The Life You Are Living

Chapter 13: Procrastination

PROCRASTINATION! It’s a big word for something that humans do either occasionally or all the time.

Do you admit who you are, or kid yourself that you never do such a thing?

Sorry to say this if you don’t know it, but you do procrastinate! It may be something simple like, taking the trash out, or washing your hair. Work or relationship issues are big areas where we let the element of time slip through our fingers.

Why do we do it is the big question?

It can be a form of laziness.

It can be fear of failure.

It could be some type of malfunction in our brain cells that tells us to do nothing when we ought to be doing something!

For me… I tend to procrastinate when I am feeling pressure to do something by others, or even when I feel I should be getting ahead in some project or other when I really need to take a break.

Peer pressure is a tough thing to get beyond, and work situations push us to be more, to do more, to get going immediately if not sooner. Yet, sometimes we need to take a break from the actual doing and sit with our thoughts first.

I’m not suggesting that procrastination is proper all the time because it’s not. But occasionally, we do need a moment for breathing space in order to examine what direction to take to get whatever done. In that free time, we go over the proposed action and project from different tacks of what’s possible in order to get to our end goal. It might be viewed as slacking when you procrastinate at work. Though I’ve read about companies that feel you would be more productive if you had some time to think, play a game, work out, or take a nap even.

When you are self-employed you answer to a tough task master. If you weren’t difficult about your own accomplishments, you wouldn’t be in business long.

So, what does this boil down to?

As individuals, we must each decide if our level of procrastination is correct, healthy, or a way to avoid something we just don’t want to do.

Spiritually speaking, I feel we need to face our stuff, be it some fear, something we know we ought not to have done and need to make amends for, and even procrastination.

Interestingly enough, when we come at procrastination from a spiritual level the universe has an incredible amount of patience. It’s not that you can get away with anything, that is if you believe in continuous life, because if you never accomplish anything you set out to do in this life it will come back at you in the next go ‘round.

I kept telling myself I would give up sugar. Every day I said I would do it, and could do it, but then didn’t. When you do not accomplish things like this it works against your core emotional level and wears you down to the point where you think you cannot do whatever you want.

When you do face up to whatever is holding you back you find it wasn’t as difficult as you thought it would be. You wonder why you didn’t let it go much earlier?

Simply put, you were not ready on some plane to do whatever. Maybe next time you have a serious attack of procrastination you could ponder having to face this very thing in your next life. This one thought usually gets me up and back in the race rather quickly. The life I am living has had many terrific things, and, many equally challenging things to get through, beyond or over. I do not want to face these difficulties ever again in this or any other life! But, there are times when procrastination is healthy because it allows you to rest and come back at your problem with renewed energy. That energy can be exactly what you need to get over the hump you’ve been dreading. When dread turns into joy of accomplishment, that is a wow moment!

Am I saying procrastination is a good thing?

Sometimes, yes. All the time, no.

Only as an individual can you decide how much procrastination works for you to get the job, whatever that might be, done.

We have all seen flower buds develop and just when they are about to burst open into all the glory they can be, they wither, rot, and drop off into nothingness. Procrastination can bring that same kind of energy if you allow it to hang on too long. Discover the full floral fascinator you can be by spending a bit of time procrastinating, and then opening up to what life has to offer you! See what getting beyond procrastination can bring in… My latest book took a lot of work, cross referencing, testing, and yes, procrastination. I’m pleased as punch that it is now available. Stone Magic gives healing properties of stones I have channeled in an alphabetic format. You can click on the link below for either my web site, or my Amazon page to be connected and buy if interested. Thanks!

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves, and now, Stone Magic available HERE

The Life You Are Living

Chapter 10.2; Hot Spots

 

Not long after I moved to Newport, I met an astrologer. She was a very different woman from anyone I had ever met before. Marching to her own drummer, I wanted to get to know her more, and did, at least a bit. She told me almost straight away that Newport was one of the hot-spots in the universe. Not understanding what that meant exactly, I asked.

You come to certain places in the universe to learn certain things. Energetically, these hot-spots will assist you in discovering whatever more quickly. Each person has to discover what a hot-spot might mean to them if they are interested in doing the work.

