Petrovich - Elemental energy: crystal and gemstone rituals for a beautiful life

In memory of my loving father,

Jon Alan Petrovich, whose passion, sense of humor,

and zest for life continues to inspire.

CONTENTS

M y fascination with gemstones started at an early age. It was not the presence of prismatic diamonds, sky-blue aquamarine, or even sunny citrine that grabbed my attention and held it for years to come. For me, it was the luster of pearls evoking a sense of allure and connection. Long before my daughter, Kristin, and I ever pondered the concept of a luxury skincare line infused with the energy of pearls, gemstones, and precious minerals, I gravitated toward these iridescent spheres. From that first introduction, I just loved how smooth they felt between my fingers and against my skin.

As a child growing up in Indiana near Lake Michigan, my mother had a particular strand of pearls that magically turned any outfit she worefrom a black cocktail dress to a white button-down blouse and caprisinto pure elegance. The necklace had been a gift from my grandmother, and I envisioned it one day being passed down to me.

It wasnt until my teenage years that pearls began to serve a newfound purpose. My mother, who looked far younger than her age, shared her secret: she would sometimes sleep with a strand of pearls around her neck, and, as she explained, the bodys natural oils would capture the inner luster of the pearls. She encouraged me to follow the same ritual, and most mornings my skin looked brighter, as did my mental outlook.

Before Kristin and I launched our holistic skincare line, sjl, in 2001, a cosmetic chemist with whom Kristin and I were working suggested that we include pearl extract in our products to help promote luminosity, brightening, and overall clarity. I was curious as to why our chemist felt pearls had these effects on the skin. Her response confirmed my original insightsthat pearls are actually gemstones, and gemstones naturally radiate energy. From yearning for my mothers pearl necklace to the birth of Kristins and my skincare line, it was now clear why I gravitated toward pearls and gemstones.

When I began my journey with gemstones and crystals, I had just moved to California. Kristin had left for college, and my husband was traveling the globe. Anything but a New Age hippie, I was still conservative in my views; however, I felt there was something missing in life. After catching a feng shui expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, I decided to contact the expert so she would work her magic in our home and my husbands officeunbeknownst to him, of course. She suggested I buy a few affordable gemstones to keep around the house and hide a handful in my husbands office drawers to emit positive energy while deflecting the negative. I went onto a New Age website and ordered a kit containing one each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple stones. I decided to put a set on my nightstand because I wanted them nearby, though I didnt know why.

Kristin walking on the beach: Christian Tay

I felt an immediate connection with the purple amethyst, much in the same way I had experienced with pearls. I later learned that purple stones resonate with the Crown chakra at the top of the headthe center for trust, devotion, inspiration, and positivity, which is also the center for deeper connection with ourselves and the divine. Its no wonder that by simply closing my eyes and holding the stone for a few minutes every day while visualizing its deep purple color, I felt calmer and more connected to a higher power.

Although Kristin is usually the one in the know when it comes to the latest fashion, food, and health trends, I was actually the first to view gemstones as tools that connect the mind, body, and spirit in a way Id never experienced.

When Kristin learned of my newfound interest in gemstones and crystals, she was skeptical to say the least. She returned home from college and spotted the collection on my nightstand. What are these tchotchkes doing in here? Theyre hideous, I recall her saying. My family was convinced I had lost my mind. And I wasnt 100 percent sure that that wasnt the case.

Right around the same time, during a routine visit, my doctor discovered that I had several cysts that were cause for concern and that would require surgery. Needless to say, this weighed heavily on me. After my diagnosis, my husband, Jon, and I took a trip to Sedona, Arizona. As I hiked amid the stunningly impressive and humbling red rocks of Sedona, which, like gemstones, were formed over millions of years, I felt more connected to the earth than I ever had. I asked the universe for a signa physical signthat my journey with gemstones and their ability to heal and protect was valid. I needed to know that the tingling I felt coming from the stones and moving through my body wasnt all in my head.

I never had to have those cysts removed. At my next doctors visit, there was no trace of themnone! Miraculously, they had all dissolved. My doctor couldnt believe it. Nor could I. The changes in me werent just physical. My doctor noticed that there was something different about my aura. What have you been doing? she asked. What she must have picked up on was how much more comfortable I had become with my decisions and in my new life path.

Now if I could only get Kristin to be open to the possibilities. After graduating from college, she headed straight to New York City to pursue a career in fashion. Almost immediately, she started working as an assistant for several top stylists, and her days were long. As a mom, I worried about her burning the candle at both ends. But she insisted on doing everything in her power to forge a career, knowing that if she turned down a job, somebody else would swoop right in to take it. The stress took its toll, and eventually she felt so run-down, she could barely get out of bed. I sent her a small purple amethyst cluster, which I am sure she dismissed.

It wasnt until she returned home from a photo shoot one evening with a fever so high she could barely move that she plopped into bed, fumbled for the stone, and placed it near her head while she drifted off. The next morning, she felt almost 100 percent better. But something strange had happened to the stone: each stem of the purple crystal cluster was black at the top, as if it had absorbed her pain as well as the heat from her body.

That was the turning point. She had realized that the gemstones power to heal wasnt just New Age hokum. In fact, it wasnt new at all, since for thousands of years, various cultures, from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans in the West to the Hindi and Chinese cultures in the East, had witnessed stones protective and healing powers. Shamans and medicine men used them as tools to connect to the divine, and century after century, great thinkers and physicians have continued to understand stones abilities to connect us with the earth and the heavens.

Kristin spent the next few years trying to understand what had transpired that night. Like I had done for years, she now studied and experimented with Eastern practices including Chinese, Tibetan, ayurvedic, homeopathic, and vibrational medicines. She visited herbalists, holistic medical practitioners, integrative nutritionists, and crystal healers to better comprehend the philosophy behind why energy is considered by many to be the best medicine (with no refills required or side effects).