Crystal Curious by Morgen Brunner... My Fav Place to Buy Crystals!
Happy March crystal curious friends! This month I interviewed Xenia, the owner of Village Rock Shop in Carlsbad. She is friendly and extremely knowledgeable about all things rocks, minerals and crystals. Her shop is my favorite place to buy crystals and I hope you can pop in next time you find yourself in Carlsbad...actually I really recommend that you head to Carlsbad just to visit Xenia’s fantastic shop. You can also check out Campfire, Baba Coffee or Steady State Coffee while you’re there as they are all within walking distance. So, make an afternoon of it and tell Xenia you heard about Village Rock Shop from Morgen!
Can you tell us your name and some of your personal background information?
My name is Xenia Mateiu and I'm originally from Romania. I moved to the San Diego area 12 years ago and now this is my home, community, and where me and husband will raise our 5 year old son. I believe that all my experiences and changes in my life have brought me to this point, I have built skills over time that I didn't even know would help me in the future just by doing things that I enjoyed: sports, University in Romania, College in the US with an AA in Photography, Ayurveda, Massage Certificate, worked in retail, worked in a management positions, always learned something new, and eventually worked quite a few outdoor markets and pop ups selling crystals.
What inspired you to open the Village Rock Shop?
I was fascinated by crystals in general. By both the geology and energy part. By the way they form, in which environment, their growth pattern, structure, how long it takes for them to form and their practical uses. But also by the energetical aspect, their frequency and vibration, the way they feel and the way they make us feel. So I wanted to open a store that would make crystals, rocks, minerals and geodes more accessible to people, focusing on both the geology and energy/spiritual aspect without any of them feeling overwhelming. I also wanted to explore crystals more myself and opening Village Rock Shop allows me to keep learning and growing on a personal, spiritual, and community level.
I’ve noticed that you participate in many community events. Can you tell us a bit about that?
When we opened the store a lot of people were so supportive of us. And while there were many struggles we had and still have to face alone on the business back side, I learned to allow others to help when they offered. Shortly after, I found myself taking time to give back as well, supporting friends and meeting new people that are giving back themselves, for great causes that are so needed and make a difference for others, reminding me that lifting each other up and sharing our time is one of the most precious things we have and can offer to our community. We like to participate in fundraisers the most, also small pop ups, collaborations, one day retreats and donation based events, offer raffle products or baskets for other events to which we can't make it in person but we still want to support their cause.
Are you a crystal collector & if so, do you have a large personal collection?
Yes I am a crystal collector but my collection isn't as big people would think or expect. I don't have one of each stone I've ever encountered, instead I have some multiples of a few favourites. I want to say I probably own 100 stones total from small to large. My collection is based on what feels good to me, as it helps me stay in touch with my intuition and trust my feelings.
If you’re like me, it might be difficult to choose your all time favorite crystal, but maybe you do have a favorite. If so, what is your favorite crystal...or your current favorite?
I definitely have a favourite! Amethyst. I like that Amethyst always feels calming and healing. Most Amethysts people see are purple in color, but lately I've discovered that it also comes in slightly other colors depending on where it's sourced geographically. So I look forward to exploring more: Rainbow Amethyst, Pink Amethyst and Black Amethyst, and see if they have a similar energy!
Is there a specific crystal you would recommend to someone who is just becoming interested in the world of crystals?
If someone needs guidance I usually recommend common ones like Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz, Amethyst, to hold in their hands and see how it feels to them and if they're drawn more to one specifically than others. Other ones would be Selenite (which is a great cleansing stone for a person's energy field, cleanses other stones) and Black Tourmaline (which is a protection stone against any negative energy).
Can you tell us a bit about how you source the crystals you sell in your shop?
I like sourcing directly from mines as this allows me to know more about how they're collected, who collects them, they are being cut and polished there too, and you get to see who's doing that part as well. But these are smaller mines, it's not a huge production. Currently I work with mines directly in Brazil, Uruguay, Russia, Morocco. I have a few other contacts and rock dealers that bring the Madagascar and Mexico sourced minerals directly to our shop every few months when in the area. We go to Gem Shows and then we have friends that do their own rock mining and collecting: one of which we only get to see once a year with mineral specimens from all over the US; and a few local rock hounds that usually show up after it rains as it is easier to see and collect while the ground is soft, and they bring the local minerals that are available: Smoky Quartz, Tourmaline, Lepidolite, Mica.
Is there anything else we should know about you or your shop?