Of course, you can live in such a place and never do the so-called work, and maybe never discover whatever that location had in store for you. Sound vague? Well, in a way all this business is ethereal. Just to remind you… metaphysics is the study of the unknown. That covers a lot of territory. I don’t know about anyone else but, what I don’t know is quite vast! Discovering what a hot-spot means to you comes under this heading of the unknown. Just when you think you have learned why you moved into such a place, you might think you are on a new path of self-discovery.

Did you raise cane in your youth when you moved to a certain town? Did you move away shortly thereafter?

Did you join the work force and find your true vocation?

Did you raise a family right after you moved into a town?

Did you discover a talent you never knew you had once you lived somewhere?

Did you feel that in this town you were meeting other people interested in some of the same things you found fascinating? That’s how I felt about living in Newport. I met what I might call normal people all over the place along with fellow travelers interested in the study of metaphysics. It was a first for me, meeting people I could pose questions to who didn’t find my queries weird. Or, if they did think I was strange it was also a mirror of their own search. So, it became a fun adventure.

Back then there were not a lot of books available on the study of metaphysics. When someone came across one the title got shared around as though it was the latest best-seller. I read about anything and everything. Astrology, herbal healing, near-death experiences along with interesting stories about the Amazon, American Indian tribes, gardening and countless theories of anything that went bump in the night. It was fun to get together with other people over a glass of wine and have a discussion on almost anything.

That exuberance carried over into my day world. I wanted to share this new-found information with my clients as well as all my friends. Unfortunately, some people did not share my enthusiasm and asked me not to talk about such things in their presence.

Maybe that was when I first began to feel really alone. Inwardly I cried out to share. Then most everyone I had a connection to metaphysically had moved away, or had lived in another state when we met. Reading and being alone became a mainstay. I wondered if I would feel this alone forever?

Lucky me, I didn’t remain alone. Yes, I became my own best friend within the study of metaphysics, but clients became curious about energies in stones, so my circle widened again. Speaking up about such topics got easier while traveling and doing shows with my jewelry. I placed tiny typed descriptions of how amethyst connects the crown chakra (energy center found at the top of your head) with intuitive protective forces. It was a non-threatening way to allow others to ask questions.

Opening a window allows people to feel your breeze. Sharing is just that, even when you feel nervous of the outcome.

One thing that is suggested at these art fairs is to share your story. For the longest time, I had wondered just what my story was? By having these little notes on energies found in whatever stone, I had created my story. Over all those years of personal study, I had not only done meditation, but deep meditation as well as channeling. While in deep meditation, you allow other energy to step in to give information. While doing this, I wrote stone healing properties down and incorporated it into a notebook. Testing all information out on myself first, I eventually asked clients if they wanted to read up on what stone they were choosing today? Time and again I discovered what I had written was true, and people were naturally being drawn to the stone energy they needed for whatever reason.

It was the first time I felt my move to this hot-spot had a purpose.

Maybe, if you moved and then moved away again rather quickly, you couldn’t jive with the energy found in that town. Perhaps you resonated with energy found in another place better? Maybe you discovered what you were supposed to learn in that place quickly, so didn’t have to remain long. Maybe you moved because you were uncomfortable learning what that hot-spot had in store for you.

Why we live in certain places is only something we can discover inside ourselves. Newport for me, is a constant learning ground. It’s a garden of energy I still find exciting. Maybe your hot-spot provides that for you too.

Amethyst is a wonderful stone to wear when you are first discovering how to be insightful. By connecting the crown chakra (the intuitive energy center found at the top of your head) with protective forces inherent in amethyst, you can reach out and feel safe in uncharted territory all at the same time! This ring is in 22 and 18Ky gold. Read more on the web page!

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

The Life You Are Living

Chapter 9; Gardening…

 

Gardening can be a terrific analogy for metaphysics.

While digging out my gardens after years of neglect I felt dismay. After each two or three-hour session, I would survey my progress. It never looked like the amount of effort I had put in showed. Weeds had grown over a lot of my brickwork so, I had to get through those weeds to get to the gardens themselves. Many bricks had to be lifted from their home to get at whatever weed, and then re-placed.

One garden was plagued with ferns as well as weeds. Even though some ferns were holding up top-heavy plants, they had to go. While pulling, and digging I thought of how there are moments when it’s good to yank off the top of something that is no longer working in your emotional life. There are also times when it’s better to get at the root of what’s plaguing you to get it out. Many gardeners pull the tops off of weeds and call it a day. Me, I dig down to get at as much of the root structure as I possibly can. It’s all in how you personally look at gardening, and at life.

