At the New Living Expo event last month, an event focused on wellness, new age and spirituality (we also exhibited at the event), we discovered a number of interesting products we were keen to test out and experience, from essential oils, crystals and meditation tools to singing bowls, a slow cooker and holistic solutions. I’m open to trying things that some have found to be useful for relaxation, or to simplify their lives, heal or make you smile a bit more.
We were drawn into a booth where several people were meditating with a crystal in their hands, surrounded by gold wires: Shambhala Monastery and Healing Tools. Let’s just say that I was intrigued – they all looked so relaxed.
The short video snippet below shows the set up they had at the booth and how they recommend that you use their tools when meditating and/or simply to relax.
Please note that while the Shambhala healing tools are connected to the Buddha Maitreya Shambhala Monastery located on the top of a mountain on 320 acres of pine forest in California’s Lake County, this review is focused on our experience with the products, largely for meditation and relaxation purposes and not the retreat center. At the retreat center, they offer what they call Soul Therapy Retreats, private meditations and Dharshan teachings which are facilitated by monks and nuns.
Wearable Etheric Weavers
Let’s start with their Etheric Weavers, which they offer in different sizes. The smaller Etheric Weavers are designed to be worn daily for self-healing of physical, emotional and mental issues and they say, protection from negative, astral influences and to awaken and integrate the Soul. They are available in your choice of 10 colors and wrapped in either coated copper, silver-fill or 12K gold-fill wire. Although you can select a variety of colors, I opted for a clear one with a gold chain.
When I was in the booth (before I tried this for longer intervals at home), I found myself more able to relax within around ten minutes. In this case, I was holding a handheld Vajra and wearing one around my neck and Anthony was holding a Vajra and wearing a head pyramid (explained below).
I’m one of those people who find it hard to meditate and tend to get fidgety for a long time before I can eventually unwind and relax. It’s always a challenge. I tried holding the handheld Vajras (they’re powerful) outside in the sunshine while sitting on a rug, then again while sitting on one of their mats and then again while relaxing on a hammock.
Anthony and I also tried holding the Vajras while listening to their guided meditation and music and while holding the gold (you can also get it in bronze) wrapped quartz.
Let’s face it: one of the most important things in meditation is to be able to relax and truly let go. Etheric weavers are meant to help you maintain a deeper state of peacefulness. They supposedly radiate out vitality and Chi to help heal rents in the Etheric Body—the matrix of the physical, emotional and mental vehicles— and draw it back into a unified and balanced whole.
Given that we are all different individuals with diverse backgrounds and issues (both emotional and physical), it’s impossible to say that any one solution can help everyone.
We are not recommending solutions for health purposes or suggesting that any of these will have a health benefit — speak to your own practitioner about what’s best for you. Here, we are only speaking about our experience using some of their products.
Above photo and the one of me holding a large Vajra were taken at their booth at the New Living Expo show.
I love crystals and gemstones, so much so that we recently attended The Crystal Fair in San Francisco. I have read several authors who are leaders in the space (listed at the bottom of this article). Additionally, I have them scattered around the house and love their energy.
The Shambhala crystals are man-made and come in different colors, because as many of you may know, colors have different meanings and many say, relate to healing. Aura readings are also useful if you want to explore more in this area.
Color Meanings
If you’ve not new to spiritual exploration, you’ve likely read about the power and meaning of colors. The wearable one we have is a clear crystal because the clear crystal relates to higher consciousness, and helps you to tap into your natural intuition of trust and be more aware. That said, some of the colors have powerful meanings and connections that may really resonate with you.
For example, Aqua Siberian Quartz Crystal is one of the colors I was drawn to after the deep rich Siberian Blue. It is meant to help with mental clarity and heal mental criticism and fear, helping you feel more grounded. The color Aqua also works well with the Heart Center and can also be very cleansing.
Red apparently helps to stimulate the ability to trust ourselves and the choices we make in life as well as revitalizes the glands and immune system.
Orange helps to restore balance (like a tonic) where there is stress and a lowering of vitality to the glands and organs. Although I had never heard this before, orange is said to help reduce problems with the bowels like a laxative and increase digestion. Supposedly, it can also balance the mental and emotional bodies from the effects of worry and depression. I could use help with all of the above and yet oddly enough, I have never been drawn to orange as a color. I tend to gravitate to silver more than gold and yet Gold is apparently good for balancing an overly active mind.
It turns out that Green helps to release the concrete mind and increases a more open mind that can de-crystallize the lack of ability to realize a greater truth whereas Violet can help to heal emotional attachment of desires and obsessions and releases the astral nature of hate and aggression.
