Garden of Earthly Delights | Alex Lozier Jewelry RSS
BELTANE MEANING: JOY, FERTILITY, CREATIVITY, GROWTH, BEAUTY, CELEBRATING NATURE In the Wheel of the Year, half way between the Spring Equinox + the Summer Solstice is the cross quarter holiday, Beltane on May 1st. Also known as May Day, Beltane is a joyous pagan holiday that celebrates fertility. At this time of year, the landscape is alive + in full bloom! In Celtic lore, Beltane is when the fairies return to the forest to inhabit the green world. Traditionally, Beltane was a fire festival that marked the beginning of the agricultural season. The Druids would light big bonfires on top of hills + the Irish herding communities would lead their cattle around the fires to protect the herd from disease....
Is Silver Magical? Folklore, The Occult + Alchemy of Silver
Have you ever wondered if silver is magical?! And if so, where does it get its magical properties from? Silver is more than just an investment or an accessory! In this podcast episode, we explore the alchemy, folklore + occult wisdom of this precious metal + more! Dive deep into the metaphysical realm to find out what makes silver so special!
Energetic Support: Crystals for the April 8th Solar Eclipse
The solar eclipse is just days away! On April 8th, 2024, the Moon will cross in front of the Sun, creating approximately 3 minutes of darkness in the path of totality in the U.S. from Texas to Maine! Even if you are located outside of the path of totality, you are probably still feeling the energy building leading up to this cosmic event! Eclipse seasons are known for bringing endings and beginnings that are connected to fate. With big changes afoot, you maybe feeling the intensity! Some aspect of your life may be reaching a crescendo, you may be extra emotional, tired or perhaps you're feeling as if the dust is finally starting to settle... Whatever the case... Rather...
Ostara: Spring Equinox Meaning + Rituals
Spring Equinox Meaning: Awakening, New Growth, Rebirth, Fertility, Beginnings, Renewal + Balance The Pagan holiday of Ostara celebrates the Spring Equinox. This sacred day marks a turning point in the wheel of the year. The Spring + Fall Equinoxes are the only days of the entire year with equal day + equal night. After the Spring Equinox, the days will be getting longer + the nights will continue to wane; giving way to warmer temperatures + the seemingly endless days of summer. Ostara is a magical time of year when we can see the land awakening from its winter slumber. The first flowers start to shoot up from the ground, song birds return from their migration, and all the baby animals are starting to...
How to Energetically Cleanse Your Jewelry + Crystals
We all know that good hygiene is important! But have you ever considered whether or not you are practicing good energetic hygiene? Reasons you may want to energetically cleanse your jewelry + crystals: You just purchased a new piece of jewelry or crystal and are unsure of its origins or history You purchased or inherited an heirloom or vintage piece of jewelry that has been worn by someone else You had an unsettling experience while wearing a piece of jewelry or carrying a crystal You just got back from traveling with your jewelry + crystals Feeling like your crystal or jewelry has become energetically dull Feeling like you need to freshen up your vibe You haven't done anything to cleanse...
Witchcore: Fall Style Tips for a Witchy Aesthetic
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WITCH? The word "witch" has a lot of misconceptions around it + has gotten a bad rap over time... but really the word "witch" means "wise one" or "person of power." Being a witch is a lifestyle + a way of interacting with the world around you... It's all about claiming your power by being in sacred relationship with yourself + seeing the world around you as sacred. Acknowledging the sacredness of life allows witches to recognize the interconnectedness of all things + be in awe of the world around us. Living intentionally creates an incredible amount of depth + personal meaning in everything that you do. You honor yourself as a sacred being, trust your intuition +...