When I was younger I went for professional counseling. Each week I would unload my personal issues certain the person who sat on the other side of the desk was bored and then, just before our time was up, something would come out of that person’s mouth that landed on me like a ton of bricks. Driving around town for an hour afterwards I would digest what those words meant to me deep down inside. Amazingly, those seemingly indifferent eyes provided a portal for me to work through personal issues in new ways. Those tools gave me the impetus to dig deep inside at my personal weeds, find the roots, and pull them out.

Friends and family can give you the same kinds of tools if you let them. Perhaps they say something repeatedly that may be the right thing for you to do, and yet, you do not hear these suggestions, or maybe you hear them but are not ready to have whatever is said register. One day for no apparent reason you find that what is suggested you are sooooo ready to hear. It’s wonderful when a fresh look at an issue can provide a new path to bring forth an alternate resolution than what you thought possible.

Why?

Why did it take so long to hear that suggestion?

Why did it click this time when countless other times people said the same thing, and you dismissed them?

It’s because you were yanking at the surface of your emotional weed. When you were ready to dig down to get the root out you heard what was being suggested. These are yahoo moments! The kind of inner dot-connecting that you were craving and had maybe even given up thinking would come your way.

Life presents us with multiple solution oriented moments throughout our existence. Maybe today you tug away at the surface of something. When you are ready you dig down to where it all began to find a new way of pulling that root out so you don’t have to deal with it in the future, or so you think.

If you honestly believe you have resolved some core issue in a new and terrific way, the universe will test your resolve. I call these moments “are you done”?

Something has bothered you for a long time. In your mind, it has just been taken care of, so why would the universe feel it is necessary to test you in one way or another?

It’s because old habits die hard.

Don’t believe me? Watch out, because something is about to bite you in the butt that you thought you were done with.

Say you have been addicted to sugar for what feels like a lifetime. That’s a big issue for me. With great effort, you put that wild bear in a cage and are proud of finally having such resolve. Family or friends invite you to a birthday celebration and hand you a cupcake, a piece of cake, or some jellybeans. It doesn’t matter what it might be you know you can walk away, right? If you have really given sugar up for good you can turn your back on these sweets. It doesn’t mean you are through craving them forever, but if you don’t resist that moment of temptation, then you have to begin your path all over again. Look at any of these instances as if you were in alcoholics anonymous. Fall off the wagon and you begin at day one again.

That’s what I mean about are you done? It happens to me all the time. I feel certain I am finished with something and then I get a test to see if I am really done. Soon, another test comes my way and I feel it’s the universe asking me if I am really, really done? And, so it goes for some time until you stop thinking about it every hour of every day. Then, bang, it’s smack back front and center asking you if you are done? Are you really, really, really done?

It’s never easy, at least for me to experience these testing moments, but I recognize them as they come about more easily now, thankfully. And… there is no right or wrong way to deal with any kind of inner emotional issue in life. What works for you might not work for me and visa, versa.

Growth happens when we least expect it. Maybe today you are really, really, really done. Maybe that weed has a bit of a root surviving in your garden. Maybe you think that fern of a thought is helping support some other part of your emotions. Recognition can open a doorway to new possibilities. These moments can be trying, joyful, painful and anywhere in between. The trick is always to trust these are your decisions to make in your own garden. Yank off the top, dig at the root, ignore your growth completely for the season, or sit and ponder what it all means. Look into that mirror of authenticity to embrace what brought you to this very place in this moment. You created your own garden, and the garden of life is all good!

This prehnite pendant has dancing starfish, conch and periwinkle shells in 18Ky, 14Kw/y gold with white fresh water pearls. Prehnite is the stone to wear when you are moving from a solid into a liquid state. Take a break when you need it, and then go with the flow more easily. When you remain hardened by life and all the things you are facing on any given day, you create a hard, outer shell. Why not begin to dance to your own tune like a starfish, and move into a new way of thinking? Try it, you might like it!

 

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

 

The Life You Are Living

Chapter Eight continued; Dreams– 3

 

If you recall from last week, I spoke of how I went to bed after giving up on all my beliefs. When I woke, I thought I would be up for the day. I then fell back to sleep and had an experience like no other before. My adopted mom who passed away some time back visited with me. She told me how she and many on the other side were enjoying my weekly writings, especially the one entitled The Life You Are Living. This part of the experience took place in a dressing room.

