So many are enamoured by the allure of crystals, and all they promise to deliver. I, for one, have had a long-time love affair with them, from clear quartz to lapis lazuli and, most recently, selenite.
From the ancient Sumerians to the Egyptians, crystals have been known as powerful protectors, healers and talismans by cultures worldwide; spiritual supports that, today, are popular subjects of Instagram feeds and mind, body, spirit expos.
However, beyond social media, crystals continue to be revered and used by those who have delved much deeper than The Crystal Bible, decoding their messages and tapping into their energy for greater health, wealth and wisdom.
Heather Ankinosie and Timmi Jandro are two such pioneers; modern-day crystal medicine women who, through their thriving business, Energy Muse, are teaching people how to work with these seemingly magic stones to bring greater clarity, purpose and, yes, even protection.
I met Heather and Timmi 10 years ago, when they gifted me a luck bracelet, a marrying of black tourmalinated quartz, heishi shells and pyrite to foster positivity, and in turn, good luck. It has been my mainstay piece ever since, until I made a new purchase for the next stage of my journey.
But, are crystals really a key to manifesting our deepest desires? And if so, why do they seem to work for some, but not others?
I caught up with Heather and Timmi, who are now also bestselling authors of their book Crystal Muse, to get their insights and perspectives on the world of crystals…
Heather (left) and Timmi
How did the Energy Muse story begin?
Heather Askinosie: Thirty years ago, when I was selling luxury real estate in Southern California, a client asked me to find him a home with good feng shui. At that point in my life, I had no idea what feng shui was or the world of energy, and that’s what truly opened the door for me. From there, I stumbled upon a crystal store and I was hooked.
I began to live a double life, selling real estate by day and spending the nights with the crystals in this store. The more time I spent with them, the more I knew that I could no longer live this double life — I had to take a leap of faith. I used the money I’d saved from selling homes and traveled the world to study with indigenous healers, shamans, and medicine people who all bestowed their wisdom to me by word of mouth.
When I returned, I wanted to test the knowledge and wisdom I’d gained to see how I could share this with more people — I’ve always been a skeptic by nature, so I had to see the results for myself.
I used the money I’d saved from selling homes and traveled the world to study with indigenous healers, shamans, and medicine people who all bestowed their wisdom to me by word of mouth.
I made 10 necklaces combining my knowledge of feng shui and crystals. It was called Prosperity, and it incorporated jade beads and three Chinese coins tied with red string. I gave it to 10 of my friends — Timmi was one of them, as I knew she would be honest with me — asking them to wear it for 10 days and let me know what happened. Every single one of them came back with some sort of shift in prosperity. After that, everyone wanted to get their hands on one of these necklaces, but I had one problem — I didn’t know how to produce product. That’s where Timmi entered the picture.
Timmi Jandro: My background was in the garment industry, and I’d had the experience of learning all facets of a business — from sales to production to shipping to customer service. I got a small production team together, and we literally started selling product out of the trunks of our cars.
Soon word spread to the Hollywood A-listers about this prosperity-bringing necklace. We were ushered into Hollywood parties to sell our “energy beads”. It’s like we were doing energy deals with the most influential and successful people, giving them a competitive edge. From there, we began to create more products for other intentions to grow our offerings. And that’s how we got our start!
How is Energy Muse different to other crystal companies?
HA: I’ve been working with and studying the crystal world (as well as other parts of the energy world) for nearly three decades. I’ve had the opportunity to study with healers, shamans and experts from all over the globe. They’ve all passed secrets and ancient wisdom, allowing me to share that with our community.
TJ: Another thing that is different about our company is the care and cleansing process that happens with all our crystals. First of all, we are very mindful of where we are sourcing our crystals from, going to direct sources who treat the Earth and crystals with love and respect. That ensures that the crystals are being ethically mined and they hold a different vibration when sourced that way. Also, before our jewelry and crystals are shipped to our customers, they go through a cleansing process of sacred smoke, sound clearing and more before they make their way to your home. That ensures that when you receive your crystal, it is ready to begin its work with you.
How can crystals support us in our day-to-day?
HA: I will be the first to tell you: if anyone thinks that just buying a crystal is going to magically change their life, they’re going to be disappointed. Trust me, I wish that were true, but I’m the first to tell you it’s not. Working with crystals is like any new diet or fitness regime: you have to put in the work! Like any new program, it takes time and consistency to get results. The magic is not the crystal; it’s you. It’s not doing the work, you’re doing the work. It’s an ally on your journey. A tool to help you get where you want to go.
At the end of the day, crystals are a tool that reminds you that you can find peace even in the midst of chaos. A touchstone to get grounded, balanced and centered. And when we are in this state, we can make better decisions. Crystals can help you do that on a daily basis; it’s really as simple as that.
TJ: You can use crystals as a tool or a talisman and connect with it throughout the day. It helps to bring you back to your intentions, and reminds you to “do the work.”
Why isn’t just “wearing a crystal” enough? What do we need to do to connect and really work with the crystal energy?
HA: For some people, simply wearing a crystal may be enough to get what they want with that crystal. For others, it won’t be. It’s all about consistency and connection. The more consistently you can be with your practice, the better the results will be. Just like with anything else you do in life.
