"The Give Away". 
 
A few years ago I saw these twin quartz crystals on the table of the crystal lady at a Craft Market that I visited on a regular basis. The crystals were quite pricey and I did not think I could really afford them. But they haunted me all the way home so as soon as I could, I phoned the crystal lady and asked her to keep the crystals aside for me. She replied that of course she would because she felt that I was the right person for them to go to. I did not wait for the next Craft Market day, but instead went to the lady's home to fetch "my" crystals. They had once been joined, one across the other, but by the time they came to me they had separated. (I may have a photo of them to send you??). In Judy Hall's 'The Crystal Bible' she describes them as "Soulmate (Tantric twin)" crystals.
 
At the time I knew nothing of soulmates nor had any intention of finding a soulmate! I was simply drawn to the crystals with no conscious intention of how I was going to work with them. It just so happens that some time later my soulmate did manifest in my life turning our lives upside down and inside out. Whew, what an emotional roller coaster ride! This relationship carried a lesson that I needed to be learn in this life time as I had carried the weight of my pain and hurts through too many past lives. The lesson here was to let go so that I can love unconditionally. In hindsight, that's what the separation of the crystals was telling me although at the time I did not connect them to my 'problematic' soulmate. Even though we are not 'joined' or together in a physical relationship, we will never be apart as the connection is a deeply spiritual one. At one time I gave my soulmate one of the crystals but after a while had to ask for it back because it did not feel right that the crystals were apart.
 
My twin crystal story is not yet over: Some time after this, I was going to take part in a workshop based on Native American Teachings in which there is a ceremony titled "The Give Away". Before going to the workshop we were asked to take something of ours to give away. While sitting in meditation and contemplating what I could take, the twin crystals came to mind. "No, no, no," I said aloud, "I cannot give those away!" But the more my ego-self said "No!", the more, either the crystals or my Higher Self said that the crystals were to be given away. I picked them up with tears streaming down my cheeks and just knew then that that is what needed to be done. I felt grief-stricken as I lovingly wrapped the crystals and packed them into my case.
 
Prior to the ceremony as we sat on the floor in a circle, I was sitting opposite one of the women facilitators. Holding the crystals, I intended for them to go to her and thought that was how the ceremony worked: That you chose who you wanted your 'give-away' to go to but that was not how it worked. We all had to stand up and form two circles, one inside the other - one facing clockwise, the other circle facing anti-clockwise. We were then told to walk in the circle in the direction we were facing while a drum was beaten. When the drum stopped we were to give our give-away to the person facing us in the other circle. Once again my plans were dashed as there were certain people there that I definitely did not want the crystals to go to! But I had to let them go. We did this little give-away walk a number of times until I lost all trace of "my" crystals. When eventually we stopped and our give-aways had truly been given away, I was over the moon because my crystals went to my intended recipient.
 
Now I ask, was this my intention or was it the crystals? It feels to me as though the crystals chose me so that they could do their work in my life that has been necessary for my spiritual growth.
 
And I send love and gratitude to these two stone people who have been such a blessing in my life.
- Anonymous-
 

Amazing Healing!
My husband and I had been travelling through Africa and were on our way back home to Cape Town, taking a leisurely trip through South Africa.  One of our stops was Graskop.  My husband wanted to try fly fishing and I thought it would be lovely to go for a horse ride.  I hadn't ridden in many years, but had been brought up with horses and felt confident.  
However, the horse I was put on, was 'feisty' as the owner of the farm mentioned later into the ride, and it was an uphill battle the entire time to keep the horse from bolting.  The owner (who was riding with me) assured me all I needed to do was lengthen my reins and the horse would be more comfortable, which I did.
The horse bolted and headed for home.  There was no stopping him.  Up hill and down dale we went.  On the last stretch, instead of keeping to the track, he veered off  through the forest and I was thrown off.  My foot got caught in the stirrup and the horse ran over my back.  I knew there and then that I could not get up, but wiggled my toes and felt huge relief that I could feel them and they responded.  
The owner raced back to the farm house to call for an ambulance and a little while later my frantic husband arrived on the scene - he had seen the horse arrive back without the rider and assumed the worst.  
Once taken to hospital, xrays followed and it showed I had a broken pelvis.  I was absolutely devastated, as in 8 short weeks, I had booked a once in a lifetime trip to the UK and USA to see my childhood friends.
I asked my husband to go back to where we were staying and bring me my crystals (that had been travelling the entire trip with us) and I put them in the bed with me.  
A decision was made to fly me home asap, so the insurance (thank heavens for them) made a medical jet available and within a short time, I was back in Cape Town.
Day and night I kept the crystals in bed alongside my pelvis.  When they were next to me, the pain was definitely duller and I used them to help connect the bones again.
A long story short - I did go on  my dream trip, albeit with a slight limp.......the doctors were amazed as they didn't feel it was possible. Through determination and the healing properties of my beloved quartz crystals, the healing process happened much quicker than anticipated.
I always carry crystals with me, in time of anxiety, they calm me, their cool, smooth sides providing the grounding I need. :-)
- Kerry-