Besides crystals we also sell locally handmade products and gifts: natural candles and soaps, jewelry, sprays, local ethically sources sage for smudging, dreamcatchers, local honey!
Also we've recently added Morrocan Cotton clothing, a locally designed Biodegradable clothing line, Singing Bowls and we're planning on expanding more on meditation products. We offer once a month Reiki Healing Sessions, once a month Meditation Cacao Ceremony and twice a year Art Shows!
2690 State Street Suite B , Carlsbad,Ca 92008
Three Healing Crystals for your Bedroom! February 2020
Ever have those annoying sleepless nights? I had one recently, and while I was lying in my bed trying to fall back to sleep, I began to wonder which of my crystals I should go grab. I know I’m not alone, so I figured I’d share some of my research with all of my crystal curious friends.
Turns out three amazing crystals to have bedside are amethyst, rose quartz and black tourmaline. I have written about each one of these magical stones before, thus chances are you may already own these beauties. If so, gather them up, adorn your nightstand and see what happens!
But first, let’s break it down and explore the benefits of each one. Amethyst is a fantastic, protective stone to help relieve anxiety and stress. It helps to purify the mind by clearing negative thoughts and providing clarity. It’s a perfect ally for those times when everything seems more scary, troublesome or insurmountable in the middle of the night.
Ah, rose quartz...the crystal of pure love and peace. This beautiful stone brings feelings of calming tranquility. It helps to soften and open your heart enabling you to see things through a loving pink haze. Rose quartz gives you peace as you lay your head down after a long day.
Finally, strong and protective black tourmaline absorbs negativity from your space as well as from your body. This stone helps to clear energy blockages promoting the synergistic spinning of all the chakras. Black tourmaline also shields you from electromagnetic frequencies which come from your phone or any other electronic devices.
Place these magical crystals in your bedroom to help bring all the good vibes and create a peaceful sanctuary for your night’s sleep. Small tumbled crystals are perfect for placing under your pillow. Palm stones are ideal for holding in your hands while breathing and visualizing peace and tranquility. The more lumpy, jagged or pointed crystals are best kept on your nightstand.
Additionally, when I find myself awake in the middle of the night, I try not to stress out about the loss of sleep, and instead I use the time to give myself Reiki energy healing. This healing practice calms my mind and brings such a soothing sensation to my body that I usually fall back to sleep before I even finish. If you are curious about Reiki, join me in my next Reiki One Training coming up in March! Reiki One is perfect for anyone looking to use this ancient practice on themselves. In the meantime, I wish you many peaceful nights of sleep.
January 2020 Crystal Curious Blog, by Reiki Master Morgen Brunner
Using Clear Quartz to Help Manifest Your Intentions for 2020. Happy New Year! Welcome to another fresh start and a brand new decade. Have you thought about your New Year’s Resolutions? I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly care for the word “resolutions”. Resolutions sound strict and like no fun at all. I
can definitely get behind setting intentions. Intentions are positive and they make us feel good, right? We set intentions when we practice yoga because just as yoga and breathwork help to guide our bodies, intentions help to guide our thought patterns. Setting intentions is like tuning our minds to a higher frequency vibration. A few years ago I started making a More / Less chart as a way to set my intentions for the new year. Basically, I take a page in my journal and draw a line down the center. On on side I write the word More, and on the other side I write the word Less. Under each word I write the things I want more or less of in the upcoming year. For example, under More I might write: yoga, meditation, art, seva, travel, santosha...and under Less I might write: social media, complaining, self judgement, worry... I find this to be a simple way I can set some positive goals for myself each year. However you decide to create and set some intentions for the new year, you can use clear quartz to help seal and manifest them into reality. If you’ve been following along on the Crystal Curious journey from the beginning, you’ve heard me talk about Clear Quartz numerous times. I love Clear Quartz crystals because they are master healers, they are easy to find, and they are inexpensive.
Hopefully you own at least one Clear Quartz Crystal, and if you don’t, you might want to go
get yourself one because I’m going to share a way that you can program your crystal to
help you focus on manifesting your New Year’s Intentions.
Manifesting with Clear Quartz: A Step by Step Guide
Go to a space where you feel happy and free or create a space in your home...make this
special. Light candles, play soft music, surround yourself with items that inspire or make
you happy.
Have with you all the items you need to create your list of intentions and your Clear
Quartz.
Once you’ve made your list, hold your crystal in your hands. Let yourself relax, tune into
your breath and begin to enter a meditative state. Once you feel calm and relaxed, begin to
think about your intentions one by one. Spend time with each intention visualizing them
manifesting in your life. ( you can take a look at your list as needed ) Spend a nice amount
of time doing this with a clear and open mind. Allow only positive thoughts to flow.