The Magick of Crow: Symbolism + Spiritual Meaning
SYMBOLISM + SPIRITUAL MEANING OF CROW Gliding through the Betwixt + Between, Crows are the messengers of the Spirit World. Stories woven through myth and legend speak of Crows' + Ravens' relationship to seeing into the unseen; sharing the magic of the gods with the mortal world. Magic, mystery + communication are the qualities Crow carries with both grace and playfulness! Crow is here to help us to remember that Magic + the Psychic Arts offer us both deep mystery + ecstatic joy! HOW TO WORK WITH CROW AS A POWER ANIMAL Call on Crow as a messenger whenever you need your name + intention to be carried out into the world. You can do this send a message to a loved one, find new...
Summer Solstice Magick + Ritual
MEANING OF SUMMER SOLSTICE Ah Summer Solstice... the longest day of the year! This pagan holiday, also known as Litha, is all about celebrating the light in our lives! It's a time of being fully illuminated + in full expression of our Divine essence! We can easily observe this in nature; all of the flowers + trees are blooming, the baby animals are romping around + growing up quickly! There's a lot of magic afoot this time of year! You can feel it in the Air when the summer days seem to hang in the sky almost forever! Summer is also the season of Fire... an element of transformation + illumination. It's a captivating element that dances + radiates with beauty while demanding a...
Ruby: Spiritual Meaning + Metaphysical Properties
RUBY + SAPPHIRE: CORRUNDUM FAMILY OF MINERALS ❤️🔥Let’s talk about Rubies! Rubies + sapphires belong to a family of minerals called Corrundum. They are the 2nd hardest stone below diamonds, but much rarer!!! All Rubies are essentially Sapphires that have trace amounts Chromium present in the Corrundum. The Chromium is where Rubies get their fabulous color from! So what’s the difference between a pink Sapphire + a Ruby?! Well, that’s debatable… but typically a Ruby has higher traces of Chromium inside the material than a pink Sapphire. (Or so they say!) Generally speaking, the richer the color of the stone, the more Chromium is present. Here’s a cool party trick… The Chromium present in the Corrundum makes Rubies + pink Sapphires...
Sharon Church: Matriarch of Art Jewelry Power
The first time I ever experienced the power of jewelry was when my professor, Sharon Church, walked into the metals studio on the first day of class. You knew when she walked in the room. Her presence commanded your attention. She was always stylishly dressed; elegant, artsy + super professional. This woman meant business. Everyday while I was in school, I remember that she ALWAYS wore 2 pieces of jewelry that she had made; her antler carved diamond wedding ring + her sterling silver hollow formed earrings. The earrings she wore like a shield, holding her head high, ready to do battle with any of us students' inner demons that questioned our own capacity for creativity + excellence. As a teacher, she...
Autumn Equinox Meaning + Rituals
AUTUMN EQUINOX MEANING: BALANCE, GROUNDING, GRATITUDE + LETTING GO Fall is my FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR! It is a magical time of beauty, change + great harvests. You can feel it in the air as soon as you walk outside... the air is a little bit cooler and crisper. You can see it when you look around. All of the leaves on the trees start changing colors because the trees are sending their energy back into the roots in preparation for winter. As the Autumn winds of change blow the leaves off of the trees, the trees teach us that it is a time of letting go to prepare for the darker more internal time of year ahead. As the days continue to get shorter...
How does Crystal Healing work?
WHAT IS A CRYSTAL?! To understand how crystal healing works, first we must learn about what a crystal is! A crystal is a form of matter that is made up of molecules that arrange themselves in highly structured repeating geometric patterns. Essentially, crystals are stable patterns of coherence + alignment. The elements that make up a crystal lattice will have an affect on the stone's shape, color, energetic frequency + what type of healing properties a stone will carry. Cobaltocalcite Crystal WHAT IS CRYSTAL HEALING?! Crystal healing happens when we intentionally work with these specific properties that are unique to crystals to activate change in our personal life. Because humans are living beings that are constantly in a state of...
