Buyer Beware Part 1: Andara Crystals

{Buyer Beware}

One of the important things to know when you're getting into healing crystals, or considering high priced pieces as investments (which they can definitely be!) is to recognize when you're being swindled by marketing.

A friend sent me this GORGEOUS aqua aura grid! Seriously those quartz pieces and even the raw aqua aura points in the front are wow-factor. However, what is super disappointing is that the spheres, pyramid, and skull are very clearly glass, what's worse yet is that these pieces are marketed as high-vibe "Andara Crystals". Sounds fancy, right?

Andara Crystals are not what they claim to be, and it's been perpetuated in the healing and metaphysical community for a couple decades now. "Andara Crystals" claim to be simultaneously mono-atomic crystal while also being sold as made up of "etherium", a combination of 70 different elements. It's not possible for both those claims to be true, let alone at the same time.

What's worse is that Andara Crystals are often marked up for small pieces fetching $100s of dollars, if not thousands! It's not even a crystal as glass doesn't have crystalline atomic structure! What andara crystals are actually made up of is "slag glass"-- broken shards and chunks discarded from glass factories.

What gives crystals their form, like the various kinds of points you see in valuable quartz or the various crystalline shapes of plutonic solids that fluorite can be found in, is because on an atomic level that same shape is found in it's molecular structure. The crystalline atomic structure of the mineral composition is what lend crystals their healing properties as that crystalline formation has a much lower rate of entropy than organic materials. Take, for example, shungite: what gives shungite its incredible properties is that within that organic carbon-based material, the atomic structure of a form of the mineral carbon is that of remarkable "buckyball" formation-- and why the scientists who discovered that in the 80s won a Nobel Science Prize for it! (I can go on and on about the possibility of what buckyball atomic structure can lend for everything from medicine delivery efficacy to perhaps in the future being used to plate glass to protect against UV rays, as it is in development!).

While some crystal healers can debate whether or not man-made formations or enhanced versions of crystals are truly "healing", the consensus is that it's generally a no to mess with what nature produces perfectly in its own right. Some of these crystals that are contested are ones like aqua aura (or any of the "auras") and heat-treated citrine. The auras are created through extraordinary measures: aqua aura is created by putting quartz into a hot vacuum chamber with gold and other trace metals and the gold then bonds on an atomic level with the quartz. What this means is that if you were to slice an aura crystal in half or it chips, it won't lose it's iridescent shimmer. For this reason, I think science is incredible and thus combines the properties of gold with quartz to create new properties because it's crystalline atomic structure has been modified to create something completely new.

Long story short, do your research if you see ANY crystal marketed with a trademarked name. This is often a sign that you should do a little more research. Where did it come from? Who trademarked the name? Is it real? Know your sources and makes sure they are ethically in alignment with the properties and love you have for the crystal.

Learn how you feel, and you'll save yourself.

It’s no surprise to me that Mr. Rogers nostalgia is coming full force with that Tom Hanks/Mr. Rogers movie coming out this holiday season.

Literally every single person I work with, from crystals to coaching, are all yearning for a different response than what we experience in our Collective Consciousness: racism, chaotic, violent, sexism, anger, misogyny…

How do we process all this noise? We can find answers in our friend, Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers came to popularity in a similar era of uncertainty and chaos, and he was speaking to the youngest people, children.

I grew up with Mr. Rogers, and there’s a soothing, welcoming, comfort about his presence. His message was always clear: you are loved just how you are, always. And the gift he gives are tools to understand how you feel so you don’t forget that you are. How often do you remember to love yourself?

I see this frequently, there’s discord and drama and resistance in our own lives because we forget to love ourselves and feel our feelings.

What I love about Fred Rogers’ method is that he always approached each emotion casually, as if what you’re feeling doesn’t have to be intimidating or “too much.” He gave practical and calm examples of how to deal with that emotion. It wasn’t political to be emotional or sensitive, it was a part of being human— every emotion is trying to communicate with you if you slow down and listen. Once you can identify that feeling, it helps to talk about it. That’s the basis for sane and mindful mental health.

The lyrics to: “What Do You Do with the Mad You Feel?”

”What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong...
And nothing you do seems very right?

What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?

It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:

I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there's something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man.”

