Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Raised from darkness
Polished and poised
Every be-ringed gesture
becomes an attraction to Fortune

"I will guide you to adventure!
Open the way
to new opportunities
I'll bring business to your door.

In layers of translucent green
I cleanse and activate your heart
shield you from energy theft or pollution
Re-balance your emotional core.
I vibrate to the tune of inner harmony
helping you to embrace each new start.

In shades of azure dumortierite
I strengthen throat chakras
deepening intuition
stimulating third eye's sight
aiding the release
of all addictive blights

Sparkling shades of snow
are rare, but all inclusive.

Dressed in red
I'll strengthen your blood
solar plexus, and sacral base
to help you manifest abundance

Orange or yellow resonate
to the tunes of leadership
decisiveness
and creative grace.

Feeling lucky?
Take a gamble
seize the chance
Opportunity knocks once
but with my help
she'll give you 
a second glance."



For those new to the game, each poem is inspired by a Teacher found in Nature; stars, stones, animals, plants etc that hold lessons of Wisdom for us. Can you guess who is singing today? Congrats to Cathy Parisi, and Alan who named this Teacher!

"Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.  ~Thomas J. Watson

"The reason most people do not recognize an opportunity when they meet it is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like Hard Work." Henry Dodd 

"Focus, child! Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor. Do you know what you wish? Are you certain what you wish is what you want? If you know what you want, then make a wish." ~ Cinderella's mother, Into the Woods 

Aventurine can be translucent or opaque in shades of green, white, blue, red, orange or yellow. Primarily micro-crystalline quartz (some argue rock), which means it does not grow in points and clusters but rather in chunks and slabs. Inclusions of other minerals give it color and shine; mica gives a silver, and pyrite, a gold sparkle. Hematite or Goethite will create red, gray, pink, orange or brown Aventurine. Fuchsite, sometimes known as chrome mica, is a chromium rich variety of Muscovite which creates the most common shade of Aventurine, green. Muscovite or Ilmenite also creates shades of blue, gray or white. Dumortierite inclusions create shades of blue. For our purposes today, I will focus on the one I am most familiar with, green Aventurine. 

The shimmering effect found in this Nature Teacher is known as aventurescence. Sometime in the 18th century in Venice, some member of the Miotti family (according to most sources) managed to spill copper shavings into a batch of molten glass creating a glittering "stone" which came to be called Goldstone. This shiny effect closely resembles the natural shimmer found in Aventurine. Most sources seem to assume that the name Aventurine is an allusion to this creative event that resulted in a manufactured "stone" with similar appearance. This random event led to the localized protection of the manufacturing of Goldstone, a rather detailed utility patent, which influenced perhaps even helped shape our modern day patent laws. In Italian, "a ventura" translates as "by chance, luck or risk". 

Indian Jade, Gambler's Stone, Stone of Opportunity, Stone of the Amazons, Stone of Heaven and Luck Stone are all titles that have been given to this Teacher at some point. Thought to be the luckiest of stones, Aventurine's presence actually attracts and calls our attention to opportunities around us. This Teacher also likes to help by encouraging us to let go of bad habits, patterns or past disappointments. Aventurine encourages leadership qualities like focus, perception, insight, perseverance, motivation and creativity in the face of obstacles. This bright Teacher opens us up to new ideas, and lends us a brightly polished sense of optimism and good humor as well which strengthens us against feelings of depression and defeat. For me,  its most important qualities have been its protective ones. 

Green Aventurine helps connect us to the Earth, and Devic entities which helps us to stay balanced, grounded and centered as well as encouraging us to actively connect our selves with Nature. It strengthens communication with our spirit guides/guardian angels. It eases anger, nervousness, fear and irritation which in turn allows us to make decisions with a clear and focused mind. It cleanses, balances, supports and activates our Heart Chakra. It shields us from energy theft, electromagnetic and emotional pollution. It helps to clear energy blocks. as well as helping us to let go of the day's accumulated negativity. 

I work with the public in a fairly large volume. This friend helps me keep my mental/emotional footing steady, my sanity relatively intact, and my energy positive without getting dragged down by the stress, negative emotions and attitudes one encounters all day long in such a position. Green is a color for growth and prosperity. Aventurine encourages us in those directions.   

An extremely soothing and gentle companion, Aventurine is very much a Teacher that promotes personal growth at every level as well as healing in general. It was thought to be especially good at  supporting the health and healing of the heart, lungs and circulatory system. It was once believed that it helped to correct nearsightedness as well as enhancing visionary powers. I have found Aventurine especially good at helping us to resolve past traumas, particular emotional trauma, and releasing emotional baggage in general; inner work and healing seem to be this Teacher's specialty. 

Inner Harmony is key to all Aventurine lessons, and this Teacher does all it can to help us attain that state, making a wonderfully positive focus during meditation. It works well with other stones too, like Blue Lace Agate, Amethyst or Hematite. In ancient times it was used to fashion tools with sharp edges, as well as charms, jewelry or other art objects.  Keeping a piece in your left pocket (our "receptive" side) is thought to bring luck and prosperity. Some will even put it in their cashbox/register to attract new business, take/wear it on a date, or job interview. 

This Teacher asks us to remember our connection to the Natural world around us while letting go of outmoded thoughts/beliefs/patterns that distance us from our place in the Tree of Life. Aventurine gently reminds us that our perception/attitude can greatly influence how we think or react. Why see trouble when you could be seizing an opportunity? Going through the motions when we aren't really "feeling" it can help us turn gears in the right direction, bringing about our desired goals. Defeat happens more often between our ears than in physical reality. How does this humble Teacher appear in your life?  

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of their difficulties"  ~Harry Truman

"I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal — and soon they'll forget my number." ~Edith Armstrong

"The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination." ~Marian Zimmer Bradley

Key Words: Inner Harmony, Personal Growth, Leadership, Prosperity, Luck, Opportunity, Fertility, Healing, Renewal, Optimism/Hope 

Associated with: Deities like Cupra, Flidais, Kuan Yin, Tara, Ganesha, Raphael, Arael, Metatron... deities of of luck like Bast, Hermes, Fortuna or Tyche. Deities of healing like Asclepias, Bridgit, Dian Cecht or Nodens. "Green" Nature deities like Artemis, Gaeia, Cybele, Aja, Herne the Hunter or other Green Man/Woman figures, Gnomes, Brownies and other Earthy creatures. 


Potential Balancing Energies: other stones like Amethyst, Hematite, Jade or Rose Quartz. Birds like Hummingbird, Turkey, Robin or Raven. Insects like Preying Mantis, Fireflies/Lightning bugs, Crickets, Grasshoppers or Butterflies. Animals like Cats, Rabbits, Foxes, Coyote, or Frog. Plants like Clover, Greater/Lesser Plantain, Jade plant, bamboo, Patchouli or Dragon's Blood tree. Elements like Earth and Water