Ring Magick: The Meaning + Symbolism of Rings on Different Fingers
THERE'S SO MUCH MEANING + POWER IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND! As the old alchemists used to say, "As above, so below..." Your hand actually mirrors your natal astrology chart. It reveals your soul's purpose + the lessons you are meant to learn in this life! (Your natal astral chart being your cosmic blueprint, THE ABOVE + your hand being the blueprint of your human experience here on Earth, THE BELOW). Your hands are also a potent creative tool for influencing the energy at play. In this video, we will talk about the symbolism + astrological context of each finger so you can wear your rings with power + purpose! THE SYMBOLISM OF EACH FINGER In Palmistry, each finger is...
Elemental Witchcraft: Power of Air, Fire, Water + Earth
Last summer, I had the pleasure of receiving all four of the elemental attunements in person at Salicrow’s sacred land, Solstice Meadow. These attunements, described in detail in her new book, The Path of Elemental Witchcraft, are magical techniques to calibrate your energetic body to each of the 4 elements: Earth, Air, Fire + Water. Each element has its wisdom to share + means of communicating with us. The teachings were incredibly thorough and the energy attunements were potent! With each and every attunement, I could feel myself deepening in sacred connection to the element itself. Fire, Earth, Water, and Air each showing themselves in different aspects of my life + environment; helping me to release old patterns that were...
Eco-Conscious Business Practices
Happy Earth Day! Today is one of my favorite days of the year! Why?! Because over here at Alex Lozier Jewelry, EVERY DAY is EARTH DAY! A few years ago, I decided amplify my love for our beautiful planet beyond my personal life + align my business practices with my core values of living sustainably + being conscious of the environment. Every year on Earth Day, I implement a new business practice that helps me to keep the studio green + takes action to reduce my business' environmental impact. Here some of the ways I honor Mother Earth over here at Alex Lozier Jewelry: 1. Plant a tree with every order! Since launching my store policy on Earth Day 2020 to plant a...
Standing with Ukraine
I am a first generation Ukrainian American. My beautiful Mom is Ukrainian + immigrated with her family here to the United States when she was a young girl. Over the last few days, I have watched in horror at the events taking place in Ukraine right now. My heart has been heavy with waves of grief as I witness the traumatic wounds of our people being ripped open yet again. The hardest part about the events unfolding in Ukraine right now is that it is like watching what happened to our grandparents in real time. History is repeating itself. Once again, Ukrainians flee our land to Poland while others stay behind to fight. For many years, the Soviet Union tried...
The Magical + Metaphysical Properties of Silver
MY LOVE FOR SILVER Many people often talk about the magical healing properties of stones + crystals, but rarely do you hear people talking about metaphysical properties of metals! And today we are going to talk about my FAVORITE metal of all, SILVER! As someone who has studied silversmithing + jewelry fabrication for the last 15+ years, I can say that I have gotten to know this magical material quite well! In truth, my love for Silver began way before my metalsmithing education. As a child, I always remember the jewelry my Mom wore... and I was NOT feelin' it! Sorry Mom... She always wore big gold hoops and still does to this day. It was a vibe that did not resonate with me....
What does it mean to be a Witch?!
Reclaiming the word "witch" as wise one or person of power The word "witch" has a lot of misconceptions around it + has gotten a bad rap over time... but really the word "witch" means "wise one" or "person of power." For me, being a witch is a lifestyle + a way of interacting with the world around me... It's all about claiming your power by being in sacred relationship with yourself + seeing the world around you as sacred. Acknowledging the sacredness of life allows us witches to recognize the interconnectedness of all things + be in awe of the world us. As a witch, I am a seer. I choose to see the sacred in everything. I enjoy the...
The Magick + Alchemy of Jewelry
Looking at jewelry through the Alchemical lense Alchemy lends itself quite well when talking about jewelry within a spiritual context because Alchemy refers to many of the materials that we jewelers' use in our studios everyday. The alchemists were famous for trying to transmute lead into gold, but I believe that this was actually a metaphor for transforming the density of the human experience (lead) into the gold of spiritual awakening. They had a famous saying, "As above, so below. As within, so without." In other words, what is reflected in the microcosm is reflected in the macrocosm + vise versa. The cosmos lies within us + we are part of the cosmic creative force as well! Therefore, the path of...
