Happy Spring, dirtypretties!

Today (as I write) is the Spring Equinox!  The time of year when light perfectly balances dark, everything blooms with renewed hope, and there’s a sense of adventure and possibility in the air.  Those of us here in the Pacific Northwest breathe a collective sigh of relief for (finally!) we swing back toward those LONG sunny summer days we live for!

This change in seasons is also the perfect time to create change in our lives.  According to Ayurveda (India’s science of natural medicine) Spring is the ideal time to detox, clean out and clear out.  While the forces of nature rearrange themselves into fresh new patterns, so can you.  Take advantage of the added momentum you’ll receive from nature’s shifting, bountiful energy and transform along with it!  You may be surprised at how quickly you can create change when you align with the cosmic forces of life!

During auspicious times like these, it’s great to take stock and set new goals for the upcoming season.

• What do you want to manifest in the next few months?
• What do you want to bring into your life, or perhaps let go of?
• What would you like to create? Can you imagine it?

Now that you’ve got a better idea about what’s working and what’s not, take advantage of Spring’s energy to get you back on track!

Ok…So… How do you actually do it?

It all starts with practice.  Daily practice.  AND you have to remember to do it.  I realize that may sound funny, but trust me, even a small derailment, like a weekend away or a busy week at work, or just the common cold can throw you off course.  Suddenly your new habit (the one you’ve started enjoying the benefits of) slips your mind and after a few days of forgetting, well, it’s like it never existed in the first place.

Seriously – This year, I set the simple goal of drinking something healthy in the morning before coffee (WATER counts!) and all it took was one semi-stressful week of working in Seattle to totally forget my new habit.  You know when I remembered my resolution?  Today when I looked at my New Year’s list!  And all I was asking myself to do was drink some ding dang water before my coffee!  Could it not be simpler?  Ugh.

Ok, so what do we need?  How do we stay on track?

Well, we need a reminder.  Something simple – something you can do with your other daily habits like getting dressed.  Not just a post it note stuck to the laptop (which you’ll stop noticing after a few days,) but something you can reference throughout your day that will jolt your memory.  “Oh yeah, I’m trying to be a little kinder to myself, or drink more water, or get up and walk a lap around the office…”  Whatever your goal is.

You may not know this, but in addition to being a metalsmith, I’m also a massage therapist, Reiki master, and Ayurvedic healthcare practitioner.  In working with clients over the last 15 years, I’ve found it helps tremendously to build an “intention practice” around whatever it is you want to manifest.  An easy way to do this is by linking your new thought pattern with a specific, tangible item – especially one you can wear.  By doing so your thought pattern now has a physicality and an action (putting it on, taking it off) associated with it.  It’s real, it’s not just a thought in your head anymore.  Plus, you get a physical sensation when you feel the item on your body which is like having someone tap you on the shoulder all day and say “Hey – do that new thing you want to do so you get the life you want.”

The reminder is about building a conscious new habit.  Choosing to put it on everyday and re-choosing it all day long.

Wearing jewelry provides a unique opportunity to serve as your reminder, and people have been using it for ages as a powerful tool for transformation.  There are specific ways to wear your jewelry and specific metals to choose in order to support your intentions and add power to your actions.  It’s one of the main reasons I began metalsmithing in the first place – with dirtypretty artwear I get to combine my love for art with my passion for natural wellbeing and share it all with you.

It really comes down to this:

A simple piece of jewelry can become the physical representation of your goal.  A tangible reminder of the promise you made to yourself. 

The daily action of putting it on sets your intention for the day, helps you re-choose your goal, and commit to the actions necessary to making it happen.  Intentional practice, each day.  Conscious choices.  The good stuff!

Each metal carries specific and powerful energies, emotions, and qualities.  You can amplify those attributes within yourself by choosing to wear certain metals.  This can help you create the life you desire!

Invite the determination of iron and steel, the powerful intuition of silver, or the healing power of gold to join forces with you.  (If you missed the article where I discuss this in detail check out: The Power of Jewelry = The Potential for Creation)

Every natural substance has a unique vibration that creates an energy field. Metal is no exception. When you consider it is a natural substance dug out of the earth, it’s easy to imagine just how much energy is pulsating from your simple piece of jewelry.  Each metal has special properties you can take advantage of, and I’ll be discussing how and why to wear each one over the next few weeks.  Metals have power just like crystals do.  Transformative energies at your fingertips.

Each time you glance down at that beautiful ring or glimpse your pretty necklace in the mirror, allow it to be a reminder to stay strong and continue marching down your new path.  Change doesn’t come overnight, it comes with daily practice.  It’s not easy!  You can make it easier by setting yourself up for success and enlisting the help of every little tip or trick you can find.  Use your jewelry as a super charged talisman and ask for the energy of dirtypretty to help you in these moments.

In the Kundalini yoga tradition, it takes 40 days to experience and embody a new habit.  Today I’ve committed to doing a happiness meditation each day for the next 6 weeks.  To help me on this journey, I’ve created a set of rings to wear every day that will not only remind me to do my new practice, but will actually amplify the energy I create and receive when I meditate.

Check ‘em out!  The rose gold “Mudra Ring” on my thumb (the thumb represents the self or ego) carries the energy of self-love and will serve as a reminder to show myself kindness as I try something new and to be be gentle with myself and others as I grow and change.  The iron-steel “Mudra Ring” worn on my index finger (governed by Jupiter, the planet of expansion and opportunity) will bring me the courage, strength, and determination I need to see this through.  It’s the physical representation of my new “Iron Will” that I’ll need to do this every day for 40 days!

Wanna witness my ups and downs on this journey?  Follow our Facebook page for updates and to share what new habits you’re working on!  I’d love to hear your stories!

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter (below) to make sure you catch our next post: Energy Jewelry – The Power of Iron and Steel Jewelry.

xo,

amy