Others have also written about the meaning of colors outside the spiritual realm, from more explanatory meanings, to color psychology and color meanings which also explores color symbolism which can change from culture-to-culture.
Etheric Weavers
They also offer Etheric Weavers on a small chain, which isn’t designed to be worn. You can hold these by the teardrop (shown above), and let the crystal hang like a pendulum over your hand, area or person being treated.
They suggest that you relax, clear your mind and allow the Etheric Weaver to begin moving gently on its own.
The Etheric Weavers we tested out are 3.5″ (although they come in different sizes) and are laboratory grown, double terminated, pure quartz crystals with pyramid cut ends with 2 neodymium rare earth magnets placed at the center and wrapped in either coated Copper, Silver-fill or 12 Gold-fill wire. (we have the gold-fill wire). You can also get them in your choice of crystal color and it is suggested that you use your intuition or look at the meanings behind the colors to see which one (s) you connect to most.
I was mesmerized by the Blue Siberian Quartz (above is shown with a gold wire wrap and the one below is shown with a copper wire wrap).
With a clear mind and without focusing on a question or outcome, the instructions are to let it dangle on its own as the energy flows between the body and the Chi.
Recommended use is for daily meditation, healing and self-healing which they suggest naturally balances and aligns chakras and meridians and can also be used for space clearing as it is meant to clear, bless and harmonize any space. I was fascinated by the myriad of colors, uses and energies. We opted to use them during a relaxing meditative session for calming the spirit and for help opening up the mind.
While I am most drawn to the Siberian Blue, we tested the Aqua Siberian Quartz Crystal and the Orange Quartz Crystal weavers with different intentions (see color meanings) during a ritual. Together with candles, incense and written intentions, we used the colored crystals during rituals that equated to their meaning, i.e., red = assists trusting oneself, so we used this in a ritual that adds verbal affirmation of the same.
Vajras
There are many different types of Vajra and each one has two 24K Gold plated sacred geometric orbs on either end. There are 8 geometric forms available creating a wide variety of different Vajras to choose from in their collection. After talking to one of the Buddhist nuns about which one to go for, the advice was to use your intuition when selecting a Vajra and choose the one you are most drawn to, which allows for a more soulful, rather than an intellectual, choice.
Each Vajra can be customized with crystal color and wire wrap. Pictured below are some of the options that are available. The forms come from the platonic solids, the divine building blocks found in all matter and apparently each Kingdom of nature, with the aim of awakening and healing the soul.
The Tetrahedron with Octahedron inside is the Deva, the angelic reality of humanity. The Octahedron is called Solar aligning to Solar Principles, the Soul – balancing the higher and lower centers and left/right hemispheres of the brain.
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both ‘thunderbolt’ and ‘diamond’ and is a traditional ritual tool used in Buddhism (referred to as a Dorje) and Hinduism.
The Vajra is known to destroy all kinds of ignorance in Buddhism and as such, the Buddha Maitreya Vajras are meant to awaken the spirit and mind.
The folks I chatted with at the Monastery suggest that using a Vajra regularly can help to calm a person, healing mind, body and emotions and awakening the Soul.
The Vajras come in clear, which is what we opted for, or Siberian Colored Quartz (Blue, Aqua, Gold or Violet) as well as with 7 Ray or Rainbow gels. I have to admit, they’re dynamic to look at and to hold — you can definitely feel a sense of vibration albeit subtle when you hold one, and at least for me, it helped me relax faster than without holding one. I’d also add that my relaxed state is deeper. A friend who is a regular meditator and a bit of a skeptic also tested this out and she felt the same.
Below, Anthony during a meditation session holding the handheld Vajras while sitting on one of their mats (see how they work below under Mats).
You not only have an option of what colored quartz to go for, but you can also select the wire used to wrap the crystal with centrally placed neodymium rare earth magnets.
Each Vajra comes with copper wire and titanium overwrap as standard although you can upgrade the wire to Titanium, Silver, 12K Gold-Filled, 14K White or Yellow Gold, 18K or 22K Yellow Gold, the metals all acting as great transmitters. For example, silver helps with imbalances in the Etheric Field or if a person has an unclear aura, it helps clean the aura and revitalize the Etheric Field.
Head Pyramid
I was a bit weary about the Head Pyramid largely because I couldn’t imagine myself wearing one even in the privacy of my own home. The whole concept just seemed weird to me at first unlike holding a Vajra, which felt more natural even though I can’t give you a logical reason why. We think in logical terms most of the time and if something doesn’t make sense, we are less likely to adopt it.