Dreaming of Crystals? What do Crystal Dreams Mean?!
THE MEANING OF CRYSTAL DREAMS Are you dreaming of crystals? Have you ever wondered if a crystal has a specific message for you? If you are dreaming of crystals you may want to pay attention! If a specific crystal shows up in your dream, then chances are very likely that the spirit of this particular stone is calling to work with you. Of course, this can be for a multitude of reasons! Our dreams are as complex + unique as we are as individuals! But if a stone has made its way into your dreams, than it has either permeated deep into your subconscious or you are experiencing a spiritual visitation from a stone being on the astral realm! Either way,...
The Evolution of a Magical Talisman Maker
If you are a lover of jewels, have you ever wondered about the captivating + transformative power of jewelry?! Have you ever asked yourself.... How does handmade jewelry go from accessory to Magical talisman?! Can jewelry help people to reveal the essence of who they are on a deep soul level?! Do stones have magical healing powers?! How one becomes a Magical Talisman Maker?! My name is Alex Lozier. I am formally trained as a silversmith + jewelry artist. I am here to share my story with you of how working with stones + organic found objects in my jewelry work was a catalyst for a profound life changing experience! Creating this work helped me to learn about who I...
What is a Magic Talisman?
WHAT IS MAGICK?! Before we start talking defining what magic talisman jewelry is, let's first answer an important question.... what is Magick?! To put it very simply... Magick is the skilled ability to create a desired result. There are many ways that the spark of Magick can be ignited, but the magician must unite 2 paths for the Magick to work: the Will + the Way. Our Will, is our ability to taken inspired action that is in alignment with our desired result. Our Way is the method of Magick that we choose to inspire our actions + focus our Will along the way. Think of "the Way" as the spark that ignites the fire + "the Will" as the fuel that powers the Magick...
Friday the 13th + Day of the Divine Feminine
Happy Friday the 13th! Today is the day of the Divine Feminine! Contrary to popular belief, today is a sacred day to be celebrated, not feared! Friday the 13th Astrological Meaning Friday is ruled by Venus, the planet + goddess of Love, Abundance, Fertility, Art, Beauty, Luxury + Affection. Friday is named after "Freya's Day," the Norse goddess of this archetypal energy. Perhaps we should start saying "Thank GODDESS it's Friday!" The other Divine Feminine celestial body in the sky is the Moon. She is the cosmic Mother + Nurturer. Intimately connected to the element of water, the Moon represents our emotions + is the ruler of women. As women, our menstrual cycles parallel the Lunar cycles. Just as there are 13 lunations in...
(Un)Lucky Charms: Gemstone Legends + Curses
It’s almost Halloween, and what better way to get the jewelry scene into the spooky mood than diving into gemstone legends and lore! Are opals really bad luck? Why did people once believe wearing zircon could prevent you from getting struck by lightning?
In her latest webinar for National Jeweler’s “My Next Question” series, Associate Editor Lenore Fedow, interviewed jewelry designer Alex Lozier about the gemstones long associated with bad luck, like opals and the Hope Diamond. They also looked at the other side of the coin—the gemstones and minerals thought to be protective or bring good energy. Watch the interview below!
Spiritual Jewelry: How to Adorn Yourself with Meaning
Have you ever wondered how you can use jewelry in your spiritual practice to create deeper meaning + empowerment through personal importance? If you have ever wanted to adorn yourself with a sense of purpose and use jewelry as a modality for healing, self expression + empowerment, then you have come to the right place! Here are some of my top tips for using jewelry in your spiritual practice!
8/8 The Lion's Gate Portal: Gateway to Heaven
Lion's Gate Magick + Meaning The Lion’s Gate Portal opens each year when the brightest star in our sky, Sirius, begins to rise. The ancients saw this star as the gateway to Heaven. It is our spiritual sun, burning 26x brighter than our actual sun. On Earth, the ancient Egyptians viewed this time as a great blessing of abundance + prosperity, as it signified the flooding of the Nile which brought with it fertile soil for the next years harvest to be planted. Named after the sign of Leo that houses the Sun when this astrological event occurs, the Lion’s Gate Portal peaks on the 8th day of the 8th month of the year. On this sacred day, Sirius aligns with the pyramids of Giza...
