This is a fun story with magical elements. It is one of my longer blog posts, but I hope you enjoy it.
I had been feeling the need to get out for a hike in the mountains. So we drove to the Jemez Mountains last Saturday, September 21, 2013. This story starts off with a hike around Battleship Rock chasing purple dragonflys.
Of course, I took my camera with me. We hiked along the bank of a stream under the cover of a dense pine forest. It seems that everywhere I looked there was a magical visual waiting to be captured. But it was the purple dragonflys that really caught my eye.
I first caught a twinkle of metallic purple flash in a sunny spot along the bank. Then I saw more purple flashes. I discovered the purple flashes were caused by dragonflys playing around the stream. I pursued them with my macro lens trying to get a close-up photo of these magical beings.
It took several attempts to get close enough and have the dragonfly not fly away. My macro lens finally succeeded in capturing a dragonfly as it settled down on top of a moss covered rock in the sun.
After the hike we had lunch at the Los Ojos Restaurant & Saloon. Then we strolled through Jemez Springs and visited the shops. One of the shops had a few crystals for sale, but nothing that really excited me. The store owner said that I should talk to John who is selling crystals on the side of the road.
I found a collection of crystals spread out on some fold-up tables in front of a truck with a camper shell. John came out of his camper, stood behind his crystals and said hello. I told John I was looking for a healing crystal.
This is where the story gets a little weird. Without looking down at the table his right hand seemed to move of its own accord. John's wandering hand took hold of a crystal before I could finish my sentence. John picked up the crystal and held it like a dear pet. All this time John was looking directly at me.
Somehow I had the feeling that this crystal had chosen me. It was if the crystal had commanded John's hand to bring it forth. John didn't even seem to notice that he had picked it up. He began to talk about his collection of Tibetan enhydro crystals and his trusted source for the crystals. All the while John was talking about his collection, he was holding this stunning double-terminated smokey quartz crystal.
John offered to bring out some flats of crystals to show me. I asked him, "What about the crystal in your hand?" John gave me the crystal. As soon as I held the crystal I knew it was perfect for me.
This photo shows me holding the crystal. You can see the size and shape in my hand. I have not seen another double-terminated quartz that is so perfectly sized and well-balanced. This is completely natural, not polished. I found a stone like this on eBay for $150, but I paid John $25. You may also see a black spherical inclusion just right of the center of the crystal, next to my ring finger.
This next photo shows a closeup view of the unique, black, spherical inclusion. I do not know what it is composed of, but it is roughly spherical in shape and centered within the body. It is surrounded by a halo of whitish quartz.
Back home I meditated with the crystal holding it and bathing it in incense to cleanse it. While meditating and peering into the crystal the name Black Lotus came to me. The black spherical inclusion appeared to me like a Black Lotus rising up from the murky waters into the clear light, sending out rays of pure white healing light.
The term "Black Lotus" was completely unknown to me before this name appeared in my mind during meditation with the crystal. I have never imagined or even read about a Black Lotus prior to this vision. But the name stuck in my mind and I decided that the crystal should be called the Black Lotus.
After meditation I did some research to see if a Black Lotus exists elsewhere. It turns out that Black Lotus has several interesting meanings.
I grow lotus flowers in a small pond in my backyard so I am quite familiar with many different types of lotus, but I never came across a Black Lotus in any of my readings. After having the vision of a Black Lotus while peering into the crystal, of course I had to Google it. Turns out that the Black Lotus is a very special metaphysical entity.
According to Wikipedia, Black lotus may refer to:
People
- Black Lotus, a nickname of ISKCON spiritual leader Bhakti Tirtha Swami, and the title of his biography
Music
- Black Lotus, a demo album of the Sonic Syndicate
- Black Lotus Records, an independent record label based in Greece
Fiction
- Black lotus, a narcotic flower in the fantasy world of Conan the Barbarian as described in Red Nails
- Black Lotus, a member of the Marvel Universe group the Femizons
- *Black Lotus, the most valuable Magic: The Gathering (MTG) card ever to be released, one of the Power Nine
- Black Lotus, a Chinese criminal syndicate from the Sherlock episode "The Blind Banker"
- Black Lotus, a character in Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour
*Curiosity got the best of me and I had to search for Black Lotus, the most valuable Magic: The Gathering (MTG) card ever to be released. I found it currently for sale on eBay for $100,000 !! See http://r.ebay.com/3TrOJK
MTG MAGIC THE GATHERING BETA BLACK LOTUS BGS 10 > THE HIGHEST GRADED!
Price: US $100,000.00
This Is The Single Highest Graded Black Lotus In Existence ….. The Only BGS-10.
It Cannot Be Under-Estimated How Difficult It Is For A Card To Achieve This High Of A Grade.
$100,000 Seem Extravagant? Perhaps, But Perhaps Not.
Let's Look At Some Of The Top Items For Other Key Collectibles:
Comics:
Action Comics #1 - The highest existing copy sold for $2,161,000 !!!
Amazing Fantasy #15 (1st appearance of Spider-man) a 9.4 sold for $240,000. But, the HIGHEST graded 9.6 just sold for a whopping $1,100,000 !!