After leaving the dressing room I entered a diner restaurant where I wrote on yellow lined paper.

At that moment, I fully woke for the day. Leaping out of bed I thanked God, the Universe, my adopted mom, spirit guides and angels for whatever it was that had just happened. To me it was a miracle.

Being so committed to getting my house ready to go on the market I had not been writing, painting, making fascinator hats, or creating much jewelry. Actually, I hadn’t even been recording my dream messages which is something unusual for me. But, for the first time in over a year, I honestly felt happy! The cloud hanging over my head might not have lifted in the way I had hoped, but spiritually it had left the building and I had a direction to pursue.

At that very moment I grabbed my computer and began my weekly blog.

Dreams are a funny thing. I’ve mentioned that there are moments where you have messages about the coming day, or a soon to be happening life experience. Messages can be pretty clear as in precognitive. My latest experience was beyond a mere dream and was other-worldly. This moment in time gave me a direction I knew deep inside was true guidance. Since that day I have shared this dream experience with a few people and each has told me they got chills. These are people who had not read my blog about how chills are a sign confirming something is true!

If you want to break this experience down as if it were simply a dream, let’s look at all the parts. I was in a dressing room without any clothes to try on…

What do you do in a dressing room? You change! This dreamlike experience became a moment of true change for me. I began writing again with a new sense of purpose.

The fact my friend was not inside the room and could not see or hear what was happening until I shared my description…

To me, this meant I ought to share my writings with others. Blogs and books are a proven method of sharing. Spending a lifetime of studying metaphysics gives me an understanding beyond what many have recently begun to research. I am not coming down from the mount as I have already stated, merely interested in sharing knowledge, studies, even trials as well as successes with whomever wants to read along.

Colors, well…

In the past I’ve taught classes on natural healing. Colors play a big part in healing and I will get more into it as a topic in a later chapter. For this dream, though… My adopted mom was glowing from the inside out in colors so vibrant words would only pale the vision. It was as if Della Reese was presenting herself as an angel from the television program Touched by an Angel. In an effort of association for today I will say that green is an overall healing color. The fact that my adopted mom and I hugged takes that color to a new level. Hugging is a heart connection. Combine that color with the action and you have a healing heart moment! Red can be a few different things. It can be power, anger, love, passion. Since the color was undefinable in normal life, I might suggest it was all of the fore mentioned. If so, then this radiant color of red brought in a great power that I was seeking. My frustration over not having answers shifted in that moment to love and passion.

When I left the dressing room I entered a diner restaurant where good sustaining food can be purchased by everyone, rich or poor. Yellow lined paper that was almost all full of words…

To me, yellow lined paper has always been composition paper. All the papers being full of words in the diner can mean that by writing I am filling a need for people of many different backgrounds. Writing this blog may or may not work into a book format (time will tell). I hope it will give many the opportunity to receive a crash course in understanding things that go bump in the night whether you are rich or poor, have studied metaphysics or not ever even heard the word.

Look at your dream messages closely, they do tell you things. Sometimes they are reflecting what has already happened that perhaps you could have chosen a different path for and had a different outcome. Some tell you to slow down. Some suggest you might miss the boat if you do not act now. Still others are giving guidance on what your next path might be.

My next path was given in a very realistic flash. Please don’t tell me this moment was not authentic, I won’t believe you. It felt and looked as real as my cat does sitting on my lap as I write. It’s still free will of whether or not you follow up on these messages or signs given. Even if you do not follow my beliefs, you get messages thrown at you in many different formats. Perhaps my writings will provide an opportunity to not miss them when they do come your way. How terrific it is when you know something happens that is real and you welcome it with open arms. Follow up on that lead given and it can prove out to be the wonder you had been craving!

 

18Ky, 14Krose gold ring has yellow sapphires and a diamond in it. Most people see a butterfly in the filigree work. Yellow sapphires help you to stop moping and begin hoping! Diamonds, when smaller than other stones work to emphasize the healing properties of whatever colored stone. Butterflies begin as a ground based caterpillar that morphs into a beautiful, magical winged creature. Why not begin hoping to be more than you are right now? Dreams can and do help us to see possibilities!

