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Handmade Jewelry Charms
 As we mention on our homepage many of our pendants are hand cast by a local artisan. We want our jewelry to be as original and unique as possible while we do buy materials that are mass produced such as pearls and some beads we try to limit it as much as possible and look for unique cuts and colors in our gemstones, this is often why our pieces change over time or are even discontinued as a certain cut or color of stone may become unavailable and we will have to find a suitable alternative if one exists and still can maintain the original idea behind the piece. Today we'd like to show you a few of our pieces that are hand cast and give you some information on the process of silver casting for handmade jewelry. The most common way to create a silver charm is called lost wax casting. You start with wax carving of your design. If it's going to be reproduced many times you then create a rubber mold of your wax carving, so that you can create as many wax replicas as you need from the rubber mold. Once your mold is complete you make a plaster casting of it, it is this casting that the molting silver will be poured into. After cooling has occurred you are ready to break it out of the plaster and give it a polish. The process has changed very little since mankind began casting metals. Here are a few of the pieces that we use our locally cast charms in: Our handmade jewelry is made to order, we can customize length, color, and more, just contact us and ask and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs.
Ganesha Charms
 With the launching our new Ganesha Charm Bracelets, we figured it would be good to provide a little background information on this cherished deity. Ganesha also spelled Ganesa and Ganesh, and known by names as Ganapti, Pillaiyar, or Vinayaka is one of the most well know and worshipped deities in Hinduism as well as many other Eastern Religions. While Ganesha is known by many attributes he is most commonly associated with his large elephant head and multiple arms. Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and the deva of intellect and wisdom. While often considered the remover of obstacles both materially and spiritually, traditionally he can also place obstacles in the way of people who need to be checked. Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati. The earliest known occurrences of the deity being used in popular culture date back to at least the 4th century during the Gupta Period, the Gupta Dynasty ruled much of India from 280 to 550 CE. Throughout history Ganesha has shown a wide variety of patterns and portrayals unlike many of the deities that are very strict and have minimal representations as far as pose, size, etc. Indian art shows great variation from standing, dancing, taking action against demons, and even playing with his family as a boy. However he may be depicted by whatever religion that worships him, he has become an icon of material and spiritual obstacles. For further information on the history and religions that worship him please see the wiki article.
Hamsa Jewelry
 The Hamsa is a symbol that has been used regularly for thousands of years in amulets, jewelry, and charms. It is said to protect against the evil eye. The hand has several alternate names depending on the religion in which it is being used, for example the Jewish name is the Hand of Miriam, and some Islamic sects call it the Hand of Fatima or the Eye of Fatima. Some archeological evidence suggests it predates both Judaism and the Islamic faiths and goes all the way back to the Phoenicians around 1,500 BC. No matter the religion or name it is used an emblem of protection. We've just launched a new set of Hamsa Hand Bracelets where you can choose several available gemstones, we also have a new Hand of Protection necklace incorporating the symbol as well, it uses Turquoise and Jade both of which are considered stones of protection.
Kundalini Yoga
 Kundalini Yoga is a yoga that focuses on the chakra system and is heavily meditative. Kundalini Yoga is a bit more energetic than some yogas and typically involves chanting, meditation, and breathing to help align the chakra energies that are naturally stored in your body. Kundalini in sanskirt translates to that which is coiled, referring to the dormant energy that is lying at the base of our spine, just waiting to be released. Like several other forms of yoga, Kundalini Yoga links its poses specifically with breathing and adds chanting as part of the breathing process, often times Kundalini Yoga is referred to as the yoga of awareness, it's definitely more meditative and spiritually based than many other yogas. Long ago Kundalini was considered a dangerous practice by ruling powers in India as it potentially led to infinite potential energy, total enlightenment, and mental clarity so great that the powers that be felt it dangerous for the wrong person to practice such a ritual, it was only done in secrecy. Things have since changed and it is now a widely accepted form of yoga practice worldwide. Any of our Yoga Jewelry is great for a Kundalini routine, we designed one signature piece the Kundalini Spiral Chakra Necklace just for enthusiasts of this Yoga. Also, any of our Chakra pieces can help users align their chakras during their Kundalini routine.