Their Head Pyramids are supposed to help a person attune to their higher mind and awaken, integrate and heal the Soul. Used on a daily basis, it is meant to help protect people from astral influences, de-crystallize negative patterns or habits and heal mind, body and emotions.
Because I tried most of these tools in tandem, it’s hard to say whether one alone can calm your energy, however I did find the combination of holding Wearing a Head Pyramid and holding a Vajra resulted in a deeper relaxation and a quieter mind than I get trying to relax or meditate without them.
Metatron Mats
Their Buddha Maitreya Metatron Mat is a portable healing and meditation magnetic mattress pad you can lay on top of a mattress, chair or massage table and comes in half and full sizes. Used for healing, self-healing, restful sleep and deep meditation, the Mat combines the sacred geometric proportions of the Vesica Pisces (see image below) together with an electromagnetic grid.
They suggest sitting or lying on it for a deeper relaxation and sleep, as the system helps to stimulate vitality and align the Etheric Field, re-energizing and re-vitalizing the physical body, naturally calming the emotions and clearing the mind.
I tried it for about a week in a row at night on my bed mattress and connected the mattress to the head pyramid as noted above. They suggest that the Etheric Field is where the past, present and future the mind, emotions and the physical all come together and can be healed.
While I was told that some of the Buddhist nuns sleep on them at the monastery, I prefer to use it during a meditation session and not on top of my bed mattress, but each person is likely to have a different experience with it.
All of the different types of life are uniquely and universally geometrically patterned and the Vesica Pisces, which this is based on, is a diamond shape that contains the Phi Ratio which is found in our DNA, in rocks and minerals, in water and so on, as in the atomic structure of life.
Photo credit: Shambhala Healing Tools website
Under the Hood:
The grid on the map which connects the diamond shapes together is made of copper tape for increased energetic conductivity. At each intersection of each diamond shape is a powerful gold plated Neodymium Rare Earth magnet which apparently connects to the Earth’s vibration. Below, you can see how and where they suggest connecting their tools to the mat. It took me awhile to figure out how to piece everything together, but that’s only because I failed to look at this easy diagram before doing so — it’s pretty straight forward to set up.
The Mat is meant to be balancing for all the meridian energy and chakric energy due to the sacred design and the type of magnets used. There are four connection points on the mat where you can attach two Buddha Maitreya Vajras which the person meditating or receiving a healing treatment can hold in each hand.
This supposedly stimulates the natural healing energy found in the hands to radiate through the person’s whole meridian system, just like receiving hands on healing over the entire body. The mat is designed to attune to your meridian system and the natural magnetic field of the body so that your system is neither over-stimulating nor under-stimulating but balancing and purifying your energy systems.
By holding two sacred geometric Buddha Maitreya Vajras that are connected by wires to the mat on the left and right side, all 7 chakras – the higher chakras and the lower chakras are balanced and connected in the right relationship. This gives your brain the opportunity to fully open up.
Bottom line, at least for me, I feel most connected to the handheld Vajras and the 3.5 dangling Etheric Weavers, particularly the Siberian Blue Quartz Crystal. I tend to go to these the most when wanting to relax and more often than not, I’ll hold one or both as I’m relaxing on the couch largely because I’m not a regular meditator although I am working on it.
Anthony tends to use the mat more often than I do while meditating – we both love the fact that it’s so easy to roll up and put away in its handy bag that has a draw string. It makes it useful for those living in smaller quarters as you can simply hang it up in a closet or store under a bed when not using it.
What’s Behind the Geometric Shapes?
As travelers, when you’ve explored different parts of the world, you will have discovered the universal geometric applications applied to temple buildings. Examples include pyramids in Egypt and South America, stupas of Tibet and Christian Church’s of the past. And of course, many of these temples, cathedrals and churches are located at historical sacred sites, which is connected to the spiritual evolution of humanity across religions and spiritual practices/belief systems. And so, there’s a connection.
More information on the geometry, its history and connection to spirituality, Shambhala products, classes and music can be found on their website.
Photo credits: Product shots are from the Shambhala Healing Tools Website except for those showing the products in use which were taken on my Canon and my iPhone.
Other useful articles include our review of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center where we took two classes, the SAND Conference, Wisdom 2.0, background on brainwave optimization, staying in a yurt in the Catskills, our Wellness Section, Wellness Products and our Spirituality Section.
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Note: We were given product to test out and play with; we were not paid to write this nor influenced what to write. We do not suggest that any of these products can heal – we are merely writing from our own experience only. All opinions expressed are our own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
