Ringing Rocks and Singing Crystals

This lovely photograph of the glowing crystal was chosen to be the representative for “Stone Wisdom”, a Healing Arts Series by The Institute for the Shamanic Arts during this year’s Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, February 3-17 2013.  As I created this simple poster, I stared at the circular glow and remembered the moment when I took the photo.  On the poster says “Stone Wisdom”, and the photo is of a crystal.  The story of the photo links the two.

I acquired this crystal shortly after I began my shamanic life.  Not long before, I had a profound experience that opened up my spirit world and called me to shamanize.  I liked the crystal because of a smaller than dime shaped phantom inside. When I tilted the crystal this way and that, I could catch the rainbow luminous colors in the middle.  Honestly, I have not used it much in my shamanic work, yet I have never given it away, or forgotten where it is.  It has traveled with me from town to town and from house to house.  It is MY crystal.

During the summers of 2000-2010 my partner and I explored the public lands of the western United States. We packed everything up and lived out of a van, finding legal places to sleep in national forests, state land, and when we had to, rest stops.  In the summer of 2010 we traveled thru Montana.  When we were around Butte, my partner (who is the map reader because he always finds interesting places) saw a little note on a map about Ringing Rocks.  We drove off the highway and up a two track road to find this place.

Our older van told us where to park, which would be our camping spot. We continued up the steep road to find these things called Ringing Rocks. I didn’t know what I was looking for.  Finally, up at the top of this small mountain, was a strange outcropping of rounded rocks.  I didn’t know what to do, but my partner did. He picked up small stones and began to hit the rocks.  Each one had a ringing tone to it, and they were all different.

I recorded him playing an improv tune here.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR54–Sacjk?rel=0]

We spent a few wonderful hours with those stones. Absolutely awe inspiring!  As the sun got low, we decided that we needed to head back to the van to prepare for the night.  I remembered I had my crystal in my pocket. I took it out and it seemed very vibrant. I held it up and turned it just so, and the phantom began to sing with light!  It was so beautiful!  I had this crystal for years, and never knew it could do what I was seeing in that moment.  I knew then that the ringing rocks activated this beautiful light, causing this crystal to sing its vibration.  I immediately took out my camera and was able to take this photo before the setting sun caused the singing light to dim.  The moment passed, the memory has remained.

Every crystal, rock, stone, pebble, mineral and gem has a story.  I am pleased to be able to share the story of this crystal because it is my story, and because this is the image chosen for the poster to represent ISA’s STONE WISDOM Healing Arts Series.  Find out more about individual circles offered by Quynn and other ISA Practitioners at our meetup calendar (linked above).