Anyhow, the last Fairy Fest stone I have to share information on is Andara Crystal Glass; I was gifted a chunk of it by an energy worker at the festival, and it's a variety of crystal with a rather contentious, questionable story behind it. The long and short of it is, Andara Crystal Glass is synthetic, not natural (more on that below), and as such, many unscrupulous vendors will hype up the crystal while providing little factual information on it, and then charge an outrageous price for the stuff.
My stance on synthetic crystals is firmly positive - I enjoy Opalite, Goldstone, and etc. both aesthetically and magickally - but it is important to know before you buy that this is not some incredibly rare and hard-to-come-by mineral. Make sure the price tag reflects that.
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Andara Crystal Glass
Physical Characteristics: This variety of glass can be found in virtually any color, and in varying opacities.
In Nature: Andara Crystal Glass is not found in nature. It is cullet glass leftover from other glass-making processes, and often found in the slag variety. Slag glass is its own subsection of streaky, opaque glass, often used decoratively in light fixtures, but the main takeaway is that this is not a naturally-occurring crystal.
According to one story, a California earthquake in the 1960's uncovered a buried deposit of some of this glass, and that is what brought it to the attention of the metaphysical community. This makes sense in passing, as California is highly earthquake-prone, but I was unable to find confirmation of this from a reliable source, so take the story with a grain of salt.
Chemical Composition: Silica-based, varies by method of production
Mohs Scale Hardness: 5.5 - 6.5 (middle)
Can be Found: Theoretically, wherever glass (especially slag glass) is made
Healing Properties*: None noted besides the benefits listed below
Magickal Properties: The information available on Andara Crystal Glass is mixed, some of it being believable, and some of it going straight off the metaphysical deep end. That being said, Andara Crystals are generally associated with energy work. They can be imbued with Reiki energy, and likewise are used for clearing the chakras and raising one's personal vibration.
Chemical Composition: Silica-based, varies by method of production
Mohs Scale Hardness: 5.5 - 6.5 (middle)
Can be Found: Theoretically, wherever glass (especially slag glass) is made
Healing Properties*: None noted besides the benefits listed below
Magickal Properties: The information available on Andara Crystal Glass is mixed, some of it being believable, and some of it going straight off the metaphysical deep end. That being said, Andara Crystals are generally associated with energy work. They can be imbued with Reiki energy, and likewise are used for clearing the chakras and raising one's personal vibration.
Other uses include raising one's conscious awareness, and channeling information. They are stones of positive thought, and for connecting to the energy of the universe and/or deity. Andara Crystal Glass is best charged with light, sunlight being the most effective.
Individual colors have their own meanings which can be investigated further, though keep a critical eye when reading through information provided by vendors trying to sell their product.
Chakra Association: Crown (Seventh) Chakra
Element: Akasha
Energy: Receptive
Planetary Association: Uranus, Moon
*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!