“It’s great to be able to stop when you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong, and be able to do something else instead…” This is some HIGH LEVEL understanding, higher consciousness about this. It’s brilliant because every “bad” emotion wants a reaction from you, and YOU GET TO CHOOSE how you deal with it and still acknowledge how you’re feeling.

Every time I’ve made harmful decisions for myself: binging and purging, in depression, in a fight with a loved one, comes from a time where I knew what I was feeling and wasn’t able to do something else instead because I was so enmeshed in what I was feeling rather than identifying, owning, and making a different choice that honors the person who is loved, by Mr. Rogers and myself.

“When we people can understand our feelings and talk about them, we’re free to be the person we like being,” he said. I certainly don’t like the irate, hot/cold, rage yelling Tiffany I can be and have been in the past. I like being the loving, sweet, caring, calm Tiffany who listens and understands. This Tiffany communicates that she’s frustrated when she’s frustrated, and communicates why. When I feel sad, I can explain what made me feel sad so that I can process it. Mr. Rogers gave us a whole road map of guidance on how to be the person you want and like to be. If you can put into practice learning and talking about how you feel, you can save yourself.

Love is a Muscle

Love is a lot like fitness and wellness.

It takes practice.
In order to see results, it takes continued effort and choices.
It's not going anywhere, so you may as well learn to get along with Love.

Love is a marathon, not a sprint. It's a muscle that needs to be flexed. It needs rest days. Ice. And passion.

Love needs positive self talk. Staying in the moment, focused on the activity.

When love is treated proactively, that's when release happens. Sometimes it's even physically transformative.

What is released is shame, guilt, anger, burdening emotions that cause disharmony.

What is gained is trust, authenticity, and wholesomeness in your own heart.

I'm in LOVE for the longhaul -- for each and everyone of you. As such, I want to explore the depths and magnitude of love with you. The only thing you can control in this world is you.

If love always exists, where is the love for yourself?

Rally Cry for Love is a free 21 day reflective journey of love! This program is my rally cry for more love! I want to explore love even more deeply because I feel like our world is yearning for it. So, answer the call with me! We will be discussing love in all its forms from relationships, friendships, justice, and all life. My hope is that it will be a personally significant exploration to understand how love is wielded and why its important.

IWe start November 1st

Crystal Council

Triplet Cathedral from Minas Gerais, Brazil, Tucson Gem Show 2016
Personal Collection

THE CRYSTAL COUNCIL
📷 : mine, please credit @tiffanychammer​

I love the idea of having your own sacred council to review ideas or bounce suggestions off of so that you can make the most informed decisions. Some people in the spiritual community call this their “Team”. I agree! Crystalline energy and wisdom helps you go deeper, further. 

A quartz cluster (duo, triplet, druzy, etc) is like having your own CRYSTAL COUNCIL. Court and consortium for your reina. 👑

Clear quartz brings clarity, amplifies intention, and help you hear the wisdom for healing or manifestation. Quartz can store and pass information because it’s both pyroelectric and piezoelectric—it’s why we use it in watches and computers! Quartz really can do it all. Reverence for quartz includes so many ancient civilizations: Native Americans, Greek, early Christianity, Inca, indigenous cultures of Middle and South America, Hindu, Viking, Celtic, Druid... and I understand why. I believe each crystal has it’s own being to connect with, and I’m not the only one. Tesla said that a crystal is nevertheless a living being based on how it was created and ability to grow. If it grows, there’s life. :)

Different terminations and points, as well as geological origin, have unique energies. With the “Crystal Council” I believe each of the terminations has its own vibe and you can connect with one small one or a large one, but it’s voice and message, the sensations and insights, may slightly vary.

I encourage you to sit with your rock friends. Spend time with them. Seek their advice and wisdom. Allow them to help ease your emotions, or facilitate a different kind of healing. ;) 

When sitting with a clear quartz or using one in your space, think about what you’d like to know or set an intention to manifest. Hold onto your quartz, visualizing it absorbing what you seek. Check in with it in meditation over the next few days to see what clarity happens! That piece will work amplifying the energy you gave it.

If you’re looking for your own sparkly quartz babe for yourself, or to look at on your desk or mantle, hmu. I have some beautiful pieces waiting for their forever homes. <3