Lapis is a gemstone straight out of fairy tales of the Arabian Nights: deepest blue with golden shining Pyrite inclusions which twinkle like little stars.

This opaque, deep blue gemstone looks back at a long history. It was one of the first stones ever to be used and worn for jewellery. Excavations in the antique cultural centres all around the Mediterranean provided archeologists with samples for jewellery which was left in tombs to accompany the deceased into the hereafter. Again and again this jewellery consisted of necklaces and objects crafted from Lapis lazuli is the clear indication that thousands of years ago the people in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome cherished deep blue Lapis lazuli. It is reported that at the legendary city of Ur situated on the Euphrat river, there was a busy trade in Lapis lazuli as early as four thousand years BC. In those days the stones were mined in the famous occurrences in Afghanistan. But in other cultures Lapis lazuli was also worshipped as a holy stone. Especially in the oriental countries it was considered as a gemstone with magical powers. Numerous seals, rings, scarabs and objects were crafted from the blue stone, which was introduced to Europe by Alexander the Great. Here the colour was called ultramarine, meaning from beyond the seas.


Most expensive blue of all times

The evocative name is a compound of lapis, the Latin word for stone, and the Arabian word azuli, denoting the colour blue. So it is basically just a blue stone but what a special blue! The value of this colour for the world of art was for example enormous: in fact the ultramarine blue paint used by the Grand Old Masters was nothing else but pulverised Lapis lazuli. It was pulverised and added to a mixture of binding agents, thus turning the marble-like gemstone into a bright blue paint, suitable for watercolours, tempera and oil paintings. Before it became possible in 1834 to manufacture this colour also artificially, the only kind of valuable ultramarine in the market had to be made from real Lapis lazuli, which still displays its splendour in many works of art. For example, many portraits of the Virgin Mary would have been impossible to create without Lapis lazuli blue. However, even in those days ultramarine blue was not only considered fine and rare and so powerful that it dulled all other colours, it was also very expensive indeed. But contrary to all other material employed to create the colour blue, Lapis lazuli has not lost anything of its brilliance, while other compositions have long since paled. Currently the blue pigment derived from Lapis lazuli is still applied especially for renovations, restorations and for those who love historical colours.

Stone of friendship and truth

For many people all over the world Lapis lazuli is considered a stone of truth and friendship. The blue stone is reputed to bring about harmony in relationships and to help ist wearer being an authentic individual who may openly state his or her opinion. Lapis lazuli is an opaque stone consisting mainly of Diopside and Lasurite. It was created millions of years ago in the course of metamorphosis process turning chalk into marble stone. When unpolished, Lapis lazuli seems dull and dark blue, often with golden inclusions and whitish veins from marble. Contrary to former theories, however, the small twinkling and shining inclusions which lend the stone the attractive appeal of a star-spangled sky, are not gold but Pyrite, i.e., they are caused by iron. The blue colour, on the other hand, is caused by the sulfuric contents of Lasurite, and may result in purest ultramarine to pale blue shades. In comparison to other gemstones, the hardness is not too high and amounts to something between 5 and 6 on the Mohs scale.

When the cutter inhales the stone

Many a cutter will make a face when cutting Lapis lazuli, because as soon as the stone comes into contact with the cutting wheel, it will emanate a typical, slightly foul smell. An experienced cutter will thus recognise from the smell alone the satiation of colour shown by the stone. When polishing the stone it must be treated gently and without too much pressure due to its low hardness. But no need to worry: a Lapis lazuli which has dulled because of having been worn too often may be easily polished up. Lapis lazuli is often surface sealed with colourless wax or synthetic resin. As long as no colour is added during this procedure, the sealing only serves to improve the resistance of the stone against wearing. Still, it should definitely be protected from contact with acid substances or from extravagant exposure to sunlight.