This fun floor cloth has one fish and air bubbles painted into it. It measures 26.5” x 32.5”. Colors are periwinkle, yellow and gold. When you watch fish swim about, they are mesmerizing and dreamlike, especially their air bubbles.

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

 

The Life You Are Living

Chapter 7; Self-Protection

 

Energy shifts are part of any metaphysical development. Opening psychic doors and windows means you are more susceptible to negative energy lurking around. I’m not trying to put the kibosh on your new-found interest, simply suggesting that you be aware and as such take precautions. Protection of both seen and invisible energy is exhausting emotionally, physically and psychically.

Have you been feeling like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders with no possible end in sight?

Do you think there is an invisible dark energy force hanging over your head?

Are minor accidents happening lately where you’re nervous that a big one is headed your way soon?

Don’t fear… Candace is here with some very important possibilities for getting out of, and staying out of weird psychic hot water!

If you are someone who takes baths… Run a bath with either apple cider vinegar, or sea salt. No need to measure how much nor pay any attention if your vinegar is organic or not. It’s just important that you use one of these over the course of a few days or a week. In your bath create a resting moment to breathe normally and begin to see shifts in your mind. When ready to leave the bath, let it drain out and rinse off with clean water while saying, “Please remove any negativity from within or on this body and have only white light energy remain”. Get out and dry yourself off. Repeat this each day for at least three days or, as I might suggest, until you begin to forget to do this procedure.

If you are a shower person, no problem with making use of this same process. Buy some apple cider vinegar in a plastic bottle so you can take into the shower with you. Either that, or buy a spritzer bottle from the dollar store and place the vinegar, or dissolved salt with water in the bottle and take that into the shower with you. Pour or spritz the solution over you from head-to-foot. Cider vinegar is good for your hair so don’t worry about getting it on your head. Repeat the words above, rinse with clean water, towel off and begin your day.

Within a few days of this ritual you ought to feel a shift energetically speaking.

You may feel lighter either physically, or psychically.

You might feel suddenly happier than you’ve felt in some time.

If you forget to do the vinegar for a day or two, then most likely you are free for now from whatever had hold of you. It’s okay to do this for longer than a week if you feel uncertain. When I begin to forget to use the vinegar I know it’s time to let it alone for now and take normal showers.

During trying times stones to use for protection depend upon what kind of energy has been plaguing you…

Black onyx helps to hold private what you want while stopping others from forcefully coming in. Reflect someone’s negativity back at them, and away from you.

Hematite protects from others’ negative thoughts. Choose whose issues to invite in.

Both blue and gray chalcedony act as armored protectors.

Amethyst can protect from overindulgences.

Marcasite-pyrite helps eliminate what’s inside you that is negative.

My next book to go to print is called Stone Magic. I have been claiming in my blogs that it is coming out soon, and I promise it is. This book breaks down stone healing properties in an A-Z fashion, is small, and easily transportable. You will be able to take this with you when you go jewelry or stone shopping. When you feel drawn to a certain stone, look up the healing it can bring forth and decide if it’s for you or not.

Also, one simple daily visual exercise will assist in keeping you out of harms reach. Before my day gets going I do this…

Picture yourself, your house, your car, your children or even your pets surrounded by white light. Follow that up with encircling that white light with mirrors that face outward. If you have difficulties with this process, I suggest you work this way… See yourself inside a white tent that even has a white floor, then see that tent encased with a Mylar Balloon. You know, the ones that have a mirror finish on them. See the mirrors all around and under you just as the white tent had a floor. Make certain the mirrors are facing outward! Now follow these visuals up with the words… “Spirits go before me, make my way safe perfect and clear. Please do not let anything I consider even remotely negative come near me this perfect day under Grace and in Divine right perfect ways!” At the end of the day it helps to give thanks for having received that protection all day.

These are the easiest and best ways to self-protect and clear negative energy from yourself. Paying attention is key, but these methods give a hand up on everything that wants to come your way now that you have opened a door.

                

Above, find frosted black onyx beads with white fresh water pearls and 14Kw/y gold half chickens and half egg drops. Black onyx is normally seen with a high polish on it that is mirror-like. These beads have been sand-blasted to have a matt finish. The half chicken, half egg symbolizes the age-old question of Which Came First. Having them in both white and yellow gold displays how eggs normally come either in white or brown colors. White pearls bring in a pure balance to feminine energy. This is to say… Keep negative energy away from you with black onyx and yet be open to new possibilities. You can be a chicken, or spring forth out of that shell existence you’ve been living and be balanced in a feminine way.

