Sharing: Kahlil Gibran

"Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips."
- Kahlil Gibran

(canyon picture via morguefile)

Chakras, Gemstones, and Chakra Jewelry--That's great, but what's a Chakra?

With yoga becoming more widespread, the general public has become more familiar with the term "chakra". But what is a "chakra"? This is an attempt to give a simple introduction to chakras (although the concept of chakras is a vast and intricate field) and why many, including those who have a yoga practice, people who believe in Chinese qi (c'hi) gong, find chakra jewelry useful in their everyday lives, and how you may find this knowledge beneficial to the quality of your life.

beautiful lotus flower (via morguefile)

The concept of chakras comes from ancient oriental and Hindu studies in energy centers along the spine. The word itself, "Chakra", comes from the Sanskrit word for wheel. Those who seriously study and practice chakras see the chakras as colorful wheels. The idea is that the balance of all seven chakras will translate to good health and well-being emotionally, physically and spiritually. The imbalance of chakras will impede the flow of energy, slowing one's life force. This results in depression, disease and negative attitudes.

The chakras are aligned along the spine, and all vibrate at different speeds. The Piezoelectric effect explains why gemstones are powerful tools in the balance of chakras. Gemstones respond to and affect the energy that courses through our bodies and its vibrations help balance and harmonize various chakras.

Citrine Nuggets Gold Bracelet
(Citrine aids in opening the sacral chakra, and solar plexus chakra)

A more in-depth explanation with charts, chakra-related gemstones and more information about chakras, including chakra imbalance indicators, can be found here. (http://wishgiving.com/gems/chakra-jewelry.html)

You're welcome to link to the page given above, or this blog post with the necessary credits:

Chakra Jewelry Information, Copyright © 2007 Wishgiving, all rights reserved.

Sharing: J. Krishnamurti Inspiring Quote

"If you hold firmly to some set of beliefs or other, you look at everything through that particular prejudice or tradition; you don't have any contact with reality. "
- J. Krishnamurti

August & September Birthstone: Peridot

Peridot, a beautiful, vividly green gemstone with golden hues, has long, celebrated history. Named, the "Emerald of the Evening" by the Romans, and valued by ancient Egyptian royalty, peridot continues to exude luxury today. Large, transparent, peridot stones in intense green shades are rare in nature and thus expensive when found.

PERIDOT PIECES FROM OUR COLLECTION:

Peridot Gold Necklace

In this piece, the designer sought to draw attention to the golden hues within the gorgeous peridot stone with 14k goldfill wire and 14k gold chain. The vividly green gemstone alone exudes class and luxury. To set a balance that lacks pretension and doesn't undermine the gracefulness in this piece, the designer chose peridot gemstones in organic irregular shapes, and set it on a delicate 14k yellow gold chain.

Peridot & Crystal Quartz Gold Tassels Earrings

This delicate yet eye-catching shoulder duster (earrings that are long enough to brush your shoulders) is determined to sparkle and catches light wherever you go.

PERIDOT MEANING & ITS PROPERTIES:
In Christian history, peridot is mentioned in the Bible and considered a sacred gemstone.

Peridot is a perfect stone for the spiritual to benefit from its soothing effects. A peridot necklace is often used as a protector against negative emotions.

Peridot is believed to slow aging processes, both mentally and physically. Some use it to improve speech, and help find lost or misplaced things. Moreover, it is said to increase confidence, assertiveness and patience. Physically, it is said to heal the heart and lungs.

Grand Reopening Sale Ends Friday, August 31

Our huge Grand Reopening Sale ends Friday, August 31!

Enjoy this rare offer of saving up to 50% off of gemstone rings, eyewear necklaces, bangles and more.

Grand Reopening

We are very excited to announce that our new site is finished and open for business! Apart from convenient user-friendly options such as our new VIP program (which allows customers exclusive discounts and better shopping experience), advanced search options, tell-a-friend messages, we also have new designs that we have been eager to showcase.

Take a look, enjoy, and stay a while.

Let's Create Beauty & Blessings,
The Wishgiving Team

July's Birthstones: Carnelian & Onyx [+ a small shop announcement]

SHOP ANNOUNCEMENT
We are still currently under construction, and we are very sorry for any inconveniences. But we don't want to open to the public until the site is in tip-top shape.

As soon as everything is in order, we'll be introducing the new collections that we've been working on in our sunny Southern Californian studio.

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JULY'S BIRTHSTONES: CARNELIAN & ONYX

CARNELIAN:
In history, it was a favorite gemstone among ancient Egyptian royalty. A carnelian amulet was used by Egyptian goddess Isis to protect the dead.

A passionate stone, it It is thought to enhance sexuality, activating energy, motivation and creativity. Some recognize that its ability to balance causes it to be good for family areas of the home. Other uses are for protection against injury, prosperity, courage, mental focus and strength.

Here are some carnelian pieces from our online shop:

Large African Carnelian Copper Chain

This necklace includes rare African carnelian that we still haven't been able to find again. African carnelian is very different from other varieties. This carnelian is beautifully bold and raw in its cut as if it's uneasily civilized, unlike its more known counterpart, red carnelian, which is slightly more delicate, but bold in its own way (shown below).

Carnelian Gold Ring

As the African carnelian shows the rawness of the African country, this red carnelian shows why it was a favorite amongst Chinese royalty. Its smooth and vibrant color exudes luxury and bolder elegance.

ONYX:
Onyx, a timely gemstone, was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans.

It is said to eliminate negative thinking, stress, neurological disorders apathy, stress, neurological disorders, and sharpening concentration levels of the wearer. It is used to change habits, and is often worn for public speaking as it is believed to make the wearer more eloquent.

Onyx pieces from the studio include:

Charming Black Onyx Silver Necklace

Black onyx always seemed more capable of the classy, avant-garde look than any other stone. But somehow, black onyx in this nugget cut makes the piece seem a bit charming. Black doesn't always have to be so severe, you know.

Black Onyx Linear Necklace

Here we are on the other end of the spectrum. This linear effect of this matte black onyx stone creates a very "mod" look.