Herkimer Diamonds
Story by: Cal Garrison
“Looking into a Herkimer Diamond is like diving into a field of pure white, water clear light. As your consciousness merges with that field it feels as if the light formed into a crystal out of love, just so that you could hold it and be reminded of your own light. Swimming around, immersed in those frequencies, something shifts and you become aware of a much higher form of energy. Without really doing anything you tune in to your self on a much deeper level.”
When it comes to crystals, Herkimer Diamonds are definitely in a class by them selves. Any one with eyes can see that there is something extraordinary about these double-terminated clear quartz hexagons. Their shape alone distinguishes them. And the quality of light they refract is so unusual it looks like a blend of light and water. More brilliant and energetically superior to clear rock crystal, but not perfect or hard enough to compete with real diamonds, ‘Herks’ fall somewhere between the two and occupy a vibrational world of their own.
The theories around how Herkimer Diamonds came to be formed vary. Geologists believe they developed under intense heat and pressure, in sedimentary rock, about 400 to 500 million years ago. This is the standard take on the subject and it coincides with what we’ve been taught but what we know about the history of this planet, including its geological history, is based on incomplete data, and well monitored by larger forces who thrive on keeping the facts hidden. While this particular theory may have something to it, it’s only a theory and by definition, still open to question.
Two years ago, while perusing of a shelf full of crystal books, I randomly opened one up to a section that talked in detail about Herkimers. Circumstances didn’t allow me to buy the book or check the title and it’s a shame because the information in that book was quite different than anything else I had read.
Not falling in line with the standard theory, this writer put forth the notion that Herkimer Diamonds are in fact, shards of the big Atlantean crystal that got blasted to smithereens when Atlantis fell. Blown sky high in a volcanic explosion, he went on to say that those fragments of crystal got carried in flaming balls of hot lava all the way to what is now, Herkimer County, New York. The heat from the lava acted on the broken shards in such a way that the Silicon Dioxide liquefied and reformed into Herkimers as the molten rock cooled.
I don’t accept this theory as gospel but I have to admit I am partial to it because it certainly explains why Herkimer Diamonds have such extraordinary qualities. With a long list of attributes that make them valuable to anyone who uses crystals in conjunction with their spiritual work, ‘Herks’ are reputed to induce joy, inspire independence, improve every type of relationship, make it easier to access the higher spiritual realms, and enhance everything that happens in the dream state. If you take the time to experiment, what you discover about these unique crystals will show you exactly why these properties have been attached to them.
Most of the people who collect Herkimer Diamonds place more value on the clear ones. There’s a lot to be said for clarity. Life in this dimension is so unclear, crystalline perfection reminds us of what we could be and offers some proof that that level of attainment actually exists. Flawless ‘Herks’ embody something God-like and they are precious because they reveal to us what we long for and have yet to identify within our selves.
When I began working with Herkimer’s the clear ones drew me in at first but in the process of mining for them and handling them, I became more attracted to the so-called ‘flawed’ specimens without knowing why. It later occurred to me that if the clear ‘Herks’ gave me glimpses of perfection, the included crystals showed me how much I need to work on before I reach that state. Every mirror and internal fracture seemed to provide me with information about my own flaws and revealed so much about what lies hidden in me, each crystal became a teacher of sorts and all I had to do was hold one to download the lesson.
I can tell you that their capacity to “induce joy” is immediate. This may seem like a small thing but, as Abraham says, “Joy is the main point of attraction” for everything in Creation. Anything that induces joy is priceless. This feeling is the first thing you become aware of when you start playing around with ‘Herks’- try jumping into one and you’ll see what I am talking about. These crystals not only hold the Joy frequency, they willingly offer it up just so that we can that tune our selves to that vibration.
If Herkimer Diamonds “inspire independence” it is because they embody it. Unlike other crystals, each one of them is formed free of any matrix. They are born whole and complete, within themselves. This state of absolute independence appears to contradict their ability to “improve every type of relationship” but we can’t be one with anything until we are one within ourselves. Seen in that light, what seems contradictory becomes more of a paradox, because ‘Herks’ hold space for the desire to stand alone as readily as they enhance the desire to be one with other. Creating a sense of attunement and harmony within any kind of relationship, whether it be the one we have with God, with ourselves, with our significant other, with life and our fellow man, or with the people who come to us for healing, is important right now and that’s what these little super heroes do better than any other crystal formation.
The reason Herkimer Diamonds “make it easier to access the higher spiritual realms” is because their connective properties reinforce and remind us of the relationship we have to our higher aspect. By strengthening the desire to go within they present the opportunity to get closer to our own Source. That yearning for oneness is the key to how deep our meditations take us on any given day and anything that stimulates the ability to keep the focus where it counts becomes a very useful growth tool.
As far as “enhancing everything that happens in the dream state” goes, this is where Herkimer Diamonds really shine. Try sleeping with a ‘Herk’ and see how your ability to remember your dreams improves and then see if you notice a change in the quality and content of your night visions. This may seem like a small thing but it is virtually impossible to have a complete understanding of your self if you ignore the imagery that floats to the surface when your consciousness is in the dream state. These stones not only bring all of that imagery into focus, they seem to make every dream more meaningful. As we learn more about the part our dreams play in our spiritual unfoldment the Herkimer Diamond’s role as a ‘Dream Stone’ will make them indispensable to anyone who wishes to understand the true ‘Power of Dreaming’.
No crystal collection is complete without at least one Herkimer Diamond. And if you only own one crystal, a ‘Herk’ would be the best choice because these beauties do it all and they do it perfectly. A cut above any other crystal formation they even give ‘Vogel’s’ a run for their money! If clear quartz holds light, ‘Herks’ hold it in a more concentrated form and their superior connective properties make it possible to merge with that light and bring it home, to the heart, for safekeeping.
The best source for Herkimer Diamonds is The Ace of Diamonds Mine in Herkimer County, New York. There are many other mines in the vicinity, but the ‘Ace’ is the best. If you’re traveling to that area, don’t miss the opportunity to treat your self to a day of digging. It’s hard work, but for a twenty dollar entry fee you stand a chance of getting lucky and hitting a pocket full of crystals. Small ‘Herks’ the size of a cherry stone are worth $25 on the open market, and after a rain, these can be found right on the ground, if you keep your eyes pealed. Those of you who aren’t up for breaking rocks in the hot sun can check out the diamonds, and all the other crystals and books that are sold in the gift store at the mine.
from: http://spiritofmaat.com/magazine/september-2013-the-goddess-issue/herkimer-diamonds/