I have always loved rocks, trees and the ocean.

If I am in a place with any of these things, my soul feels at peace.

As a child, we had a weeping willow tree in our backyard.  I can remember every spring when the leaves started appearing, I would dance around the tree and sing about how happy I was to see it “come alive” again.  As an adult, my back yard is filled with trees and I still talk to them to this very day.

As a pre-teen, I remember seeing the ocean, live and in person, for the first time. Even now, I can close my eyes and smell the salt, feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the breeze on my face, hear the rhythm of the waves, and feel the sand beneath my feet. I try my very hardest to make an annual trip to the ocean.

I have always loved rocks.  I’ve played with them in my yard, skipped them across the water and carried them in my pockets.  I’ve given them to my children as gifts.  For many years, I had no idea that crystals even existed.  I have to wonder if the rocks were just “checking me out” all those years to make sure they could trust me with all their “crystal” knowledge.  I sure am happy they decided they could.

Now that I’ve tripped down memory lane for a minute…..on to the real purpose of this week’s blog.

I often get asked where I have found all the crystals, gems and minerals that have come to live with me.

I’m going to share that with you now.

METAPHYSICAL STORES.  Many cities have metaphysical stores. This is always a good place to find crystals.  If, for some reason, the store does not carry a line of crystals, someone in the store will more than likely be able to tell you where to find them.

I have to shamelessly give a shout out to my two favorite stores (in alphabetical order):

• Forever And A Day in Woodstock, Georgia.   My good friends Sherry and Michael Davis are co-owners.  They are a truly wonderful couple and their love of crystals shows in their beautiful displays. They are a constant source of emotional support and encouragement for me and I love them! You can check Forever And A Day out here:  www.foreverandaday.biz
• Phoenix and Dragon in Atlanta, Georgia.  Candace Apple is the owner. The store has a wide variety of tumbled stones and crystals.  I bought my very first crystal here.  It’s a citrine point and it sits beside my computer as I type.  Candace gave us (Aeolus Crowlaw and me) our first opportunity to teach “Crystal Intuitions” classes in her store.  It is where our teaching journey began so it has a special place in my heart.  You can check Phoenix and Dragon out here: www.phoenixanddragon.com

WHILE TRAVELING.  I’ve traveled a lot with my job and it never seems to fail that I am able to find a store that sells crystals in most towns that I visit.  I make it a point to google different locations that may have crystals before I leave on my trips. If, I’m driving, I don’t mind veering off my route to find a store that sounds promising.  It’s always fun to let the crystal that carries the memories of that place come home with me.

ON THE GROUND:  I actually found a piece of quartz in my front yard.  Someone had run over a rock and split it in half.  The inside of the rock was milky quartz.  One time, while vacationing by a large lake, I found pieces of jasper lying on the ground.  I never would have found these pieces if I were not keeping my eyes open for crystals all the time.

MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES: Many places have mineralogical societies that you can join.  These societies teach classes about crystals as well as sponsor field trips so you can dig your own.  These groups usually lean more toward lapidary and geology information rather than metaphysical education.  Still, if the thought of putting your hands in the dirt and pulling a crystal directly from the earth sounds exciting to you, then this may be a place for you.

GEM AND MINERAL SHOWS:  Many cities also sponsor gem and mineral shows.  I have found many different types of crystals at these shows.  They are a great place to find raw stones, polished stones and beads. It’s always interesting to talk to the vendors at these shows, especially the ones who actually collected the crystal with their own hands. Contact your local minerology society for a schedule of upcoming events in your area.

BEAD SHOWS:  If beads are your thing, you can find beautiful specimens at bead shows.  I’ve even had some pretty good success with finding raw and polished crystals that have not been made into beads at these shows.  I’ve had to look at a lot of beads to find them, though.

INTERNET:  The Internet is also a good place to find crystals.  I’ve been able to do a search and find crystals that I have not been able to find in other places.  The only drawback to purchasing from the Internet is that you will not be able to touch the crystal before you purchase it.  I always like to check into the return policy for crystals purchased over the Internet.   I want to have the option of returning stones that don’t feel right in my hands.

GIFTS:  I have had family, friends and co-workers send me crystals as gifts. You know someone really loves you when they give you a box of rocks!

OTHER PLACES:  I’ve found crystals at flea markets, yard sales, science stores, geology websites, mining towns and natural history museums.

When you work with crystals, you will be able to find them in all kind of places. Always keep your mind and heart open and they will start appearing when you least expect them.  That sure has been true for me!

~~~ Kay Langley ~~~