Setting an intention for a crystal is one of the most important aspects of working with crystal energy. You cannot expect to set a crystal in your room and have it spontaneously transform your life. You have to give your crystal a job. Setting your intention with a crystal helps you to get clear about what you want to work on with this crystal. That way, every time you look at it, it can realign you with the goal you are working toward.
At the end of the day, crystals are a tool that reminds you that you can find peace even in the midst of chaos. A touchstone to get grounded, balanced and centered.
It may sound like a complicated process, but setting an intention with a crystal is actually very easy! Begin by cleansing your crystal. Then find a peaceful place where you can reflect and hold the stone in both of your hands. Use a few calming breaths to get in sync with the crystal’s energy. State aloud what you want to work on bringing into your life. It is crucial to keep engaging with your stone as many times as you need to stay on track with the energy of your positive changes. Make a morning or evening practice out of it.
What are your favourite crystals and why?
HA: I currently have two crystals that hold the number one position—because you know I can’t choose just one!
Selenite is a form of gypsum crystal named after the Greek Goddess of the moon, Selene. I call it “liquid light” because the bright energy that flows from Selenite can cleanse, stabilize and balance the emotional body. I see Selenite as one of Mother Nature’s most magnificent creations. One of the largest Selenite is inside a Naica mine, weighs around 55 tons and is estimated to be 50,000 years old according to a NASA researcher.
Shungite is said to be a billion years old. For that reason alone, it stays at my #1! It’s also super rare, and can only be found in one place on Earth—in a remote part of Russian called, Karella. Composed almost entirely of pure carbon, Shungite is the only known mineral on Earth to contain ‘fullerenes”. The discovery of fullerenes by three scientists earned them a nobel prize in chemistry in 1996. They have the ability to reduce the concentration of free radicals, act against toxins by neutralizing the body, protect and transform EMF’s and purify water.
TJ: I came into this world with a throat chakra problem. Not just in the rasp of my voice, but in my ability to convey what I’m thinking without holding back. Blue Lace Agate relieves the tension that I hold in my throat chakra, and allows me to articulate my thoughts with passion and candor.
The earth is undergoing a major ascension period. What crystals would you suggest are best for supporting us through this?
HA: I would say to keep it simple with Clear Quartz because being crystal clear is the best superpower in my opinion. Clear Quartz is a very high vibrational crystal that allows us to become clear on so many different levels. Simply by looking at it, it shows you what it’s all about. That and Selenite are two crystals I believe everyone on the planet should have.
Since I met you a decade ago, how has Energy Muse evolved and what has surprised you most?
TJ: The amount of growth and evolution that Energy Muse has experienced in the past 10 years has been mindblowing, and we are so grateful. Within our 18 years in business, we’ve experienced highs and lows like any other business, but the people we’ve met along the way and our community we’ve built has been just so amazing.
I would say that since 10 years ago, the expansion of selling crystals versus just jewelry has really been exciting. Also, our new book Crystal Muse that came out last fall with Hay House has allowed us to really expand globally and reach crystal lovers all across the world. It’s also opened up a passion for sharing and focusing on the educational component behind this world and really building a community where we can teach people how to harness the energy of the earth to feel empowered and motivated to pursue their passion.
But at the end of the day, the one thing that drives our business, and us on a personal level, is people getting results with crystals. The success stories that our customers share is still the best part of doing this work.
How important is it to clear our living and work spaces? Beyond white sage, what would you suggest is a great way to do this?
HA: It’s SO SO important. Especially if you are working with crystals. Because at the end of the day, crystals are an amplifier, so if you have a lot of energetic gunk hanging around in your space, the crystals will magnify that.
Here’s a few of my spring energy cleaning tips:
- Open up all the windows. Wash down the blinds and clean the curtains. Let fresh air in.
- Sage your home to energetically clear your space. Sage is a sacred plant that has been used since ancient times. It is known as a purifier, and burning it helps to drive out negative energy and restore balance to your space. Make sure that you have a fireproof container before you burn your sage.
- Ask the plant-medicine spirit of sage to be there with you, and ask that it assist you in purifying and cleansing your space. Hold the sage above the fireproof container as you light it. Let the sage catch fire, and allow it to burn for about 30 seconds. Then blow it out.
- Open your front door and all the windows in the house to allow the unwanted energy to be released. Starting at your front door, sage around the outside of the door and frame. Now walk back inside, and begin saging the space by moving clockwise through it. Using a feather or your hand, waft the smoke into the corners of all the rooms and up to the ceiling. Say these words out loud or silently: I ask that the plant spirit of the sage please remove and release any negative energy from this space.
- When you’re finished, extinguish the sage stick by snuffing it out inside your fireproof container.
- Ring a bell or singing bowl 3x in all the corners to break up any stuck or stagnant energy.
- Make sure that you open up all the cabinets in the kitchen, bathrooms and closets and make sure to sage/ring bells in that space as well.
- Follow this up with the smoke of Palo Santo or Sweetgrass to bring in positivity and blessings.
Then you can bring in the crystals!
Anything else you’d like to add?
HA: We are here to give you the guidelines and the information about crystals, but the bigger, core conversation is to connect with yourself. Get out of your head, and into your heart. Where are you going to get your answers from? You’ve got to determine for yourself what works for you and tap into that. Our consciousness is moving out of this stage of one size fits all, one answer fits all, one crystal fits all. We are expanding out of this modality because we have to! But the one deeper constant is connection.
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