32 www. AspireMAG. net | Fall Issue 2026
The Earth Remembers: Manifesting What Is Seeded Within Your Heart
BY LORI A ANDRUS
Each year, as the days grow shorter and the evening air becomes crisp, one special crystal in my collection gets my attention... a sphalerite crystal skull.( See my crystal skull on page 34.)
Gently, he circles back into my daily life.
It is not something I plan. It simply happens. I notice him on the shelf, walk over, pick him up, say hello, and place him on my desk.
Like an old friend returning for the season, we sink into a rhythm together. He joins me during my morning reflections, writing sessions, videos, computer work, walks through the autumn woods, and those tender pauses when I am listening for what is next. I never thought of myself as a crystal skull sort of gal, but something about this piece captivated me.
I found him nearly a decade ago in a gift shop while mining in Herkimer, New York. It was a beautiful fall day, and I was on the cusp of birthing something entirely new in my work. It felt like a stretch, or perhaps a growth edge.
I did not realize it then, but I can now see how this sphalerite skull has been with me during one of the most tender and defining moments in my work.
32 www. AspireMAG. net | Fall Issue 2026