salt water pool and jacuzzi.

All God's creatures enjoy the land that I get to live on. I've seen wood peckers, osprey, and even an otter! It's a true gift. A reverse zoo! I'm in the cage indoors and they are enjoying the outdoors. Works for me.

Many blessings to all beings of Mother Earth!

Angel Love,
Margaret

Fine feathered friends

I'm on the road again. My sweetheart and I are traveling up the East Coast on I95 heading for Pennsylvannia. I'll be doing Angel Gemstone Oracle Sessions with Harmony Quest in Kregsville, PA on Wed, April 16th. If you live in the area, make an appointment with Rose and come see me! Here is the link: Margaret in PA

I had to leave my macaw, ShaNay, at The Crystal Garden where she has lived for 17 years to visit other fine feathered friends in other parts. (These friends don't have visible wings!) Take notice of the crystal singing bowls in the background of the photo. Sha Na and Mikael, my white dove, are in one of the showrooms at the store.

Anyway, we stopped to see a friend in Jacksonville. She has a new puppy. We had a fun and joyful visit. Last night we stopped in Florence, SC. We'll be in Pennsylvannia by late tonight. I'll be offering Angel Gemstone Oracle sessions and the Crystal Healer Certification at Soul Journey in Butler, NJ this weekend. If you live in New Jersey or the surrounding area - come on over and come to the class. Here is the link: Margaret in New Jersey.

I must say that it is fun to be "on the road" as it brings perspective and realizations just be getting away.

I hope to see you this coming week!

Blessings,
Margaret

Sleeping again

Thank goodness I am sleeping again. My good friend, Sandi, posted a comment on my trouble sleeping post. I have found that once my stress level is reduced I sleep better. And, if I awaken now at 2 or 3 am . . . or whenever, I find that I am using it to work on my book when the world around me is very quiet. This works well as long as I don't have to get up early and out of the house early the next day. I did that writing in the "Witching Hours" as Sandi put it and found that I was very tuned in and really accomplished quite a bit. I didn't have to get up the next day, so I went back to sleep at around 5 am slept til 9:32 am and felt great all day!

I just finished teaching Crystal Healer Level 1 at The Crystal Garden. What a great group we were! We laughed quite a lot. My staff wanted to know if my class had turned into a comedy club. So we laughed, we learned, we cried, we meditated and we laugh some more. I'll be teaching the Level 1 of the Crystal Healer Certification in 2 weeks at the Self-Enrichment Center in Coral Gables (Miami), Florida (www.self-enrichmentcenter.com). I am looking forward to teaching it at Soul Journey in Butler, New Jersey in April (www.souljourney.com) then at Spark of Spirit in College Park, MD (Washington, D.C. area) in May (www.sparkofspirit.com). You can always go to my Where's Margaret? link on my website to see where I will be. If you are interested, that is! I will be traveling out to Washington State to speak at East West Bookshop in Seattle, WA as well as Wise Awakenings in Bellingham, WA and The Healing Haven in Astoria, OR. That should be a nice tour. I tour to teach, do private sessions and promote my CDs which are Guided Meditation CDs. Soon I'll be promoting my book! How exciting! I'll tell more as it unfolds.

I have been doing well on Jenny Craig. I have incorporated more meals on my own as the processed food sure does have a lot of preservatives. I am using the lymphatic patches as I melt away the pounds to detox the toxins being released with my fat cells. I've slimmed down by 7 pounds in just under 3 weeks. That's great! Yay!

Blessings,
Margaret