Iyengar Yoga
 Iyengar Yoga was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, a master yoga teacher. Iyengar Yoga is a form of Hatha Yoga and seeks all the same elements in its practice. What makes it different is its design and use of props, from blocks, cushions, belts, and pads that help users to perform poses they may not otherwise be able to due to age, injury, or other physical limitations. What also makes it unique is that the poses are held longer than usual with more breathing and relaxation in between poses as well. Unlike some other forms of yoga Iyengar does not encourage their students to find their own way to asanas by imitating their teacher, it is instead very precise and verbal during the class that each pose (asana) is exact and perfect. While there may be thousands of Iyengar teachers, becoming certified is no easy task, it requires at least 2-5yrs for the introductory level and higher levels can take a decade or more. B.K.S. Iyengar has been teaching and doing yoga for over 75yrs. Born in 1918 in a poor Indian village with many difficulties in his life he began practicing yoga at the age of 15 under the guidance of his brother in law well known yogi, Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya in Mysore, India. Iyengar has written dozens of yoga texts and is largely responsible for bringing yoga to the west. His most famous work written in 1966 "Light on Yoga", has been translated to 17 languages and is considered by many as the Yoga Bible. He has been recognized by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world. With the slower and less strenuous forms of yoga we always recommend wearing any of our Yoga Jewelry to help achieve balanced chakras and a more meditative state with the power of gemstones.
Hatha Yoga
 Hatha Yoga is considered to be the original and most pure form of yoga. Also called Hatha Vidya, this yoga is a system introduced by Yogi Swatmarama an important figure of 15th century India. He wrote the text Hatha Yoga Pradipika, it is said to be the oldest surviving text on Hatha Yoga. The text has information on a wide variety of topics related to yoga and spiritual transcendence including asanas, pranayama, chakras, kundalini, and more. The foundation of all yogas, Hatha uses the asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing), dharana (meditation), and kundalini (instinct). Hatha is probably the most popular form of yoga in America as it is most beneficial for stress management and also is a great strength builder and workout. The word Hatha comes from two Sanskirt words, Ha meaning sun and Tha meaning moon, thus referring to the solar and lunar channels of our body. When combined to Hatha the term now tanslates as forceful, meaning that powerful work needs to be done in order to combine our masculine/solar side with our feminine/lunar side, in the form of yoga. The term yoga actually means to join two things together. Hatha's ultimate goal is to balance mind and body through controlled breating, postures, and meditation, and does so in a calm and soothing matter. Since Hatha Yoga is done in a more tranquil manner than some other yoga routines we encourage our customers to wear any of our Yoga Jewelry, especially for the Hatha we recommend any of our Chakra Necklace pieces or our Kundalini Necklace both of which are integral parts of this routine.
Bikram Yoga
 Bikram Yoga is one of the more unusual yogas developed in recent history. Often referred to as Hot Yoga, Bikram Yoga is done in 95-105 degree room; this promotes more flexibility as well as detoxifying one's body, if you're looking to lose weight than this is the yoga for you. This form of yoga is truly for wellness and rejuvenation of one's body, it doesn't focus as much on the mind body connection that many of the other types of yoga do. Bikram Yoga strictly focuses on Asana (Poses) and Pranayama (Breathing). Because of the heat and heavy sweating involved we don't recommend wearing our Yoga Jewelry during your routine. Developed by Bikram Choudhury, an Olympic gold medal weight lifter in 1963, is now the only form of yoga done in a heated environment. Bikram was a student of Bishnu Ghosh, the brother of Paramanhansa Yogananda, the yogi who is considered the first to bring the philosophy and practice to America around 1920. There is some controversy in the yoga community surrounding the Bikram Yoga phenomenon, in that he has copyrighted and trademarked his yoga style and aggresivly pursued protection of these terms. There are over 500 Bikram Yoga studios around the world and each one must have a certified Bikram teacher that is paid and approved by the Bikram group. Many feel that yoga shouldn't become chains or franchises that not only put smaller yoga studios out of business but also don't focus on the fundamentals of yoga, the connection of mind and body to fulfill self-realization.
