Harmony from the Earth

Author Sandra Kynes has taken the ancient Chinese method of feng shui and added her own knowledge of crystal and gemstone energy.

By: Susan Van Dongen

Sandra Kynes will discuss her book, Gemstone Feng Shui: Creating Harmony in Home and Office, at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores in October.

   Sounding a little like Obi-Wan Kenobi, author Sandra Kynes says to "use the force" when it comes to stimulating and cleansing the power of your home and personal space. She’s taken the ancient Chinese method of feng shui — used to balance the dynamic forces of the natural world — and added her own knowledge of crystal and gemstone energy.
   "Gemstones are perfect for this work because they’re formed by the earth’s powerful processes," she says. "As a result, gemstones embody the energy of the elemental cycles of creation and destruction that are utilized in feng shui. But the main thing is for people to trust their own intuition, and ultimately go with what works for them.
   "I’ve always been interested in gemstones," says Ms. Kynes, a resident of East Brunswick. "When feng shui became popular, I took some courses and read up on it. I was fascinated by how the various elements were applied, but a lot of the specifically Asian things didn’t work for me and didn’t get the energy moving. However, I had been using certain gemstones in my own house for their specific powers. I went to look for a book about it and discovered there wasn’t one. I saw an opening and made my proposal to Llewellyn (books). About a year later (June 2002), my book was published."
   The result is Gemstone Feng Shui: Creating Harmony in Home and Office (Llewellyn, $14.95). Ms. Kynes will make appearances to talk about her book at Barnes & Noble in West Windsor Oct. 16, and Borders Books & Music in East Brunswick Oct. 30.
   Applying gemstones to empower your personal space is not that different from traditional feng shui, which has grown in popularity in the last decade. The basic premise of this venerable Chinese method of harmonizing the energy around us is to invoke the elements — air, fire, earth and water. "For example, to strengthen fire energy in a space — which may enhance creativity or romance — traditionally one uses a candle," Ms. Kynes says. "With my ideas, you can add a stone like peridot, which is found in volcanic rock and therefore represents fire."
   Those who follow New Age ideas probably know that ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Mesopotamia honored the powers of certain stones. Ms. Kynes has done research to indicate this tradition goes back even further. "Different stones were used for rituals in the Upper Paleolithic period, which would have been 25,000-12,000 B.C.," she says. "People have always been attracted to gemstones. I wonder if it’s a chicken-and-egg thing — is it their beauty or the energy that attracts us?"
   Quartz is one stone that is universally honored for its plethora of healing, cleansing and balancing powers. Yet, it’s so common that humans take it for granted. Along the East Coast, our sandy beaches are mostly comprised of pulverized quartz, for example, which some holistic healers believe plays a part in our attraction to the shore.
   "There’s something about quartz that resonates with almost every culture," Ms. Kynes says. In these tough economic times, Ms. Kynes is often asked about using stones to attract and secure wealth.

"There’s something about quartz that resonates with almost every culture," Ms. Kynes says.

   "Prosperity blessings and abundance are connected to the southeast area," she says, explaining that feng shui divides one’s home into a grid with nine squares, each with a compass direction and element-specific attribute. "The southeast sector stands for anything that enriches your personal life. You’d place a gem like an emerald, bloodstone or a diamond there. Moonstone is also good to draw out this energy and is much less expensive.
   "The gems that I mentioned have certain attracting properties on their own, regardless of feng shui. That’s why they fit so well with the tradition," says Ms. Kynes. The book also contains a guide to 63 gemstones and covers their historical uses, associated properties, astrological connections and specific feng shui applications. Ms. Kynes says you can start small when you’re getting ready to intensify your space with gemstone feng shui.
   "You don’t want to bring in a bulldozer," she says. "If it’s not broken don’t fix it. A lot of areas in our home are fine. Be brave enough to experiment, though, to combine the tradition with this new approach. Every person’s energy is different and you’re the best one to judge your environment." One essential recommendation, however, is to get rid of clutter. Junk piles suck the energy out of a space like a black hole.
   "You don’t always have time to put things away, but try not to let them pile up," says Ms. Kynes, who calls herself the queen of clutter. "It can really bog down the energy of a room. That’s why cleaning out a closet feels so good."
   Ms. Kynes has had a varied career as an artist, software programmer and writer, including years of writing short pieces for Llewellyn, using the pen name Sedwin. She currently resides and works in East Brunswick as a marketing consultant, but also has lived in Germany and England, as well as Massachusetts and New York City.
   She says she’s always been interested in history, and especially enjoys finding connections between the ways of various ancient cultures. "That’s why I liked the idea of connecting gemstones with feng shui," Ms Kynes says. "I liked looking for the parallels."
   She is somewhat amused watching the modern world re-discover more and more wisdom of yore, claiming practices like feng shui to be the latest thing. "As high tech as our culture is today, we’re starting to accept ancient methods in the field of medicine, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. Also, more hospitals are installing labyrinths, which are vortices of energy based on sacred geometry. There’s a growing belief that patients heal better and faster, and the staff members can be more focused and relaxed when they walk a labyrinth. As advanced as we are, it always amazes me how we go back to these ancient forms of art and healing."
Sandra Kynes discusses her new book Gemstone Feng Shui: Creating Harmony in Home and Office, at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, MarketFair, 3535 Route 1, West Windsor, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. For information, call (609) 897-9250. Ms. Kynes will appear at Borders Books & Music, 300 Route 18, East Brunswick, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. For information, call (732) 238-7000.