Connie's creative juices has always taken him to interesting places.
Working with wood has caused him to have many wood tools in his shed.
Upon meeting Sara, which coincided with his meeting with Crystals (inevitably) he went on his first rock field trip with the Cape Town Gem Society and: The bug bit!
Needless to say: He is now one of "those"/"us" (you know what I am talking about)
We did a lapidary course at the Gem Society in May 2015 and (again needless to say) he had to built his own table.
We did a trip to Durban in June 2015 to visit the GAIA shop, and upon returning we were equipped with info, collected from friends that do lapidary, Rob and Sheldon, and 5 diamond discs.
I have asked Connie to explain to us a bit on how he built his table and what he use.

The questions started: What to use for slabbing? trimming? rough grinding, sanding and polishing?
Slabbing
My wood cut-off saw was transformed to become a water-operated-rock-cutting-machine.
The available diamond 230mm blade doesn't fit inside and I had to do modifications.
I removed part of the cover and guards and built an aluminium cover big enough to fit the new blade.  A spout was also mounted to deliver sufficient water to keep the process cold.  To make the 22mm hole fit on the 16mm shaft of the saw, I used a copper plumbing piece to make a washer. It worked perfectly. 
Trimming 
I mounted a skill saw on the bottom of the table with a groove for the blade to stick through.
The construction of the sump for the lubrication liquid was a bit of a challenge, I had to keep the lubrication inside and the motor's exhaust wind separate, I had to build an open sump that doesn't spill but lets the air out.
I used 2mm plate and a lot of innovation.
Rough Grinding
I used a bench grinder and fitted water pipes to the top and outlets at the bottom.
Water supplied by a small fountain pump.
The grinding wheels is too soft currently and I will look for a coarser grit grindstone soon.
General
I used wax grease on all the shafts at the housing to protect the bearings.
Sanding and Polishing
I used a 1Hp 1400 rpm vintage motor from my old table saw that I had outside to run 2 shafts, with a pulley and fan belt.
The 1 for a 4 inch Stainless steel disc for sanding and a 6 inch stainless steel disc for polishing.
Sanding pads 50 to 10000 grit that mounts with velcro.
Polishing: wooden disc with stretched leather to use with the tin oxide also fixed with velcro.
The Table
The steel table with a 6mm top was fitted with flat bar around each activity with drains on the inside that collects water in a aluminium sloping gutter that drops the water and sludge in a separate bucket.
Plastic sidewalls keeps splashing inside the cubicle so that I can do my lapidary work inside my house with no messing.
Electrical
The trimming saw was too fast and I had to lower the speed with a sewing machine foot pedal. It gets hot after a while but I don't do much continuous trimming at this time.
All electrical wires are connected to easy accessible switch panel, including the neon light that is mounted separate from the table.

Question: 
Why did I go all this trouble instead of buying the ready made lapidary equipment?
Answer:
I love to experiment and see if I can make it work with what lies around.
That is part of my creative expression.

I have started experimenting with various pieces of rough crystals that was sitting and waiting for me on the shelf.
It is a never-ending journey of coming to know how to work with different hardness and different rocks.  Each one has it's own composition and tells you what you need to do with it!
I love it! It makes me rock!!

Everyone has a crystal story. Through the years, in the crystal shop, I heard so many stories. Stories of crystals that got lost and was found; crystals that changed colour; how a specific crystal ended up with someone; how it supported them, with physical, emotional or spiritual healing; why they love a specific crystal; how they became interested in crystals (rocks, minerals and gems)
This is your opportunity to share your story and I, in return, can share it with others.  By sharing your story, you give me permission to share it.  If you do not wish to be "named", just say so and we will share it incognito.
And there will be a draw every month and you can win a R250 voucher for GAIA Crystals.  You can mail me at gaiacrystals1@gmail.com, or comment on the blog or Facebook post or hand it in at the shop.  It can be one sentence or one book. 
I have many stories of my own. Starting off, I will tell you how I met the crystals for the first time.
In 2002, I went on a silent retreat, somewhere close to the Orange River, South Africa.
Part of the retreat we had to find a Power Spot. We were blindfolded and asked to walk (in nature) until we felt compelled to stop, and that would be it.  I walked and stopped, took my blindfold off and looked, there was nothing: no big tree, rock, river or anything.  I thought I "heard" wrong and need to walk on and find something else.  i did not do that, but looked to see what was there: at my feet was the most beautiful small rocks.  I bent down and looked and realise, this was it! In my mind, I talked to them, and asked them what they had to share with me? (At the time I was very depressed, just lost my mother, been through a divorce and didn't have any of my children with me since I had the first one) The little pebbles said: why are you so sad? We sit here in the open heat/sun everyday and we are still happy ( I could see them in my mind's eye jumping up and down and laughing) and you? you are just miserable all the time and you don't even have that measure of heat.  This sound simple, but it is true, I snapped out of my depression immediately and started laughing.  I had to plant a candle to say "thank you" and as the soil was very hard, I wanted to pick a stone to make a hole.  As I wanted to pick the stone up, I felt I needed to ask if I can use it, I did, and it said "no", I smirked at it and tried to pick it up anyway, I couldn't, it was part of a big rock and did not move.  Humbled by the experience, I asked the next stone and it said yes. There you have it?
A few days earlier I picked up a few of these pretty stones (because I liked them) and put them in my room. I did not know what they were, for a long time, only found out afterwards that it was agates. Anyway, when I went back to my room, after this interaction, I felt shy about the rocks that I picked up and did not ask them.  I ignored them. After another day or so, I finally addressed them and ask if I could please keep them.  They said, gladly, yes! They were my companions for a long time.  I would just sit and hold them, one by one. I never read or knew anything about crystals before this.

