Reflecting on the A-Z Challenge

Well, it's over now and it was fun while it lasted if a little tiring. This was my second year and I will be signing up for next year's.

Things learned:

Write posts in advance
Set a specific time aside for posting
Set a specific time aside for reading and commenting on other blogs
Organise which blogs to return to to check on comments so I don't get lost trying to find them
Relax

Finding new blogs to read is one of my favourite parts of the challenge, it's great to come across ones with content you may not have expected, some with light yet fun posts, others more informative with thoughtful insights, but all so well thought out even the light-hearted ones were cleverly done. It was so interesting to find all the different themes people had, too. Last year I didn't have a theme but found it easier to stick to one topic this year.

The new category list was useful but for me not too important as I like to dive into a blog and be surprised at it's contents so I didn't always look at the codes before clicking on the title. The diversity makes things more interesting, reading the codes first could make it too easy to stick to one category. The daily challenge posts were a great help, a boost to keep going, plus reading the comments every day helps so much with feeling a part of something, a kind of joining together. It was also a good way to see things in a different way as people posted their thoughts and opinions.

I did try to comment on as many of the posts as I could but often went back to the same blogs and read several posts together before adding a comment, especially with favourite blogs. Most people had their captcha turned off but I still found it difficult to post on some blogs, especially the wordpress ones, I think a lot of people don't realise how difficult it can be to find the comment box. The same goes for people who comment who I would love to have responded to but couldn't find their blogs as I am not a member of google+  which you seem to need to be to get into some other people's blogs unless I am missing something simple, easy for me to do.

All lots of  fun and will be thinking up a new theme ready for next year.

Zeolite

 So we come to the last day in the A-Z Challenge and today I am bringing you the Zeolite Crystal. This is not actually one crystal but several held together - rather apt I thought on the last day of a month of posts on a theme of gemstones or crystals.

The Zeolite will absorb toxins either from the body or the environment, and strong smells. Very powerful at healing and is used in Reiki as it is so great at detoxifying. It also helps with the response to the healing.

Bury it in the garden so it can benefit growing your plants or herbs. Good for agriculture, too, for that reason. Perhaps I can try some in our allotment, it had a terrible time last year de to the weather - so much rain, and we could do with  better crop this year.

For people who have a problem with retaining in their bodies, such as water, use a Zeolite for it's detoxifying properties, this means it is good for goiters and bloating. We could all do with a good detox now and again, though maybe while trying with more conventional ways such as watching our food and drink intake, but having one of these stones could help with it.  It helps with addictions as well, especially to alcohol.

It removes negative energy in a person and replaces it with happiness. And with that it sounds like a nice stone to end on.

I've had a great time in the A-Z Challenge, meeting lots of you in the process either in here or on your own blogs, and will hopefully be writing a Reflective post about it when the time comes. Hope to see yours, too.

Y are there no gemstones beginning with Y?

So, having searched and found none I thought instead I just show a few of my other stones with a teensy line or two giving their properties.

I love the shape of this Coral. As you might imagine, the deep red symbolises blood and so this stone is meant to be good for the life force and for the blood. It gives wearers of Coral joy and happiness helping you to enjoy life to the full.

This is Hematite which looks a lot like a metal. Strong and giving strength, so it is useful if you are timid. Also useful for legal situations.

Rhodonite can be pink or red, this one is pink. Emotional healer, clearing away emotional wounds. Also good for insect bites and reduces scarring. Helps if you have trouble with your hearing.

The Tiger's Eye helps with practical perception so aiding with resolving dilemmas and conflicts within yourself.  Balances the Yin and Yang. As you might imagine with something using the word Eye in it's name, it is said to help with eye problems and also with night vision. Gemstones were often given names which reflected their uses.

Dalmation Jaspers, so called because of their spots. This stone brings out the playfulness in us, appealing to the child inside us. Also very good for children helping remove their fears and worries.

Blue Lace Agate. I wish my photo was better but try as I might I couldn't remove the glare and must learn more about my camera. This is a very pretty pale blue stone which reflects back at you. Very healing, nurturing and supporting. Removes fears of being rejected or suppressed, feelings we may have been holding onto since childhood, even from our parents, so we are able to open up more fully and finally relax.