EVERYDAY is Earth Day
Earth Day is one of my FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR!!! I LOVE celebrating the beauty of our blue-green planet, and I LOVE seeing everyone making a contributing effort to protect the environment. But... what about all of the other days of the year? We have reached a point in human history where our actions have had such a severe impacted on Earth that we have tipped the scales off balance. We have thrown Mother Earth out of harmony. As a consequence, we have put the survival of every single living being on the planet in jeopardy. Many are already extinct! Ooofff.... that is a big responsibility to shoulder, and many have chosen to ignore the facts regarding the critical state that our planet is in. We are at a...
Shadow Work: A Ritual of Boiling the Bones
Shadow work is a boiling of the bones… it is taking all of the scraps, everything labeled as “waste,” everything that would be banished and thrown in the trash, and turning it into to medicine. The real chicken soup for the soul isn’t warm fuzzy stories with happy fucking endings. It is making medicine from the poison. It is transmuting that which has made us sick into that which nourishes our strength. This transformative alchemical process is otherwise known as “healing.” Shadow work calls for going into the darkness to have a meeting with our Self. There is a reason why are afraid of THE DARK… it is where our deepest fears, most disgusting perversions, and festering wounds live, but...
Crystal Grid Ritual for Intention Setting
WHAT THE HECK IS A CRYSTAL GRID?! And why would you want to build one?! Crystal grids are site specific installations made of stone + other organic found objects arranged in circular or geometric patterns that are constructed in alignment with the directions + celestial bodies. Stone circle building is an ancient art that harnesses the power of Earth intelligence + sacred geometry. By implementing crystal grids in our personal or professional spaces, we can manifest our intentions with laser focus by using the crystal grid as a “broadcasting system.” Quartz crystals in particular are excellent at being programmed, storing information as well as transmitting frequencies. Industrially, they have been used in radios, watches and computers for these...
Tucson Gem Show Shopping Tips!
The Tucson Gem Show is my happy place! I took my first trip out West to attend the gem show back in 2008. Since then, I’ve built my jewelry business from the inspiration fueled by this amazing event! If you're planning your first trip to the Gem Show, this guide is for you! TIPS FOR ATTENDING TUSCON GEM SHOW: 1) Be prepared for extreme temperature swings. Since Tucson is in the desert, it is usually warm and sunny during the day while your shopping and cold at night. The temperature can really drop once the sun goes down! 2) Wear comfy shoes!!! This is an absolute must! The Gem Show is comprised of many shows that are scattered through out the city, and...
How to Use Crystals to Activate Change
What does it mean if you are being called forth to work with crystals? It means you’re being called forth to work the Earth. It’s no surprise that so many people are being turned on to the mineral kingdom these days. It’s almost becoming trendy. And in my opinion, that’s a good thing! I’m all for being estoteric and I'm a big fan of the underground scene, but let’s face it, our world is fucked up! And that is being reflected in the state of our health, the environment, and our country. All of these things are intimately interconnected. This is not about politics. This is about conscious awareness. Our planet and its inhabitants need our attention and more importantly our...
CONNECTING WITH NATURE IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT
I am celebrating my 1 year anniversary of moving out of NYC and into the Hudson Valley. Man, does it feel good! Truth be told, I have always been an outdoors enthusiast! I grew up in a small antique farm town in rural NJ. However, in high school, I felt the city calling me so I packed my bags and moved to Center City Philadelphia. I lived in Philly for 4 years while studying jewelry making and glassblowing at the University of the Arts. Graduation set me in motion again. This time, I packed my bags and headed for NYC!!! I had always wanted to live in New York! I was manifesting my dream of being an artist in the big...