When you have finished, close your meditation with a sense of gratitude.
For the rest of the year, your Clear Quartz Crystal will be there to remind you of your goals
and intentions. Anytime you feel yourself drifting from your ideal path, you can hold onto
your crystal and tap back into manifesting your intentions. I wish you a wonderful year full
of love and happiness, and I look forward to hearing all about your powerful intentions!
Keeping Your Chill This Holiday Season
I’ll admit it, some of my friends think I’m a Scrooge. I do definitely struggle with the idea of getting into the Christmas spirit. It’s not that I don’t like Christmas, because I do like many things about Christmas. What I don’t like is seeing stores fill up with Christmas decorations the day after Halloween. I don’t like the crazy, stressed out rush that takes over as soon as the Thanksgiving dinner has been eaten. I don’t like going on Instagram on December second and seeing that everyone has already decked their halls, which makes me feel stressed out and behind schedule. And let’s not even start on the people who already have all their Christmas shopping done and presents wrapped. Honestly, I wish there was more time between Thanksgiving and Christmas...like maybe two months. Bah humbug, right?
Ok, ok, let me tell you some of the things I love about Christmas. I love the family traditions. For example, my family all gathers together at my parents' house a few weeks before Christmas and we all decorate their tree together. I love the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning. I love to turn on the lights of the Christmas tree when I wake up early in the morning and take in the wonderful piney scent as I drink my coffee. I enjoy making Christmas cookies with my daughter. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, I guess I wish we could slow everything down and take more time doing all the things we love. Since adding another month to the calendar is not an option, personally, I will work on trying not to stress out and taking pause to savor the special moments.
Guess what? There are a few crystals that we can call on to help us keep our chill this holiday season. I’m going to share a crystal for preserving our inner peace, a crystal to promote harmony with others and a crystal to help keep you grounded. Grab these three crystals and put them in your pocket as you navigate the crowded shopping mall!
Angelite is a blue and white stone that will help you maintain your inner peace this season. It is a crystal for peace and compassion as it creates feelings of tranquility.
Looking to promote more harmony when dealing with others? Rose Quartz is a wonderful crystal for love, kindness and compassion. Use this stone to help soften the edges of grumpiness. Keep in on you so that you can sprinkle a bit of love and light wherever you go this holiday.
When we are in a constant state of rush and stress often we become ungrounded. Pick up a piece of black tourmaline, hold it in your hand and take five deep breaths while focusing on your physical connection to the earth. Use this as your secret weapon to maintain calm, grounded composure as needed.
No matter if you love Christmas or feel a bit grinchy about it, remember to take time for yourself. Hop into a yoga class, meditate (even for five minutes) and arm yourself with crystals as you brave the “the most wonderful time of the year”. I wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday. See you next year!!
November 2019
Mercury Retrograde
Oh Mercury Retrograde, we meet again! Three separate times I sat down to write this article and each time, due to one distraction or another, I was unsuccessful. This is the message Mercury Retrograde has to offer: loosen up your expectations, slow down,
respond instead of react, analyze your options but try not to make big decisions and be very careful with your words and how you interpret the words of others. When Mercury passes the Earth in its orbit, Mercury appears to go in a backwards motion thus creating
what we refer to as Mercury Retrograde. Since Mercury is the ruling planet of
communication, the ways we think, share and understand information, technology and
transportation, these are the areas usually affected by Mercury Retrograde.
So what do we do, you might ask, during this time? Stay indoors, silently, make no travel
plans, sign no contracts and avoid everyone...no, you don’t have to hide yourself away until
Mercury goes direct on November 20th. However, it would be wise to: back up your
computer and phone, double or quadruple check everything, put off making really big
decisions, think before you speak, and practice self care...meditate!! Also, look to your
crystals for support.
My favorite crystal to use during Mercury Retrograde is labradorite. This crystal helps us
to see the light through the shadows, focus on what’s essential, illuminates the path to
transformation and helps us to feel grounded and balanced. You can wear labradorite, hold
it in your hand while meditating, keep it in your workspace or put it in your pocket. Let the
beauty and magic of labradorite remind you to pause, think and breathe before speaking or
making decisions. Mercury Retrograde doesn’t have to be scary, instead we can use this
time to slow down the hectic pace of life and tune in to a more conscious and examined
way of living. Let the magical and illuminating labradorite be your guide.
