Hello and welcome to September 2026!

September opens right in the middle of Virgo season, so the zodiac is giving us a friendly little nudge to get organized, clean things up, and take care of the small stuff that makes life feel easier. Virgo is not really about big someday dreams; it is more about what is happening in your everyday life. Your routines, health habits, work, and the way you show up for others may all want a bit of extra love and attention now.

The Full Moon in Pisces on September 7 highlights the Virgo-Pisces balance, reminding us that life works best when practical effort and a little trust can meet in the middle. Virgo wants to fix, sort, and make sense of everything, while Pisces gently reminds us that some things just need to be felt, released, or handed over. This is one of the more spiritually sensitive Full Moons of the year, so emotions, dreams, intuition, and empathy may all feel stronger than usual. Give yourself permission to rest, create, pray, meditate, or simply float with the feeling for a bit. You do not have to explain everything right away.

Mercury in Virgo through early September helps us think clearly, say what we mean, and sort through whatever needs our attention. By the 10th, Mercury moves into Libra, and the mood gets a little softer. Conversations may feel easier, decisions may come with more balance, and it becomes a little more natural to listen, compromise, and find the middle ground.

Shungite, a black Russian stone that started out as single-celled algae 1 to 2 billion years ago, has only recently become widely known and used for its unique physical and metaphysical properties. Found primarily near the Shun'ga Village in the Karelia region of Russia, residents often attributed the black stone with restorative and healing properties. Springs that flowed through the black stone were often applied as a cure all by villagers due to how fresh, clean and pure the waters tasted and their belief that the water healed ailments and physical wounds. Local lore says that in the 16th Century a noblewoman named Xenia Ivanovna was exiled to a monastery in the region. She suffered from a chronic illness with no known cure. She was given water from a spring that flowed out of a Shungite layer and in time found her health had returned. She later married and gave birth to Mikhail Roman, the first Tsar of the Romanov Dynasty. Then, in the 18th Century, after spending much time in the region, Tsar Peter the Great claimed to feel so well and energized after bathing in and drinking the natural springs that he established Russia's first health resort, the "Marcial Waters", in 1719. Despite this royal endorsement, it was not until 1792 that Nikolay Ozereckovskiy, a naturalist and encyclopedist, recorded the first physical description of the stone. Another century passed and the magical rock was finally named and classified in 1879 by Aleksandr Inostrantsev, a Russian geology professor at St. Petersburg University.

Hello and welcome to August 2026!

August 2026 arrives with a wave from the universe and a fresh invitation to grow, glow, and gently reinvent ourselves. With several powerful planetary aspects lighting up the sky, new energies are swirling in like cosmic confetti. This month brings a lively dance between expansion and restraint, encouraging us to reach for our potential while still keeping both feet on the ground. The mood is reflective yet adventurous, nudging each of us to explore our inner world while staying curious about the bright possibilities waiting just outside the door.

This month’s cosmic spotlight shines on two big, beautiful trines: Jupiter Trine Saturn and Uranus Trine Pluto. Think of them as the Universe handing us both a blueprint and a box of sparkly new tools, helping us turn dreams and ideals into something wonderfully real. Uranus sextile Neptune adds a splash of creative magic, while Venus opposing Saturn may stir up a few relationship lessons that ask for patience, honesty, and a little extra heart. Altogether, the skies are giving us a cheerful nudge to shake off complacency, try something fresh, and open the door to new possibilities. Circle the 22nd on your calendar, when Jupiter’s trine with Neptune reaches its peak and invites extra creativity, spiritual expansion, and maybe even a few soulful “aha!” moments. Then, when the Sun steps into tidy Virgo on August 23rd, the mood shifts toward practical magic, helpful habits, and the satisfying joy of preparing the harvest basket for what comes next.

Hello and welcome to July 2026!

July 2026 arrives with a rich and transformative current, weaving together emotional growth, relationship developments, communication shifts, and karmic lessons as several important planets and lunar nodes change signs throughout the month.

We are also stepping into the heart of retrograde season. Mercury, having turned retrograde on June 29th, spends much of the month moving backward through Cancer (going direct on July 23) while Saturn and Neptune also begin their retrograde journeys in Aries.

Mercury retrograde in Cancer turns our attention towards the emotional past. The challenge isn't simply communication mishaps or missed emails; our emotional history shapes the stories we tell ourselves in the present. But Mercury's backward motion is only part of the picture.

This month isn't about charging ahead at full speed. Before the next chapter begins, we're being asked to revisit the emotional narratives (Mercury), responsibilities (Saturn), and dreams (Neptune) that have been quietly steering our decisions behind the scenes.

Of course, it's not all cosmic homework. We also have to celebrate our spicy lionesses as Leo season arrives on the 23rd. After weeks of introspection, Leo reminds us to return to our creativity, confidence, pleasure, and unapologetic self-expression.

Hello and welcome to June 2026!

