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Through myths and legends, the knowledge of the power of certain gems and crystals has been preserved over generations. However, the practical aspects of how to use these precious stones to promote spiritual development have been lost to all but a few initiates. In Steps on the Stone Path, Robert Sardello offers strategies and rituals for recapturing that lost power.
Sardello starts with guided meditations and rituals for developing awareness of, and the ability to experience, stone qualities such as deep silence, form, transparency, and color as modes of spiritual consciousness. Entering these modes of silent, creative consciousness requires befriending the elemental angelic beings embodied in stones. Sardello develops these initial practices into a sensory yoga of stones, in which the connection between the self and the Divine Self manifests through the medium of stone-awareness. He encourages readers to wear certain gems or to keep specific crystals close to their body, allowing them to enter the world of spirit. Steps on the Stone Path explores the possibility of uniting our soul being with the soul of specific stones, reveals unknown inner qualities and dimensions of humankind, and presents a dazzling theory of stones as critical tools in the making of a New Heaven and a New Earth.
Foreword Robert Simmons ix
Introduction xix
1 Entering Stone-Awareness 1
2 The Sensory Yoga of Stones 25
Contemplative Practice I 50
3 Stones and the Circulation of Gifts 55
Contemplative Practice II 86
4 The Spirit Worlds of Crystals and Minerals 97
Contemplative Practice III 106
5 Three Examples of Spiritual Practice with Stones 117
Notes 131
About Goldenstone Press 141
About the Author 143
Michaelf123
Posted September 24, 2010
Robert Sardello has written a book about companionship. Gently, carefully, but with firm steps he introduces us to a seemingly distant and mysterious world. Yet this need not be, if we prepare ourselves to work intimately with stones. Sardello states in his introduction that "If the mineral and crystal process of unfolding spiritual qualities can be carefully described, we can open up a new approach not only to the mineral world, but also to developing new contemplative practices that are particularly needed for the combined spiritual destiny of humanity and of the Earth." He states that, "The primary purpose of the 'spiritual path of stones' is to develop a spiritual circulation between the earthly realms and the spiritual realms without assuming that we know what the angelic beings of the stones will bring to us." In a reference to alchemy he tells us that, "Almost all previous writing remains with stones in an outer, though receptive way; the interior of the stone is felt but not entered into. This is the 'Lesser Work', and it is completely necessary. This writing introduces one way to approach 'The Greater Work'.entering into the interior of matter, making connection with its soul and spirit, and developing the capacities needed for inwardly perceiving indications of its soul and spirit-and becoming physically altered by this way of being with living substance". Our initial interest in stones tends to be led by our desire to receive something-some 'gifts' from the stone. What is required is that we break through our usual consciousness. He states that, "the two most basic necessities to come into the presence of the stone world are the acts of awakening consciously to sensing by loosening the hold cognition has on categorizing our sensing for us, and surrendering the will. The first, awakening sensing, comes about through quieting the mind and perceiving with the heart. Surrendering of the will cannot happen in a direct way. We cannot decide to surrender our will and then will ourselves to do so. Instead, surrender comes about by developing the capacity of spiritual sensing of the mineral worlds. Only through sensing can we see a stone's spiritual self." In his first contemplative practice, Entering the Silence and Befriending the Stone, he tells us to 'lovingly and carefully notice the characteristics of the stone. .One by one take each quality noticed into the heart. What is seen in a sensory way then becomes present as interior feeling.You will notice a particular moment when you feel a sense of wonder and awe: that is the moment the intellect has relinquished its treasured place of having to know. You now that you are in deep and intimate relationship with the stone. It is no longer simply an object. Feel its holiness. The inner work is to simply be present with and within this awe without searching for anything." Those familiar with Robert Sardello's book Silence: The Mystery of Wholeness or any of his other writings will deeply appreciate this work. He encourages us to develop a new, heart-centered consciousness, but with a heightened clarity of attention, thought, and feeling. Anyone who has ever 'befriended' a stone will find a way to a more meaningful and transformative relationship. Those who have studied Robert Simmons book, Stones of the New Consciousness, (for which Sardello wrote a lucid introduction) will recognize in Sardello a patient and trustworthy guide to meeting the beings o
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.In Steps On The Stone Path, spiritual scholar Robert Sardello suggests looking beyond the compendia of crystal encyclopedias to a more personalized, spiritual approach to working with crystals. Countless books have already been written explaining the metaphysical properties of crystals. So often, someone seeking emotional, spiritual, or physical healing seeks out a particular crystal based on its healing properties listed in a compendium only to be disappointed when those properties are not instantly bestowed upon the seeker. Sardello suggests seeing crystals as spiritual beings. To be in the presence of someone who is confident will not automatically make you confident. This also seems to be the case with crystals.
According to Sardello, crystals play a crucial role in the spiritual evolution of humanity. Through "stone-awareness," one on the spiritual path goes into the inner world of the stone beings through a series of meditative and visualization exercises, actually seeing the inner world from which the spiritual being came and making contact. The goal of working with crystals is to develop a lasting relationship, one that transcends a human ego-based quest for mystic power and actually assists the stone being in returning to its source. Sardello explains that the crystal beings sacrificed themselves in order to create the earth, actually likening their situation to the Superman legend and the planet of Krypton.
Something initially draws us to a crystal, explains Sardello. That initial attraction could be a physical or emotional feeling, pleasant or unpleasant, comfortable or uncomfortable. Only through stone-awareness, through an intimate relationship with the crystal where all human desires have been banished, can one experience the true gifts of spiritual enlightenment that the stones have to offer.
Sardello does not discount or disdain the common compendia of crystals. However, he states, "The gifts of stones, as now described by the many compendia of stones, are but an invitation to work with them in their Wholeness as part of a heaven-earth-human unity. When we find our way into that Wholeness, new gifts are offered." Returning the stones to their "angelic Wholeness" is the ultimate, selfless goal of working with the stones.
Steps On The Stone Path offers methods for working spiritually with stones. Through "quieting the mind and perceiving with the heart," one enters stone consciousness. Then, through a surrendering of will, comes a sensing of the cosmic worlds from which the stone beings originated. The differences between translucent and opaque stones and the differences in working with each type of stone are covered in great detail.
To receive the true gifts of stones and crystals, according to Sardello, one must release human desires and be patient to receive what the stones have to offer. In return, the stones do not necessarily endow us with spiritual gifts as much as they awaken our consciousness to the possibility of spiritual abilities. In closing Steps On The Stone Path, Sardello demonstrates three journal entries of his spiritual work with various stones.
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Overview
Through myths and legends, the knowledge of the power of certain gems and crystals has been preserved over generations. However, the practical aspects of how to use these precious stones to promote spiritual development have been lost to all but a few initiates. In Steps on the Stone Path, Robert Sardello offers strategies and rituals for recapturing that lost power.
Sardello starts with guided meditations and rituals for developing awareness of, and the ability to experience, ...