Malawi Smokey Quartz Specimen with Aegirine + Microline Inclusions

🌎 Source: Mt Malosa, Zomba District, Southern Malawi

📏 Size:  110mm x 54mm x 43mm

⚖️ Weight:  278g

The alkaline pegmatites of the Zomba-Malosa district of Malawi are famous for their unique geology and mineralogy. Malawian Aegirine crystals represent some of the best in the world, but obtaining this incredible material comes with its challenges. Malawi is a land-locked country in south-eastern Africa, and Mount Malosa is a very remote and dangerously steep area. Furthermore, because there aren’t any major industrial mines in the region, miners use primitive equipment, and sometimes even their bare hands to dig out specimens. All the while, they also have to scale and balance themselves upon the steep cliffsides without modern climbing equipment such as ropes or pitons. It is astounding that given these precarious conditions, they are able to preserve beautiful, undamaged specimens such as this gorgeous example.

The Zomba Plateau in Malawi is home to a remarkable variety of minerals. Dominated by Orthoclase as a primary matrix, with notable occurrences of Smokey Quartz, Aegirine, and Zircon as the most common species. The Smokey Quartz from this area ranges from dark gemmy hues to morion and deep pitch-black shades, often containing inclusions of Aegirine, and, less frequently, Riebeckite or Rutile. Recent finds have also revealed pockets containing Green Chlorite inclusions or phantoms.

While the specimens from Zomba may not always display conventional beauty, they remain endlessly captivating due to their complexity and the unique geological processes behind their formation. Notably, many of the specimens from the region exhibit self-healing properties, making them highly prized among collectors globally.

AEGIRINE

Aegirine is an inosilicate mineral of the clinopyroxene group. It is found in various forms, including black, shiny crystals or green, fibrous single crystals, as well as intricate clusters, with classic terminations being more common than acicular ones.

Aegirine crystals have the ability to clear the Aura and are wonderful tools for removing negative or stuck energies from all levels of the subtle bodies, and for activating the positive flow that should be there.

Aegirine crystals are excellent for protection, and they also help you to find the courage to shine your inner light, even in dark and negative places.  These are stones of confidence and strength, carrying the knowledge that light has nothing to fear from darkness, but that light indeed is the healer of darkness.  There are few stones as effective as Aegirine for breaking the attachment of negative entities to one's etheric body.

Aegirine can assist you in 'seeing the light' when you have become depressed, hopeless, unhappy, or otherwise aligned your thoughts with negative energies.  It can help you to identify your own negative thoughts and attitudes, and to shift those energies to more positive expressions.  It carries the energies of enlightened action, karmic understanding, and spiritual commitment.

CRYSTALS + YOU

Here are some of our favourite ways to incorporate crystals into your everyday life

✨ MEDITATION | Surely, we all know by now that a meditation habit is maybe the healthiest habit any of us can hope to develop (it beats smoking or gambling anyway, trust us).  But transitioning into a meditative or mindful state isn’t always easy, and often, even with the best of intentions, people give up on their practice.  They find it difficult to sit still and focus.

Never fear – this is where crystals come in handy.  Crystals can cleanse the mind of chaotic thoughts and doubts, they calm and ground us and elevate our energy, so that you can fully immerse yourself in your meditation.

✨ SLEEPING WITH THEM | When you have difficulty sleeping, any number of things could be responsible for disturbing your rest.  Whether you have too much on your plate and can’t switch off, or you can’t seem to settle your energy and are constantly worrying you’ve left your hair straightener on, crystals can bring you the peace you need to sleep easy.

If you are just lying there, sleeping sweetly for 8-ish hours every night, you might as well be absorbing some good vibes from your crystals, right?

To use your crystal at bedtime, try setting it next to you on your bedside table, placing it under your pillow or (best of all) holding it in your palm as you drift off.

✨ MASSAGE | Crystallising your massages can elevate your body work session to previously unknown levels of bliss.  Using crystals along with soft tissue manipulation can reduce not only muscle pain, but also any pain or blocked energy stored in your mind or energy body, helping to bring your body and energy field back into balance to create stability.

✨ SKIN CARE ROUTINE | When used as part of your daily skincare ritual, a crystal facial roller and/or crystal infused facial serum can work to stimulate collagen synthesis, minimise fine lines and wrinkles, support lymphatic drainage, reduce pore size, boost elasticity, soothe irritation, minimise puffiness and promote deeper product preparation…  Yikes – trying saying all of that without taking a breath.

Physically, it helps firm the outer layers of the skin through gentle massage. It also aids in detoxing through the lymphatic system, the body’s main major detoxification structure.

✨ WEAR THEM | Having your crystals close to you is the most effective way to utilise their power. Whether it be crystal jewellery or a little tumble in your pocket (or bra!) Having them close to your skin and vibrating with your aura is the most ideal situation to reach your goal or intention for them faster.

+ so much more, including but not limited to - elixirs, adding them to your altar, creating crystal grids, spells, the posibilities are endless.

CRYSTALS + THE HOME

You’d have to be living under a rock (pun intended!) to be oblivious to how popular gemstones, rocks, crystals and geodes have become in interiors.  Seriously, if Instagram is anything to go by, we are definitely not the only ones using crystals to boost the ambiance and good vibes of our living space. 

And while there are obviously plenty of creative ways (hello Pinterest!) to take advantage of the healing powers of crystals, if you’re looking to take full advantage of their witchy vibrations and magickal energy, there are ways to place them around your home intentionally, so that their energy can support you in various specific environments.

And don’t forget that the energy of your home can shift over time.  If you’ve ever been in a space that was totally spick and span, and flooded with life giving natural light, but somehow just felt heavy, or uncomfortable, then you can understand how a home’s energy is dictated by more than just cleanliness.

The vibe of a space has a lot to do with the energy that has been expelled there, and not cleared away.  Breakups, stress, deaths or grief, parties that got out of hand, or even arguments about whose turn it is to take the bins out can leave behind energy in your home and if you’re not smudging or getting rid of that negativity with high vibe crystals for your home, your space can start to feel dirty, no matter how hard your scrub.

Need somewhere to begin? Read our beginers blog on Crystal placements in the home here

REMEMBER, you don't HAVE to believe they're magic - you can just collect them because you think thy're pretty - there are no rules and we are not the gate keepers of crystals 💗

unearthed