Alternate Names and Spelling: "Gem of Ecology", Blue Chalcedony Lace, Blue Lace
Colour: A pale blue banded variety of Agate (Chalcedony).
Element: Water
Hardness: 7
Keywords: Angels, Inspiration, Miracles
Mineral Facts: Description: Micro crystalline variety of chalcedony, Lacy Looking 

Interesting Facts
George Swanson discovered blue lace agate on his farm, Ysterputs Farm, in Namibia, which was called South West Africa at the time. He coined the term "Gem of Ecology" for it because of the swirling blues and whites which resemble clouds above the Earth (the fragile blue marble) as seen from space. The best blue lace agate in the world still comes from the narrow seam on the Swanson's farm.

Sources of Blue Lace Agate
Main Source is Namibia, but also Kenya and South Africa

Metaphysical Properties

Agate is beneficial in self-analysis and uncovering hidden circumstances that might interfere with well-being. It promotes self-acceptance and confidence, encouraging the speaking of one's own truth. Agate overcomes negativity and bitterness of the heart, by healing anger, fostering love, and lending the courage to start over. It is useful for any kind of trauma.

Physical Healing

Blue Lace Agate is thought to relieve sore throats, aching or swollen glands in the neck, and may aid thyroid problems. It helps strengthen the skeletal structure, and is useful in treating arthritis and hereditary bone deformity, as well as the mending of breaks and fractures.

Chakra: Throat 
Archangel: Gabriel, whose name means, Messenger of God, will assist you in speaking your truth, calmly, expressing yourself with clarity and compassion.
Astrological Sign: Pisces
Numerology: 5 (Self Expression)
My personal experience/ thought on Blue Lace Agate
A beautiful soft and gentle stone. Perfect to wear for the Throat Chakra, gently expressing yourself and speaking your truth.

Mineral information can be obtained from mindat.org

Alternate Names and Spelling: Lapis, Denim Lapis
Colour: Deep blue  flecked with white and gold. Denim Lapis is a lighter Lapis Lazuli with more white from calcite. Made from a combination of minerals, including Lazurite, Calcite and Pyrites. The "gold" in the Lapis is caused by Pyrites inclusions.
Element: Water
Hardness: 5 - 6
Meaning of the Word Lapis: "blue stone" from Latin and Persian or Arabic.
Keywords: Truth, Inner Power, Organization, Royalty

Interesting Facts
Egyptian cultures made a practice of burying a Lapis Lazuli scarab with their dead, and believed it to offer protection.  The very earliest cultures valued Lapis Lazuli more highly than gold.  Greeks spoke of an ancient sapphire which was included with gold, and this was unmistakably Lapis. Some believed that dreaming of Lapis would foretell love that would be forever faithful. It is included around the eyes of King Tut's mask.
The ancient Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli as a symbol of truth.

Sources of Lapis Lazuli
Can be found in Chile, the Soviet Union, the United States, but most significantly from the mountains of Afghanistan. The products/ pictures above are from Afghanistan.

Metaphysical Healing

• stimulate the higher levels of the mind encouraging clarity and objectivity 
  
• allows the release of stress, bringing deep inner peace
  
• facilitates self-knowledge and self-expression
  
• when used in meditation, to enhance psychic ability and spiritual insight
  
• helps to overcome depression
  
• powerful in opening the throat chakra and encourages clear, truthful expression
  

Physical Healing

• lowers blood pressure
  
• boosts the immune system and thyroid 
  
• alleviates migraine headaches and insomnia
  

Chakra: Throat and Third Eye
Archangel: Michael, the Archangel of protection, courage and truth
Birthstone: September
Astrological Sign: Taurus and Sagittarius
Numerology: 3
My personal experience/ thought on Lapis Lazuli
I find Lapis to be one of the most powerful and beautiful stones. Very calming, yet strong. The blue in some of them is the most beautiful strong blue.

Mineral information can be obtained from mindat.org