June 2026 arrives with a bright little cosmic pep in its step, bringing a fresh wave of growth for both your personal world and the bigger collective picture. With some powerful planetary pairings twinkling overhead, this is your invitation to dream big with Neptune, then team up with Saturn to give those dreams a lovely roadmap. It’s a beautiful time to listen to what your heart really wants, think creatively, and take smart, intentional steps in that direction. The universe is basically giving you a playful wink and a gentle nudge: you’ve got more magic than you think—go use it!

This month’s cosmic headline? Jupiter opposing Pluto is shaking loose old, outdated structures, while Jupiter trining Neptune adds a dreamy spark to creativity, intuition, and spiritual growth. Together, these alignments remind us to chase big goals without losing our heart—balancing ambition with compassion, and success with soul. And with Venus cozying up to both Pluto and Neptune, love and relationships get a little extra magic: think deep transformation, soulful connection, and a touch of romantic enchantment.

The Full Moon on May 29 in Scorpio turned the emotional volume all the way up, bringing powerful feelings, deep insight, and major transformation vibes. Think of it as the universe handing you a flashlight for your inner world—perfect for reflecting, realigning, and getting honest about what your heart truly wants. Then, as the Sun glides into Cancer on June 21, the energy softens and sweetens, inviting extra care around home, comfort, and emotional nourishment. By June 29, Mars zooms into Gemini, sparking curiosity, quick thinking, and a playful mental buzz. And as Venus and Jupiter step into Leo at the very end of the month, the mood shifts into full celebration mode—hello creativity, confidence, and a fabulous reason to shine.

May 2026 brings many opportunities to pause so we can stop and smell the roses. With so much fiery energy brewing all through the month of April, May gives us the chance to slow down and be more intentional about how we wish to move forward.

An exception to this is that on April 25, 2026, Uranus entered Gemini for a seven-year, long-haul stay until May 2033, revolutionizing communication, technology, and learning. This transit marks a shift from Taurus-driven material stability to Gemini's mental, electric energy, triggering rapid advancements in AI, transportation, and media. This transit initiates a significant "cultural and intellectual reboot.” It also encourages breaking free from old thought patterns and embracing a more versatile, yet potentially chaotic, approach to information.

May begins and ends with a Full Moon, the second of which is a rare Blue Moon. Having two Full Moons in a calendar month indicates a theme of release, letting go, and culmination, it seems that a chapter is going to come to an end for us in May, and we are likely to find ourselves wrapping up loose ends and making space for the new to arrive.

Pluto turns retrograde on May 6, initiating a months-long review of power and control. Pluto is the "Lord of the Underworld," ruling over things hidden or repressed. This period acts as a "personal reckoning," forcing you to face unpleasant traits, old hurts, and subconscious patterns you might usually avoid.

Hello and welcome to April 2026!

April 2026 is a high-energy "destiny reset" period focused on personal transformation, career shifts, and financial growth, driven by intense Aries energy and major planetary alignments. The month opens with a Libra Full Moon and features key shifts including Uranus entering Gemini on April 25.

With Mercury now fully awake and no retrogrades, this month has a “just do it” vibe that feels refreshing. The Sun in Aries (through April 19) keeps the energy bold and proactive. You’re likely still riding the high from last month’s fresh start, eager to push boundaries and make visible progress.

Worldwide, with Saturn now in Aries, other entities (corporations, countries and governments) are trying to assert control (Saturn) by contending with each other. But Neptune is also in Aries, causing those actions to trigger a backlash of enormous humanitarian and compassionate reactions. There are growing events and organizations aimed at fostering empathy, reducing suffering, and increasing humanitarian efforts. People are much more engaged in protecting and aiding each other, our neighborhoods, schools and communities. (Pluto is now in Aquarius).

The Crystal Village came to our rock shop here in Austin, Texas from Diamantina in the heart of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Diamantina means “diamond” in Portuguese and alludes to the mining town’s historical diamond mine and diamond museum, while Minas Gerais translates to “General Mines,” alluding to the rich mineral resources of the landlocked Brazilian state, including gold, diamonds, and other precious gems. Although countless deposits of quartz such as amethyst, rose quartz, smoky quartz, and a wide range of “included” quartz containing fuchsite, tourmaline, rutile, and lithium are known to occur in Minas Gerais, we were introduced to a unique family of etched smoky citrine quartz crystals instead. We were not looking to purchase a high-dollar collection like this one, but they found us, and we could not ignore the call. Here's the story of how the Crystal Village found us...

At the International Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show, we went to visit one of our Brazilian vendors, Gabriel, on 2/11 to pay for an order of fluorescent phantom amethyst he had shipped to us before the show. We arrived at the venue at 11:11 a.m. We conducted a short interview with Gabriel to learn more about the unique amethyst find we got from him for our Trunk Show and then proceeded to look around his booth. We saw many different varieties of naturally dual-colored quartz, but we were trying to spend conservatively this year due to the build-out and big move of 2025. Despite our attempts to allay the siren’s call of the countless beautiful crystals, minerals, and jewelry we saw, Karen stopped at a large etched smoky quartz crystal that we would later come to know as “the Father.” She commented that it looked like it had writing on it. Our friend Alex picked up the piece, allowing light to flood into it from behind, revealing it to be a smoky citrine and further accentuating the grooves and etched markings.