Stones, Gems, and Minerals

Gemstones
Minerals occur naturally in the earth's crust and are defined as inorganic solids that have characteristic chemical composition and crystalline structures. A gemstone (or gem) is a piece of mineral crystal, typically cut and polished. 

Rockhound
Did you know there are people who love to travel collecting gemstones in nature? Yep! We're known as 'rockhounds'—we've traveled the world collecting unique stones — one of our favorite activities! Earth Star Chakra
By collecting gemstones in nature we align ourselves with the Earth Star Chakra (Mother Earth), which increases our respect for  the incredible beauty and strength of nature. With gratitude, we share these gifts with you. 
Lapidary Arts
The artistic practice and craft of shaping, cutting, and polishing stone, gems, and minerals is known as 'lapidary'. We believe the manner by which gemstones are crafted and transformed into finished works affects their healing energy. In our own Philadelphia studio, we work as lapidary artists to provide you with the highest quality pieces, directly infused with our love and Reiki energy!

Tumbling Gemstones
Some of our gemstones are tumbled, instead of cut and shaped. Tumbling retains the natural shape of the stone. Rock tumbling is a fun activity to do with young children. It is easy to do, and you can use stones you collect yourself. Tumbling stones can take up to 6 weeks to complete, so it teaches patience and mindfulness. Andy began his lapidary work with a rock tumbler, at age 13. Years later, Andy returned to this work and introduced Pam to this astonemazing activity,  which she immediately fell in love with.

Healing with Gemstones
Many people, including us, believe that gemstones and crystals have beneficial properties. The use of gemstones and crystals, is not however, a replacement for appropriate medical care and treatment. Gemstone practitioners have written extensively about the beneficial properties of countless gemstones, analyzing their chemical composition, crystalline structure, color and perceived energy, and identifying the beneficial properties of each gemstone and the chakras they may influence. Color alone is not the determining factor. (Note: While yoga practitioners associate specific colors to the chakras, these designations do not necessarily apply to gemstones.) The Book of Stones, by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian (available on Amazon), is one of our favorite resources, and we highly recommend it.
Read 'Gemstone Stories' to learn about specific gemstones we carry.