Above right, you’ll see one of my painted floor cloths in black and gold. It has a Harlequin boarder, and acorns as a center design. From one tiny acorn, you can eventually create a whole forest. That is true abundance!

It’s my understanding that floor cloths were an early form of rug found in New England. The maritime sailors wore rain gear created from oilcloth. Someone thought this same oilcloth might help keep some of the mud off their floors and began to decorate them as rugs. Living in a sea town, I have quite a few floor cloths decorating my floors, all of which I created. Some of which are for sale.

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

 

The Life You Are Living

Chapter Four; Stone Whispering

 

People wonder how an artist comes up with ideas, inspirations. Speaking for myself, designs come into my head all the time, even when I sleep. Age gets me up to pee where I ponder dreams and designs. Some nights when I wake my sketchbook comes out to draw these thoughts before sleep will revisit. Stones speak to me on secret levels, even when I simply look at them.

I am what some people term a sensitive as well as an empath. Descriptive words for someone who knows things but does not know why, and feels what others do, though thankfully not twenty-four hours a day. All this carries over to my work with stones. Either I am a sensitive and an empath, or I’m nuts, something I have seriously pondered on and off over the course of my life.

In a quiet interaction, stones communicate how they want to be set. I feel, and receive clear visions of finished pieces of jewelry in my mind. Often when creating what I had envisioned, a shift happened. Years back I fought that change certain I had to make what I had first seen as a finished object. One day I understood that as I work on a piece, things may shift for good reason from my original idea.

Perhaps it’s a better design than the original.

Maybe it’ll be more secure for the person tough on their jewelry who purchases it.

Trust is at the core during these moments. Praying is also key.

Yes, I pray over my work as it happens. No, I am not religious. I am spiritual. As previously stated, I believe in many things and at the base is continuous life. Often when I am concentrated on my work, I see spirits. They pop in to see what I’m working on. Some want something specific but mostly it’s to check-in if you will. They remind me of the connection between this world and the next, and I do remind myself at these times to pray if I haven’t been doing so.

I pray that the right person will be connected to the finished product.

Sometimes I beg for assistance as something turns out to be more difficult than I thought it would be.

Mostly, I pray that the connection between the piece and I is true and that I do the best job I can.

While I pray, my mind works on perhaps three levels simultaneously. One part connects my hands with my eyes in a mechanical way. Another part of my brain wanders to see what could be the next move forward. Lastly, there is a part of me that feels the connection between metal and stone. That connection is something I can only try to describe, and something people kindly term as being a stone whisperer.

My mind sort of steps to one side. I am in a bit of an altered state then. In a college painting studio that happened often when I was unsure of how to finish my latest work. My hands and eyes did not feel like mine alone. I was there, but somehow softer, fuzzier. Coming out of such moments I knew the painting was done. I never understood how I did what I did to complete the work, and always attributed it to other energies. This happens when making jewelry too, only I do know and understand how something happens because largely it is mechanical.

You measure and cut out metal.

You anneal it, or make it pliable.

You shape it, and make it pliable once again or many times more.

I solder to keep different parts together, and eventually mount stones.

For me, all pieces begin and end with stones. Seeing the mechanical side of how I need to get from unmounted stone to finished product becomes the sort of A to Z element. The in-between is where I kind of step to one side and let both my knowledge of how to mechanically make something work, connect with my spiritual side of how something ought to shift from the original idea.  Polishing comes before and after I set the stones. The final polish reveals the “yes” moment where you know your design is complete, and it’s ready to move on to its new home.

Clients see magic in my jewelry and often ask if I have difficulty parting with my creations?

I answer this way…

Creating jewelry, or any art for that matter is like giving birth to a child, someone you love and watch grow into the person who leaves home for any number of reasons. You did what you could to push that infant out of the nest to now have a life of its own. I love my work and feel I am the parent who brought up the creation so it could leave home and exist for you!

A client once said he appreciated my coloring outside the lines.

Have to admit at first I wasn’t sure how to take that, but here goes… I mainly work freehand while creating a piece. That means I use hand-held tools to keep things in place. It becomes a balancing act between how steady my hands are and if the torch is cooperating. Jewelry making today has become more machine oriented with the use of lasers, cad cams, die striking and casting methods for those who care to be very efficient. Forming something with the strength of my hands means I feel the metal move and often fight back.

