I love being in the presence of incredible crystal creations (and there are soooo many from sculptures to jewels to buildings and grottos).

In late December Chris and I visited the Grotto of Redemption in West Bend, Iowa. It was AMAZING on so many levels. It left me in complete awe (as I am sure you can tell by this picture Chris secretly snapped . . . yes, that’s me, stopped in my tracks, coffee on the ground, just breathing in complete awe).

And this was just the beginning. This grotto spans an entire block and is incredibly inspiring. I’ll be sharing more on this in a post to come, but for right now let’s just say it left me inspired (check out the video I created inside this part of the grotto here)

For years I have been taking shamanic journeys into the crystal realms to connect with deeper wisdom, to heal, to surrender, to discover, to connect, and so much more. Over the years, several of the landscapes experienced on these journeys have left lasting impressions, the kind where I feel a desire to recreate it either through sketches, paintings, or actually working with the stones to create something physical.

The vision that has most stuck with me is that of a tree that was dripping with colorful crystals, much like a weeping willow. I could feel myself lying under this tree, sun peeking through the crystals and dancing on my face. It felt like magic.

After my visit to the grotto, I knew it was time to bring this image to life . . . to create a crystal tree and that this crystal tree would become the set for the Crystal Immersion Virtual Retreat.

I began this creative process by gathering wood. Chris and I tend to pick up interesting branches every time we visit the woods . . . that is how we found this trunk for the crystal tree.

Once the trunk was set and secured, I began adding branches and strands of jewels. I think there are about 100 strands on the finished tree and they took me weeks to create. Each strand carries intentions for this Crystal Immersion Retreat.

Next came the foliage . . . yep, a crystal tree needs greens. Chris and I talked about many different options here, like going to the woods and bringing in fresh cedar. But decided to gather some artificial greens. Here we are getting silly at the craft store. No, we didn’t buy the ‘hops’ greens, we reached out to family and friends to gather a mixture of greens.

The tree is beginning to feel amazing . . . now it’s time to add a little forest feel. Chris picked up these birch stumps for me over the summer. When he brought them home he said ‘These look like something that could be part of your set. So I brought them home.’

Yep, he was right. They are a perfect fit. I added a little moss and they are great spots for some of my favorite crystals to rest.

The crystal tree is beginning to feel amazing, but it needs a bit more color . . .

So I created some tissue paper flowers with jeweled centers . . .

I’m pretty thrilled with how it has all come together. Over time I have continued to add more greens and jewels and of course re-arrange the crystals below. It feels magical and my new favorite place to meditate is underneath it.

I would love for you to join me and be held in the beautiful energy of this crystal tree for the Crystal Immersion Virtual Retreat. Learn more here: http://crystalimmersion.com

Wishing you a beautiful week!

Shine Brightly,

Lori