
About eighteen months ago I had a dream. This was a proper sleeping dream I hasten to add, not a Martin Luther/Brittas Empire type of dream. I dreamed about our solar system and how I kept going on space tourism flights to Neptune and popping into the gift shops beforehand to buy replicas of the planets. The planets had a real draw for me in the dream and I kept saving up thousands of pounds for these trans solar system trips.
I thought little of it, though I had several occurences of the same dream over a short period. Then, a few weeks later I was in one of my local new age shops looking at crystals and I found a lapis lazuli sphere that looked almost exactly like the earth. It was way out of my price range but working on the principle that that's what credit cards are for, I bought it. I thought it would be an excellent aid for grounding and centering and sending my energies back into the earth. It also had distinct possibilities as a healing stone or even to support my own little bit of magic toward world harmony. Anyway I didn't really think much at the time beyond these immediate areas of use, I bought the lapis lazuli and took it home. Then another few weeks later I went to York with my husband. And we were shopping in one of the occulty spooky shops, a little touristy for my tastes but all good fun, when I came across a crystal onyx sphere. This one was noticably bigger than my “earth” and the man in the shop commented how much he thought it looked like Jupiter. And it does, it even has the big red spot.
And I thought back to my dream and realised I was being thwacked round the head for whatever reason by a Goddess who really wanted me to create that vision of a mini solar system that she had taken the trouble to inspire me to dream about. Not being one to ignore a thwack from the Goddess, I set out to search out the other planets. It took about eight months to fully complete the collection, paying specific attention to the traditional visuals of each planet and also to the type of crystal used for the representation. Selentite was a given for the earth's moon, labradorite for Pluto (Pluto will always be a planet to me) and I liked the use of fiery tigers eye for Venus.
I expanded my collection to include the four main moons of Jupiter and key moons on Neptune, Uranus and Saturn. I also included a couple of trans neptunian objects namely Quaour (goldstone) and Sedna.
With the collection established (actually I'm still not completely happy with the sun and I'm keeping an eye out in case a better fit comes along) I had to find a magical use that would justify the faith of the Goddess and the time and cost invested in the project.
Each individual sphere has been invested with the energies and characteristics of the associated celestial body. Individually I use them to support my workings, for example I may use Mars when I want to add strength to my work, I may use Neptune when I want clarity and I use the Moon for peace and to connect with the Goddess. Collectively the spheres create a circle that I can use to draw upon the different powers in the universe. I can use this for potency in my spells or I can meditate inside the circle and use the energies to balance my peace of mind.
Sometimes I lend the spheres out, especially to my husband when he is feeling in need of support. I always charge them back up after being lent out by leaving them overnight on a bed of quartz. This was a tip I received from another witch a while ago and it has become my favourite method of replenishing crystals.
My solar system takes pride of place on my witch room. It is a thing of beauty as well as a powerful tool. But more than that it is a dedication to the creation inspired by the Goddess and that alone makes it a precious thing to me.