For the most part, we all have imperfect vision. Our hands nor eyes line up exactly. No matter how much measuring I did in the past things would go bump and then looked off kilt. Eventually, relaxing with my process of creation, I became very friendly with asymmetry. My open arm embrace of such imperfection became some of what people sought me out for.

That outside the lines client loved how my work didn’t line up exactly, and how I placed stones outside the core metal design. Once I understood his statement I replied that stones don’t always like to be in the center which will cause the eye to look the piece over more closely.

It’s entertaining to watch people stare while rings dance on my moving hands when engrossed in conversation as they might observe a bee in flight. Now that is magic! Being a sensitive, empath and stone whisperer doesn’t mean I can’t have fun!

                                       

How about the wonders of Labradorite? Natural varying colors inherent in this wonderful stone work to help you go for the rainbows in life which can assist in getting you through any difficult places within your mind.

Fascinator hats are literally fascinating! They capture your attention much the same as beautiful jewelry does. Here, the fascinator has a plethora of color and moving feathers dancing about your head just like a rainbow can.

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

The Life You Are Living

Chapter Three; Karma

 

 

Last week I mentioned the word Karma. People toss this word about lightly today when in fact it is a very important word in metaphysics.

As an example, look at how angry people make you when you drive somewhere.

Do you yell at them from inside your vehicle?

Do you throw them the bird?

Do you experience actual road rage where you get out of your car at a stop light and go up to their car to say how they’ve done you wrong?

Well, the road of life is much the same as the street your car travels on. If you scream at others, you normally have been screamed at. Did you steal from someone, some business or restaurant? If so, then at some point you will be robbed yourself. This is the most simplistic definition of karma, the eastern Indian word for the destiny you earn due to your actions and behavior. Unfortunately, what might be returned to you can be in a much heavier dose than you feel you deserve, but then… maybe you need it to be intense in order to get the point.

There have been many times in my life where this boomerang effect of karma has kicked me in the butt. Traffic is one of them!

Living in a tourist town where I have also had my goldsmith business for more than forty-five years, there have been countless times where I felt anger over not being able to get through a crowded street with haste either on foot or in a car. I’m not proud to admit I have yelled out of frustration.

Interestingly enough, my business was not built on the tourist trade but rather locals, and that is some of my karma.

Having anger at tourists for traffic clogs meant I did not reap many rewards in business early on from their visiting my town. There was a moment where I thought about moving away because of my frustration with traffic. Stupid me! It took years to find a balance inwardly for this misplaced anger. Thankfully, I have a lot of patience for tourists today. After all, I didn’t know my way when I first moved here with all the narrow one-way streets, why would an out-of-towner know their way? Even with GPS going you cannot always see your way beyond the clogged streets. Also, I moved to this town because I liked it here, why wouldn’t others feel the same way for a day, a week or longer? In fact, I now realize tourists and I have something in common. We all like it here!

Not being an angel, there are still moments when I get frustrated over traffic, however, I don’t yell now. Instead, during busy times I use backroads, and if I choose to drive into a traffic oriented area this day, at this moment, it’s on my head. I take responsibility for being in a particular place at a certain time. It’s not anyone elses fault if I cannot make it through a street quickly if I chose to drive that way.

Karma can show how you have treated others and equally, how you do not wish to be treated. If you don’t like what you are receiving, then look at what you have dished out in the past. Recognize it. Make some internal shift, and then hopefully you can move out of that particular Karmic Hell. As a continuation from last week, this is not advice, it’s an opinion. I am still learning about karma in all aspects of my life! One aspect in particular is how karma can get you from one life to another. Yes, it can follow you if it has not been dealt with properly. Yikes!

Moving on, you’ll note that I include a stone, a painting, and perhaps a fascinator hat at the close of each blog. The reason is simply that I find stones, and color to be healing. Years back I discovered there were moments I knew that if I chose to work on a certain stone, something would go wrong.

After many tests along that line, I began a search for answers outside myself to no avail. This was a time before books were in print on such a topic. I worked with meditation and channeling to discover hidden healing properties in different stones. Slowly, I tested the given messages out on myself, and then on my willing clients. Over the course of twenty plus years, these given properties are ready for print and will be available soon in my book titled Stone Magic.

