Joanne Stone opens the 90-minute workshop by smudging each one of us, about 25 women and one brave man, with palo santo. Born in Peru, she’s tapping into the country’s shamanic heritage to clear space and elevate consciousness. We’re sitting in a circle, surrounding a big triangle (outlined with golden tape) filled with clear quartz in different shapes and sizes. A drum will clear the air and attune our hearts; Kundalini meditations will ignite our fire. Talk about a kickass way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Despite a successful career as a jeweler, Joanne has felt guided to go deeper. Her current work is an expression of that. Clear quartz is the master healer of all stones and, as Mother Nature would have it, it’s the most abundant stone on earth. Joanne introduces us to different varieties of Mama Earth’s DNA: apophyllite (travel), record keeper quartz (supports meditation), generator (6-pointed) quartz (healing work), smoky quartz (grounding), amethyst (meditation), citrine (solar plexus, self-esteem), herkimer (amplifier, attunement). We get to choose our own clear quartz to work with and keep, write down our fears to empty our monkey minds, and put to paper our current goal/intention.
How to Cleanse & Program a Crystal
Light a candle; gently sway the crystal above the flame and say out loud or in your mind: “I set the intention to cleanse & clear this stone of any negative energy and any trauma during its extraction. I ask for the stone to attune/awaken to its highest wisdom.” Then program it with your intention. Close with “Thank you.”
Nature works with nature, i.e. cleanse your crystal with an element: move over flame; clear in water or moonlight; smudge with sage or palo santo.
Our crystals in hand, we chant Kundalini mantras, breathe deeply, and move our bodies to the cosmic breath. I’ve been around crystals my whole life but Joanne holds a unique space that opens up new dimensions in the constellation of crystals, kundalini yoga, meditation, and jewelry. I’m grateful I got to attend this luminous gathering at the equally luminous TriBeCa studio of Taryn Toomey.
Joanne’s living her truth and it’s a beautiful thing to witness. And it’s a cosmic giggle that her last name’s Stone. Love when life aligns that way. Take a look at Joanne’s high-vibe gold + quartz pieces, her uber cool design collaboration Stone & Rose Co, catch her next time she’s in NYC, and stay in touch on Instagram.
Sat Nam,
Miriam
