“The first light of Advent is the light of stones, 

Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones.”

The wind has been howling off the Irish Sea this week, stripping the last of the gold from the trees and revealing the stark, beautiful architecture of the branches underneath. It feels right, then, that this first week of Advent belongs to the Mineral Kingdom. The bones of the earth.

There is something deeply comforting about stones when you are living with a chronic illness. Dysautonomia can make life feel dysregulating. Stones are the antidote to that. They are heavy, still, and ancient. They do not rush. They do not fluctuate. They are just steady.

I haven’t been able to walk to the salt marsh edges where the mud is slick and deep, but I have been surrounding myself with the mineral kingdom in the studio. I’ve been sorting through my collection of treasures found on beaches, holding their cool weight in my hands. Thinking about favourite paint colours too, that are rich with natural mineral pigments— Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, Amethyst, and Green Apatite. There is a grounding magic in grinding pigment; it connects you directly to the earth.

I have been working quietly on a comprehensive **Wheel of the Year** design this autumn, and I’ve found myself pondering the symbols of winter. The frost that hardens the seed heads. The mud is frozen solid. It is a time of stasis.

So, for this first week of Advent, I am lighting the first purple candle for the Stones. I’ve arranged a few crystals and sea-glass treasures —a reminder that it is okay to be still. It is okay to be heavy. In fact, sometimes, it is the only way to endure the storms.

Since we are honouring the stillness of stones, go find a small pebble. Put it in your pocket. Whenever you feel rushed or untethered this week, put your hand in your pocket and touch the cold, hard surface of the stone. Let it remind you that the earth beneath your feet is solid, especially when everything is off kilter.

Selina x