October 2019
Harvesting Abundance
Welcome Fall! This is the season that celebrates harvesting the seeds we have diligently planted, hoping for the abundance to get us through the darker season of winter. This is it,
here we are, three quarters of the way through the year 2019. As you ponder that, what comes up? Are there still some intentions, goals or resolutions you’ve neglected? If so, let’s
tap into our Third Chakra. Our Third Chakra is our solar plexus chakra and it’s located just above the belly button. This is where we can ignite the fire in our belly to tackle projects
and burn through procrastination and self doubt. Place you hand on your solar plexus,
inhale and say, “I can do this.” Do you feel the power that resides within? Trust me, it’s
there! If you’d like to harness that power and bring some abundance into the last stretch of
2019, then I’d like to introduce you to a couple of crystals that will help you on your quest.
Check out Pyrite, sometimes called fool’s gold or iron pyrite. This mineral grows in
perfect, gold squares. Pyrite is your “get it done” crystal, a high manifester that brings luck
and fortune. Crystal expert, Yulia Van Doren says, “Keep a cluster near and don’t say I
didn’t tell you as dream collaborations, creative inspirations, and lucky breaks manifest
with unstoppable abundance.” Keep this crystal in your workspace, wallet or purse.
The second crystal for harvesting abundance is citrine. Citrine is a mostly clear crystal
that can be yellowish or even orange. This crystal is a powerhouse for boosting energy,
setting goals, and bringing abundance, creativity and luck into your life. To meditate with
citrine, hold the crystal in your hand or place it on your Third Chakra, bring to mind your
specific intention or goal, and visualize yourself successfully accomplishing this goal. Use
citrine to amplify your power to bring abundance into your life.
Well, my crystal curious friends, I wish you luck as you practice tapping into the fire in
your belly and begin to harvest abundance in your life. The power is within you and pyrite
and citrine will give you a vibrational boost to success. Enjoy October...I’m off in search of
some pyrite to add to my crystal collection.
September 2019
Top Three Crystals for Your Collection
As I sit and write this article, Southern California is in the middle of a heat wave, however just about about a week ago, I did start to feel the very tiniest bit of fall in the air. As we welcome September and Virgo Season (my personal favorite), we also will be ushering in
Fall this month. Fall is a wonderful time to reorganize, stock up supplies and get prepared. As kids, this was a time for new pencils, books, calendars, and all sorts of school supplies. I still love school supplies, getting organized and filling out a fresh calendar! This got me
thinking about which crystals I would recommend to someone who is just starting to build their crystal supply or toolbox. So, this month I’m going to focus on the top three crystals every crystal collector should own.
Let me begin by saying that I always believe that any crystal you are personally drawn to is a crystal you should own, because for some reason or another, it is speaking to you. Whenever I go crystal shopping I always look for the crystals on my wishlist and I also always keep my eyes open for any other crystals that speak to me. You can always look up their meaning and attributes and figure out why it called out to you. However, let’s say you’re starting to build that collection, and if that’s the case, definitely take a look at clear quartz, rose quartz and amethyst.
Clear quartz is a natural prism holding the entire, sparkling spectrum of a rainbow. Clear quartz crystals are masters in the crystal world. They are master healers, energy transmitters and connectors to higher consciousness. Concentrate on your intentions while holding a clear quartz and this crystal will help you see these intentions into fruition. Clear quartz amplifies the energy of all the other crystals. Use it with any crystal to boost that crystal’s power. This is an essential crystal for any collector and it’s usually quite inexpensive.
Rose quartz is the crystal of love, kindness, compassion and tenderness. Who doesn’t want more of that in their lives? Rose quartz heals heartbreak, attracts new love and opens hearts to forgiveness and compassion. This stone is as nurturing as it is beautiful. Meditate with this crystal in your palm or over your heart if you are feeling emotionally low. Place rose quartz throughout your home to amplify the LOVE!
Amethyst is the crystal for transformation, protection, addiction release and sleep. Amethyst brings about transformation and enlightenment. It reminds us to always treat our bodies as a temple. It helps to cleanse the body from negative or addictive patterns, as well as offering a protective light around people and spaces. Amethyst is helpful for preventing insomnia and nightmares. Amethyst strengthens psychic powers and will open your connection to all things mystical and magical. Bring some magic into your life with amethyst!
Writing about these crystals gets me so excited because I’m such a crystal nerd (is that a thing?). I imagine you out there crystal shopping and bringing these lovely stones into your home and into your life and that makes me happy!
