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Testimonials “for the love of...” and just plain good real life stories

Theresa has given us permission to share this beautiful story about ammonites:

“Of course I'd love to share my experience with the healing of the ammonite.

I'm not sure if there's much to tell but it has been amazing for my experience and the experience of some of our clients. I work in a residential native addictions treatment center. I have always appreciated the beauty and wonder (lack of a better word) of the ammonite, and always carry one in my pocket, especially the pairs from Madagascar. I see the spiral as a very healing symbol as it symbolizes to me the connection to our heart and our exterior. (I am First Nation, and many FN people see symbols in objects and art, especially from nature.) The spiral is a stronger symbol than just ourselves, but the connection with the past and how it connects with the present and future...etc. ... I've been working with people on their personal stories and helping them to share their experiences for their individual healing and to help others who may find strength from what they have to share.

So, back to the ammonite... Within the ammonite, I symbolize how the spiral within it is one's journey in life, and of course, their connection to their ancestors, alive and not.  When you walk through the spiral (one's life) it can be smooth (like the polished ammonite), and also their can be crevices (some ammonites have the holes with the crystals within it), and within the crevices (the hard parts of one's life, whether it be addiction, abuse, struggles, or whatever one experiences) there is gifts (the crystals). To heal is to understand the gifts within the "holes" in our lives and and understand that the spiral doesn't stop - we continue. (even after death, we become the ancestors to new generations that also learn from our "holes" and the journey simply continues. We can break cycles and the journey continues stronger - like the ammonite. It survives and heals the future. (But it's funny, cause the ammonite I carry, I broke a piece of it, and its a strong reminder that even the things we cherish or how old it really is, its simply a material - and it doesn't last forever. (Like our lives and the people within it.)

This is a bit difficult to put into words without speaking or demonstrating it.

So anyway, I carry ammonites at me at work, and pull them out when I need a visual and spiritual explanation for some. I'll give you one example of it's journey through this work. had one client that has been in and out of jail, a very tough spirit. He didn't communicate much during his time at the center until I introduced him to the ammonite, just casually brought it out and asked if he knew anything about it. He didn't. I gave him a bit of knowledge on it and explained my take on it - how it can symbolize our life story and the stories before us. He was very intrigued but didn't say much. He asked to hold it, and then he started telling his story. And it went beyond that, he went to his room for a bit and came back to the office, and shared a song that he wrote while thinking of the ammonite. It was so powerful and strong, and his voice was so strong. He shared his song with many clients during his stay there and his voice was much stronger as he shared his story. The ammonite that I carried that day was no longer mine, it was his story within it.  And when see him now, he values the ammonite and refers to it often during his journey of sobriety.

This has been the experience of many of the clients I've shared it with.  And it’s inspired me to create a program on storytelling. The value and importance of owning one's story and learning of the stories of the past.  Its still a work in progress, as I'm on maternity leave and putting much of my energy into my young ones.

Please, do what you wish with my journey of the ammonite.  I suppose it's a symbol of a way to heal - the symbol is whatever you pull from the journey of the spiral.

I'd love to read about your journeys with the ammonite as well.  Mother Earth has given us many gifts and they all are her stories to share with us - connecting the past, present and future.

So I'm always on the look out for new ammonites, as I share them all the time with new people, so I will continue looking at your stock. “

Enjoy your day, and I look forward to sharing these ammonites (I have someone special in mind for these...)

Warmest regards,Theresa Frankel, Speaks With Wings