Incredible Hulk #181 (1st Wolverine) 9.8 goes for around $17,000. But, the only 9.9 in existance just sold for $150,000 !!!
Baseball Cards:
Honus Wagner Rookie - The Highest Existing Copy Sold For Well Over $1 Million Dollars
Okay, that was a big diversion looking into references to Black Lotus and the Black Lotus playing card worth $100,000. However, it does demonstrate the power of a metaphor. A visual metaphor may be so powerful that it can gather importance and gain the attributions of significant wealth in the mundane world.
The Black Lotus metaphor has definitely impacted me in extraordinary and unforeseen ways. My intuition tuned into this metaphor and channeled a powerful Black Lotus entity living in this crystal.
Now more about this wonderful crystal.
Tibetan Double-Terminated Smoky Enhydro Quartz Generator Wand
Enhydro means "water within" and can apply to minerals other than quartz. Other names: Bubble Quartz
Features of my crystal:
This is a Generator Crystal, having six evenly spaced top faces - in both ends. It is naturally terminated all around, meaning that is has not been cut or polished in any way, this is exactly as nature made it.The crystal has some Rainbow Irises. These are different from rainbow veils which were caused by an impact to the crystal and are obvious and easily seen. Rainbow Irises were created when oils or gasses became trapped inside the crystal as it grew, and they are much harder to spot. They often are hidden and need play of light to reveal them, even change in temperatures may cause them to appear or disappear.There are several Keys on this crystal (Keys are where other small crystals were attached to this crystal). The rough looking Key is not a damaged area, it simply is a rough surfaced Key, instead of one having smooth walls, like they usually have. The side walls have faint striations (side to side lines), etchings, and steps.
There is a triangular indent on the flat of a broad face. It equidistant from the center of the crystal opposite the Black Lotus. This signifies this is a Recordkeeper Crystal.
The Metaphysical Meanings Of The Features Of This Crystal
Quartz: Quartz is used the world over due to the fact that it one of the most amazing substances on the planet. All peoples have found out that - it works! Quartz is believed to: Bring health, good fortune, and prosperity. Extensive use in meditation and spiritual development. Enhances instincts, imagination, dream perception and telepathy. Balances emotions. Brings love and harmony. Encourages perseverance and patience. Imparts psychic vision and illumination. Aids in concentration, meeting and conquering challenges. Receives, activates, stores, transmits, and amplifies energy. Stimulates thought forms. Attracts like qualities, enables one to receive. Keeps brother and journey safe. Eases melancholy. Provides restful sleep.Enhydro crystal: Helps bring forth the Great Masters. Heightens spiritual awareness. Bestows greater wisdom and abundance. Aids in meditation. Calms nerves. Provides safe astral travel. Restores energy and physical balance. Aids in healing work.
Metaphysical uses for Enhydro Quartz include:
- Bringing an energy of "I know I can" to the user.
- Connecting friends and companions.
- Allowing one to flow with changes.
- Increasing a sense of empathy and understanding.
- Inspiring spiritual receptivity.
A Generator Crystal: has six evenly spaced top faces. Sometimes also called a Merlin Crystal. It is believed to generate, ampligy, store, and transmit energy. Used as a connector between members of a group and a high powered transmitter amongst them.Key Crystal: The key is where another crystal was attached to this crystal. It is believed that the Key crystal can be used to unlock the doors to healing. Access hidden information and help answer difficult questions and, solve problems.Rainbow Crystal: is believed that Rainbow Crystals create the closest manifestation of Pure White Light that can be witnessed on the Physical Plane. They are used in meditation to escort us into the realm of the Pure White Light.Recordkeeper Crystal: has pyramid-shaped or triangular shaped natural formations that are either engraved into or raised on a Crystal's face/s. Often you need to search for the Recordkeepers by looking at the Crystal in a bright light an viewing it from varying angles. It is believed that the Recordkeeper Crystal is one the most Sacred Crystals because it holds the Wisdom and Knowledge of the Universe.This ancient Knowledge is readily made available for a person, who has an open mind and a pure heart, and is properly attuned to a Recordkeeper Crystal. Recordkeepers are believed to contain profound secrets and esoteric knowledge of the Higher Awareness.Clarity: The first impression of quality or value of natural crystal is usually judged by the clarity. The clarity ranges from milky white to glass clear that sparkles like a cut diamond. Most crystal is milky white at the base and gradually clears to the tip. The milky white crystal is said to represent the yin or feminine qualities of love, communication, negotiation and receptivity. The clear crystal represents the yang or masculine qualities of power, force, strength and creativity. A crystal with both is believed to promote a balance of the masculine and feminine enegy on both physical and mental levels. Large, water-clear crystal points with smooth sides are quite rare and consequently, more valuable.Smokey Quartz Crystal: Brings good luck. Repels Evil Eye. Activates survival instinct. Helps overcome obstacles. Provides better understanding and increased intuition for meeting challenges and responsibilities. Brings confidence, creativity, abundance, and wealth. Encourages joy in living, personal pride, and kindness. Stimulates dream awareness. Attracts astral forces and aids access to astral plane. Promotes clairvoyance. Facilitates mental clarity. Keeps friend safe. Eases depression. Brings relaxation, has mild sedative effect. Smokey quartz has great healing properties.