Until next month, Happy Fall and Happy Crystal Hunting!
August 2019
Ok, but how do they work?
by Morgen Brunner, Reiki Master
Hello to all my crystal curious friends! Last month I promised I’d explain how crystals help to promote healing, and I’m very excited to share that with you today. Luckily, I can let you know that crystal healing can be explained through science and physics, and I love when I can use science to help prove the power of otherwise considered “woo woo” things such as yoga, crystals, Reiki and sound healing. Nothing helps to convert skeptics better than science!
Nikola Tesla said it best,”If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” What we are talking about today is raising the frequency of our vibration. Everything in the universe is vibrating, including and especially our human bodies. We all vibrate energetically at a particular frequency. The higher the frequency of your vibration, the lighter you feel in your physical, emotional, and mental bodies. The lower the frequency, the denser the energy, and the heavier you will feel. Vibrating at a lower frequency can make you feel more physical pain and discomfort, emotions can feel heavy and dark, and you may experience more mental confusion. The higher the frequency of your vibration, the better your physical body will feel. You will be emotionally stable, energetic, and full of light. The vibrational energy of crystals can be used to raise the frequency of your personal vibration.
There are many things we can do to raise the frequency of our vibration. The human body vibrates at a frequency of 62-72 megahertz. Positive thinking can raise our vibration 10MHz and conversely, negative thoughts can lower our frequency 12MHz. Eating healthy and fresh foods can raise our vibration 15MHz. Essential oils have very high vibrational frequencies, so using essential oils will also help you raise your vibrational frequency. Sound baths and Reiki healing are also forms of vibrational medicine. Holding crystals, placing them on your body and in your physical environment will promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Crystals are unique because their atoms follow the most symmetrical pattern possible, creating what is called a crystal lattice. Their perfect atomic symmetry makes crystals such powerful holders and transmitters of energy and vibration. So, in short, crystals promote healing by raising your vibrational frequency.
We can take this vibrational healing even deeper by discussing the huge variety of crystals available and their specific attributes, but we’ll save that for another day. In the meantime, if you’re feeling a little low vibe, get yourself a crystal or two, plug in that aromatherapy diffuser, have a healthy meal, book a sound bath or Reiki session and absorb the natural healing found by allowing the frequency of your vibration to rise.
July 2019
Red, White, & Blue Crystals
by Morgen Brunner, Reiki Master
Our planet contains over 5000 identified minerals, with hundreds of new varieties are being discovered each year! Some crystal healers believe that these “new” minerals emerge as their particular energies are needed within the world. Crystals and minerals are sparkly, colorful, fun to collect and full of unique beauty, but they are also believed to hold some real power.
Crystals can bring healing through vibrational energy, color therapy and talismanic magic. I’ll save going deeper into this for another time, but for this month, let’s get a little patriotic with our crystals. I’ve chosen red, white and blue crystals for us to explore and get to know this month! So without further ado, allow me to introduce red jasper, selenite (white) and sodalite (blue).
Red Jasper
Are you looking for some help with feeling grounded? If so, red jasper’s a wonderful tool. This crystal provides a strong connection to the earth. It’s literally solid as a rock! Red jasper promotes uncomplicated and stable energy, giving you strength in both your physical body and emotions. It helps activate the lower three chakras and most specifically the root chakra. Additionally you can use red jasper to increase motivation and insight, enhance creativity and for spiritual grounding during meditation.
Selenite
This here is one of my most favorite crystals and it would be in my top five crystals every crystal collector should own! Selenite is a master cleaner. Use it to clear negative energy from yourself, others and your home. I keep a selenite wand by my front door to sweep any negative energy off myself before entering my home. Selenite can also be used to cleanse and charge all your other crystals. Since selenite is associated with the moon and water energy, I think this makes total sense! Selenite works with the crown and third eye chakras so use this one during meditation for some high-vibe manifesting.
Sodalite
This crystal aids communication, truth and logic. Sodalite eliminates mental confusion and is helpful in healing breaches of communication. So make sure you have this crystal for our upcoming Mercury retrograde which starts July 7th!! With that being said, you may have figured out that this crystal helps to align the throat chakra and in doing so, promotes a calm mind which also stimulates the third eye chakra. Sodalite can also aid in cleansing the lymphatic system and organs, boosting our immune systems.
The world of crystals is truly fascinating and quite honestly, crystal collecting can become addictive. I could literally go on and on talking about crystals, but hey, the holiday weekend is almost upon us, so grab your crystals and have a Happy Fourth of July!!