Ashtanga Yoga
 Ashtanga Yoga is a system developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Ashtanga Yoga can be very strenuous as it combines synchronized breathing with continuous pose changes many of which take a lot of physical strength to perform. This creates a full body workout with heavy sweating that greatly improves circulation and cleanses the body. Ashtanga Yoga is generally accepted to have its origins created from an ancient manuscript known as the Yoga Korunta that was interpreted by Pattabhi Jois under the guidance of his guru, however no one besides Jois and his guru have ever seen this text and even Jois himself has hinted that it may or may not exist. A more likely explanation on its development is that Jois's guru asked him to create a yoga routine that was suitable for children and younger adults that had less of an attention span and needed a more active routine. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois currently resides in Mysore, India. Aside from its more active and strenuous routine some other things that make Ashtanga Yoga unique are the literal meanings of its translations, which mean eight-limbed yoga, each limb correlates to a spiritual practice that leads to the ultimate self-realization. Each of the limbs is a step and one must master each before moving on to the next. Since Ashtanga Yoga generally brings the practioner to a heavy sweat we don't recommend wearing any of our Yoga Jewelry during your routine as the oils and salts may discolor or tarnish the silver and gemstones used.
Ananda Yoga
 Ananda Yoga is a great beginner's form of yoga. It focuses on the inner peace and self realization of the student by use of Asana (yoga poses) and Pranayama (breathing and energy control). Ananda Yoga helps bring back the original ideals and practices of Hatha Yoga. Ananda Yoga was developed by Swami Kriyananda who is a direct disciple of the yogi Paramanhansa Yogananda, the yogi who is considered the first to bring the philosophy and practice to America around 1920, his teachings and practice are referred to as Kriya Yoga. Kriyananda was a minister at Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship. Ananda is actually more than just a yoga practice, it is a worldwide movement of intentional spiritual communities that practice yoga and meditation. Some things that make Ananda Yoga unique are a special series of 39 techniques, each of which has its own posture and affirmation to help the practitioner increase focus and control the life force. The nice thing for beginners is that the poses are not a strict set but instead are designed to adapt to each person's style that best suits there needs. Ananda Yoga is now practiced all over the world and several successful Ananda communities around the globe have been established and have high regards by many in the yoga community. In the pursuit of self-realization and meditation we hope you will browse through our many pieces of Yoga Jewelry, designed to help balance your energy, improve meditation, and let the world know that you find such issues important to you.
Aquamarine Jewelry
 Aquamarine is actually part of the Beryl family, Beryls come in a variety of colors from pink to green, and the sea blue variety is called Aquamarine. Other stones of the Beryl family include Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphires. Aquamarine is the birthstone of March and is said to protect the wearer in long voyages and ensure a safe return. The wonderful sea blue color is unlike any other gemstone and goes great in almost any type of jewelry. Today most of the worlds Aquamarine come from Brazil. It is rated between a 7.5-8 on the mohs scale of hardness making it very well suited for jewelry and resistance to scratching and discoloration. Did you know the single largest pieces of faceted cut Aquamarine is 14 inches tall and weighs 10,395 carats, titled the Dom Pedro, click here to check it out. We generally use Aquamarine in our jewelry as a enhancement stone combined with many other gemstones. We do use it in an isolated manner in our birthstone jewelry. Here are some of our pieces that incorporate Aquamarine.
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As we mention on our homepage many of our pendants are hand cast by a local artisan. We want our jewelry to be as original and unique as possible while we do buy materials that are mass produced such as pearls and some beads we try to limit it as much as possible and look for unique cuts and colors in our gemstones, this is often why our pieces change over time or are even discontinued as a certain cut or color of stone may become unavailable and we will have to find a suitable alternative if one exists and still can maintain the original idea behind the piece.