Just like over 50,000 years ago, the best rough stones are still mined in the rough Hindukush Mountains of Afghanistan. Forcefully extracted from the rocks, the blue stone nodes are transported on donkeys from the rough mountain ranges in Northeast Afghanistan down to the valleys in the summer months. Other occurrences have been provided by Nature in Russia, west of Lake Baikal, and in the Andes in Chile, where the blue stones are often veined with white or grey chalk. Lapis lazuli is also found in smaller amounts in Italy, Mongolia, the USA and Canada, in Myanmar and in Pakistan. In really good qualities, however, it is rare everywhere. Lapis lazuli jewellery is therefore available in widely differing price ranges, from luxurious to affordable. The price demanded for the gemstone depends mainly on the stones beauty and intensity of colour. The most favoured colour is a deep and intensive blue. Women with a fair complexion, however, often prefer the lighter blues. Finely distributed crystals resemblimg glimmer, from golden Pyrite, will increase the value of the gemstone, while an irregular, pronounced or spotty patterning will reduce it.

Lapis lazuli is a highly appreciated stone suitable for many purposes, which shows remarkable stability ion the light of quickly changing fashion trends. This is not too surprising, after all, its fairy-tale colour and its golden Pyrite light reflections have been fascinating men and women for thousands of years.

Lapis

Today the lesson is in the Radiant Wisdom Ray, which is the color of blue. The energy is a very mental energy. From your previous lessons you may have noticed that when you are in the activation of the Blue Ray, you may have feelings of isolation and feeling alone. Your thought processes may bring up many of your fears, skepticism, doubts about the lightwork, questioning everything as well as the situations you are currently experiencing.

This level of the light work is one in which your thoughts are being tested. You may notice you have what is called a busy mind. There can be a lot of negative thoughts about yourself, people surrounding you, questioning everything about your work and relationships. Sometimes it is as though you are walking around with a heavy mind.

The high side of this Wisdom Ray of light, however, is the ability to let go and release those thoughts, reminding yourself these are in opposition to the truth. Affirm: I am truly free from my doubts and self-doubts surrounding me. I really sense in every way, I am clearing my mind, clearing my thoughts to receive understanding and the depth of wisdomvailable to me.¡¨

So with that in mind begin your meditation. Notice when you begin to prepare yourself or just become still in the meditative experience, your thoughts are gathered to the center of your forebrain or forehead, you accept the rhythm of your breathing ¡K The deeper you breathe and you are aware of that breath, the more you know that you are healing many things inside your body. The breath of life flows through you and it truly does change consciousness within you.

With the gathering of your thoughts, all of your awareness and your egos into the forebrain, acknowledge your personality ego, body ego, organic and cellular egos and invite that part of yourself and your own soul to connect and merge, so you are focused and centered as one thought and one consciousness.

Breathe in and out ¡K let go of the stress and the pressures. And now direct the energies and the egos to the star center. Feel yourself rising up through your bodies and when you enter into this place of light, this is your time to open to what guidance is available for your particular needs, wants, intentions and goals. So invite your consciousness to be open and you may see or feel the presence of your guide or Jesus or masters. Some students become quite surpri sed as the see a door opening and their teacher come to them, its very inspirational and very exciting.

So should there be in you excessive worry, excessive need to know the answer now, excessive need to have all the answers comply with your intentions, let go, feel the light. Know that all things are in progress towards the greater good. Feel the peace that passes understanding flow through you, bringing a calmness to your nature. Direct this energy to the left side of your brain. Some in this work may be students in college or other advanced studies and have many pressures concerning their responsibility for schoo l. Meeting the dead lines and able to pass the test, to retain information, to follow through with the workload, focus on this energy, feel the rays of Wisdom energy in Blue flow through your own mental self. Observe how you feel a sense of calmness and you can meet all of your needs, the obligations and attain your goals. Accept that you are clear minded, that you are clear within and open to what you need to know and you are functioning with clarity or what they call brightness. What is brightness but the light, clear energy. And just know that you are letting go of the doubts about yourself and about circumstances even in your relationships, just open to understand your friends, your relatives, your mother, your father, the people you are confronted with, you are becoming more understanding therefore, able to communicate with calmness, straight forwardness and truth.

So think of you clearing out all that negative energy and being totally with your own vibration open to the right impressions, receiving the right message and open to using your gifts with right action. And now, bring this wisdom energy down the legs and out the feet.