I apologise for being a day late with this and will shortly be adding the last post in the challenge. Good luck to you all in finishing.

aXinite

Yes, yes, I know I'm cheating. But there just doesn't seem to be any gemstones beginning with the letter X and to keep to my theme I have tried bending the rules a bit. I had thought of doing a post on the non- existentialissm of a gemstone or crystal beginning with X but realised that was cheating too with the X. Oh well, this post is about the aXinite crystal stone.

Feeling a little weak or tired? Use an aXinite to restore your energy and make those changes you wanted to do at the same time as this stone helps out with that too. Anything trying to stop those changes won't seem to matter so much as the aXinite helps you flow along without unnecessary worry. So in the end the best is achieved for both sides. Grounding you and healing as it goes.

Helps you to remember dreams and also meditation messages which might be trying to get through. It's even said to bring back collective memories of man from ages past. Keeping you clear headed and grounding if you go too far into a trancelike state while meditating.

Problems with the feet? This stone will help out there, as well as spinal problems or bone breaks, and if you are a healer yourself this stone will help to bring out the vibrations to help you deliver healing to others.

Now I need to try to find me a gemstone beginning with Y and there's going to be trouble again, I can see. Right now, though, I'm off to visit around some other blogs to see what Xs they came up with in the challenge, hope you all didn't find it so difficult.

Wavellite

The decision maker is the name given to Wavellite. Used when confronted with more than one choice it'll help the user choose the right one, or rather to give the bigger picture so they can see the best path to go down so as they move down to reach the correct end and the best place needed to get to. Better for the big decisions you need to make rather than day to day ones.

A rare stone and difficult to find but if you do use for aiding in meditation when there is a new moon to bring insight and awareness.

As said this stone will help to see the bigger picture, whereas lots of other gemstones will attune to one particular aspect of you while this one helps to pull back and see all with out distraction. It draws energy out and distributes it out over the whole body evenly. Useful for blood flow, skin complaints, hayfever and colds. It'll also strengthen and tone your life force, or Chi. It gives stamina and endurance but lets us realise we can't give our all when helping others, we need to protect ourselves or we burn out too and this stone will remind us when to pull back and look after ourselves so we can carry on helping others.

I don't have a Wavellite and this picture isn't mine, but it shows how the stone can display a play of light shining outwards which is said to be very attractive to see.

Variscite

Gentle and calming, this stone will help bring peace to the user. A lovely joyous stone bringing love and compassion. If you are feeling in need of something this stone will help you to realise what it is that you are wanting and will aid in getting it, or fulfilling any wishes you had.

Often called the true worry stone a Variscite will ease anxieties, tensions and impatience and help remove stress. Use one if you are feeling low and it is also recommended if you have depression, it's excellent if you see no future or are in despair. It helps you to love yourself enabling you to fully love others.

If you are experiencing problems with someone else who you really do need to be getting on with a Variscite will help with a connection, to enable you to see the other person's point of view, and could also help communities to get on if there are different beliefs or ideals between them.

Use in meditation to calm your mind. Or on the body to help regenerate skin cells and constricted blood supplies. Good for giving strength while caring for others. Great for the central nervous system, too. Plus, this is also a great stone for male impotence as it helps with male reproductive tissues.

Although many Varicites are yellow green, as is the one pictured, the green colour is money attracting as I've mentioned in other gemstone posts, so bear this mind if you have one as you may find money worries abating while more money comes your way.

Unakite

The Unakite is said to be helpful for animals, so that if you breed any this is a good stone to have around.  It is an aid for humans to have as a birthstone and this will also aid in the same way with animals. It will also be able to help you to find your animal spirit guide.

It's balancing, too, for your spiritual side and your physical bringing them together to strengthen you as a whole person. As the stone is a combination of two types of gemstone which have fused together - the orange of a Jasper and the green of an Epidote - this balancing of two types of oneself isn't really surprising as it is utilising aspects of both those stones allowing you to feel more centred.

Meditate on a Unakite to help release any pain or deep felt anger you might have, it'll remove obstacles which may have been holding you back, even from as far back as childhood allowing you to move on. In fact, if you have a child who you suspect of having problems and they won't discuss it ask them to hold one so it helps remove the fear preventing them from sharing this problem, it will let them feel safe talking about it.

Have one in the garden so it can help there, it's useful for gardens. Or if you like to cast spells having one of these with you while doing so will give you more confidence in the casting of it and help control the way you want it to go. If you are able to send distance healing to other people this stone will aid in the sending of it.

I've seen some cute animal images made of Unakite on the internet while doing some research on this stone. You might want to take a look.