Many stones have a common title such as sapphire and yet, there are lots of different colors that fall into that category name. Interestingly, each color gives a different level of healing. My book lists the A-Z definition of stones I feel are important for today, or will soon be. Perhaps that’s why I became a stone whisperer in this life, so I could provide an opportunity for all to feel what I do when wearing stones.

 

If life is handing you one bump after another, then perhaps Bone is the proper organic substance to use. Bone helps to absorb shock to the system.

This wedding fascinator reminds us of how gentle bone colors can be on such a special day. Silk rose top floral leads down into felt hearts, an over the eyes veil, as well as a trailing veil that goes over the shoulders and down the back.

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here

The Life You Are Living

Chapter Two; Psychic Mirrors

 

Living as I do in a world where art is a core existence and metaphysics is a mainstay, I would like to share some of my experiences each week on how I choose to look at myself, and where I exist. Please do not feel that I am in any way suggesting you have to shift who you are at any given moment because being different from one another is what makes us humans so wonderful. Wonder is the core word, and worth repeating. Though I use the words “we” and “you” often in my blogs, I am not asking people to change, I am simply offering others a chance to see what my life is like, how I get through a day maybe, or over an obstacle. If it helps someone, that’s a good thing. If it makes you laugh, even better!

In my first blog, I mentioned holding up a psychic mirror to look into…

This happens all the time in life. Friends, family, work mates, even complete strangers offer opportunities to see something inwardly we have been ignoring that needs a second, third, or many looks to help us grow emotionally, psychologically, physically, psychically, or however. Previously stated, I believe we are in school while we are here on this plane, so why not make the most of it and learn something new about yourself?

We have become such a me oriented society. Some of this me orientation is a good thing. Paying too much attention makes you a self-centered person and someone that most people don’t want to spend time with. As humans, we do all have flaws. Please note folks, it’s exhausting being around perfection. However, when you look inward to see possible flaws, admit you are working something out, you become a person others want to be around and what follows can be a learning experience.

As an example, when you admit you are going through something, people often offer up advice. You might hate the advice given. You might not appreciate the person giving the advice. At first you blame them for not understanding you. Usually though, when someone offers advice it’s because you are close enough for that person to feel comfortable in making suggestions, and after all, advice is really a suggestion. And… if you didn’t know they were coming from a place of love, your hand would automatically go for their throat to squeeze.

Using a psychic mirror works this way…

When someone says something and you don’t like how it feels deep inside. At first it eats away at you for whatever reason. Suddenly, you realize that the words spoken have truth to them, and were not said out of malice. You’re then ready to get beyond the emotion of the moment. You look inward to see how you may have done exactly what was just dished out to you. (Someone does to you what you have done to others, is karma. A simplified version maybe, but we’ll get into that next week.) Depending upon what you’re looking at, this can be a gut-wrenching experience, and it’s usually not fun, but it can be if you stop for a moment and say, “This is a school exam that I can choose to flunk, or, I can put in the work to pass and maybe even get an A.”

My mirror this week has been about giving advice. I’m not sure why I dish it out so often, but I do. Perhaps listening with my mouth shut is too easy? I felt certain that once I looked at this element inside of me I would most certainly go through a new doorway and see that vista on the other side.

After finishing this blog, or so I thought, a friend called who listened to my latest written words and then told me of her decorating dilemmas. Almost immediately I began to give my thoughts (or advice) of what I thought she could do to the space in question. Suddenly I burst out into laughter and shared with her how I couldn’t help myself from giving advice! We both had a good laugh, and then I asked her if there was anything I could do to assist?

Growth isn’t necessarily complete when you realize something, but at least it’s now recognizable. Learning is constant for me, and a psychic mirror can be and is a good opportunity for inner growth.

Rose Quartz is all about self-love and not in a selfish, self-centered way. Love your inner workings, the good, the bad, and the ugly truth, because from all these elements comes the you, you are today.

There is a similarity in healing between pink pearls (last week) and rose quartz. To understand the subtle differences, you’ll be able to refer to my upcoming book titled Stone Magic. It will give an A to Z breakdown of healing stone properties.

The color pink also associates with self-love. Why not get a pink fascinator to see how others tune into your positive energy?

< Go to clsherman.com

Candace is also the author of the well-received The Crystal Caves available here