Message

The message for this moment in time is the message that living in the light is being open to the awareness that comes to you with insight. Wisdom is the acceptance that a guidance moves you through each opportunity presented to you. Wisdom is becoming in the center of the storm of challenge. Wis dom is, knowing there is a divine plan that has its power within all the confusions that appear. That amidst the most difficult lessons you experience there is resolution and peace that can take form. So you are the light worker, as peacemaker in a world of war, conflict and fear. Let the peace of higher wisdom and truth guide you through all challenges. Go in peace.

7-18-05 L2 Blue

Toni:

We are in the lesson of the Wisdom Ray and you have heard the song about the blues. So the downside of the blue is that you get the blues, fearful, doubtful, sad, abandoned or down or rejected and that is the downside of the Wisdom Ray. But the high side of Wisdom, it allows you to see with an understanding, trust, that all things are new and in place. Wisdom out of the Blue and it puts you into that space where you can feel connected, synchronistic and in harmony with the light of truth and knowledge and wisdom. The goal for this part of the process is to help yourself being relieved from mental emotional and psychic impressions, which may cause you to doubt yourself or to feel alone or you feel like you are going to be abandoned or there will be something that will put you in a hole. The healing is the understanding that there are divine laws, which are the principles of mind, thought and love.

So we begin our meditation as we always do to begin the process. Relax; your body is peaceful, accepting all possibilities that are available for the right experience in your life.… … …

Message from Marcus

In this moment the vibrations of your individual self glow with great rays of light. Aura energy around you is reflecting many colors but the vibrations of the Wisdom Ray pre-dominate over all others and the lesson is you know peace. Not as a word, not as an idea, not as an idealistic desire but as a state of you. The peace that passes all the knowledge of the intellect, a peace that over rides all the questions of the egos curiosity, a peace that understands when the trust from the light as love within.

When you attain that state of where you walk in the light of peace with who you are, with what you desire to accomplish, what you search to achieve, what you lean towards in becoming, than that peace gives to you the freedom to attain and perceive what you most desire to become. And with that peace, the healing in you becomes so strong and affects others.

So we notice in this time that you all link with many others who need calmness, tranquility, the heavy blanket of confusion is over all in this time frame of human life. So the essence of the Wisdom Ray interacts with this confusion, frustration and conflict against the very source of living in the light in peace.

So as I speak perceive yourself in this radiant sphere of Blue and it expands beyond what you see, beyond what you hear. In this moment you can invite in this place of your personal space those you wish to see gain more understanding and tranquility. Just invite them to be from soul to soul and mind to mind and heart to heart with you and just let go of expectations and procedures to change their experience. Just be, the essence of peace. Just be, the source of light. Just be, the power of love. Just let the force within, be the healer of all that is.

Fear is a base reality, a condition of human nature in its long journey through the earth. Fears began as a separation from its source and fear isolated the ego from the higher consciousness, it was. So fear of loss and fear of losing and fear of being rejected, hurt, fears of death, all are conditions that the light is working through, altering and change. Just know, you are letting go of the base fear. And as perceive fear, perceive it as your teacher that brings the lessens of your healing and guides you to the door of love. Remember this: When fear becomes your teacher and not the enemy than you are no longer resisting, you are accepting and in memory (or remembering the) of the greater good involved.

Now perceive, whatever the fear is, the teacher of your soul and now you are wrapped in its vibrationand the Radiance of the Wisdom light takes away the deep fear of loss and replaces all that has been released with the vibration of wisdom and truth and love.

Fear comes to you in many disguises and often furious.

So whenever the fear in you seems stronger than all of the other parts of you, breath in and breath out and just know the fear is released and you are at peace with strength and wisdom. To all others who are apart of this meditative experience, healing is in effect. Where there is pain, let there be a filling in that comforts you in harmony and release. Where there is resistance, conflict, a sense of resistance to food, let it be, all comes to their own place in time, when they recognize a higher reality, whether it is in body or spirit.

And now, I am Marcus. Your acquaintance to my vibration will become more common. Nothing is worth losing your sense of wisdom, when you are confronted with opposition, hold your center, be like Zen master that knows the power of love and truth is greater than the fear. And so it is.

Know your life and your opportunity of being touched and blessed and so it is. Go in peace.

When you are ready bring your thoughts and awareness back and see yourself totally and completely connected to your body and grounded on the earth.