What's the big deal about EMFs? 

The latest research on EMFs suggests they can produce a boatload of nasty effects on our health, including brain and heart tumors, cardiac arrhythmias, reproductive problems, hormone disruption - and the list goes on. You can read more about this here.

Where do you get your shungite, and how do you assure quality?

I have spent a great deal of time identifying high quality, reliable sources both in the US and Russia, where shungite is mined. When I find a good supplier, I make every effort to nurture that relationship. Service is everything! I also test every batch of shungite I receive for authenticity. For more about this, see my YouTube video.

What type of shungite do you use for your products?

This is probably my most frequently asked question!

The majority of my products are made from black shungite. Black shungite (type 2) is far more suitable for jewelry and accessories because it can be shaped, tumbled, drilled, and polished into forms (beads, pendants, spheres, pyramids, and so on). Black shungite (type 2) contains about 50 to 70 percent carbon, with the remaining 30 to 50 percent being a mixture of a wide variety of different elements.

Elite (noble) shungite, aka "type 1," is a completely different form. Although it's stronger in terms of EMFs, it is very crumbly and friable. Therefore, elite is best used in its raw form for making shungite water, or as loose pebbles in a bowl or as a beautiful solid nugget. Elite shungite is 90 to 98 percent pure carbon and therefore has the highest concentration of fullerenes - the special molecules that give shungite its unique properties. Elite is much more expensive because of its rarity, representing the top 1 percent of all shungite mined.

In my store, unless a listing specifies "elite shungite," it is black shungite.

There is one more type of shungite that I don't usually carry due to its extreme rarity - Petrovsky Shungite. Petrovsky dates back to the time of Peter the Great and consists of 70 to 80 percent carbon, yet it can still withstand grinding and shaping for beads, pendants, and sculptures.

How do I select shungite for my home?

Each shungite piece has a range of effects based on its size and shape, so different pieces can be used for different rooms based on the size and type of the room. For example, pyramids are recommended in rooms where you want to be awake and alert, such as an office, den or living room. Spheres have a softer energy that is more calming, so they are more suitable for a bedroom or nursery. For more about this, as well as information about the range of effects, refer to my Shungite Recommendations post.

Ultimately, when selecting shungite - be it jewelry, a gift, or a shungite garden - go with your gut. Use your intuition. What piece calls to you? What do you feel drawn to? We are energetic beings, and thoughts and feelings are energy. We just have to listen.

My EMF meter shows NO difference with shungite - what's up with that?

There are several videos on the web that claim to show shungite blocking EMFs. When I did this experiment for myself - passing a piece of shungite between my meter and Wi-Fi router - the numbers DID drop. However, they ALSO dropped when I passed other solid objects between the meter and the router, including my own hand! I don't know exactly how the physics works, but if you consider what shungite does, it makes sense that EMF readings would not change. Why? Because EMF meters are quantitive not qualitative. 

Due to shungite's unique molecular structure, it does not block, trap, or filter out EMFs. Instead, it alters their energetic/vibrational characteristics to make them more biologically compatible. 

Meters measure the level of EMFs but not the vibrational quality, so they are not a reliable test for shungite. The only way you can be sure your shungite is working is to be sure it is authentic shungite, as explained above.

My shungite leaves black residue on my skin. Is this normal?

Yes, this is normal and usually temporary!

Shungite is a soft mineral, and after drilling and shaping, a fine powdery black residue can remain. After all, it's carbon! This residue can sometimes be found on the leather of a necklace or bracelet after being threaded through a bead hole (despite my attempts to wipe it off), on one's wrist from a bracelet, or on the bottom of a shungite tile (which is unpolished). This is normal and nothing to worry about - as I see it, a small price to pay for the special health benefits it offers.

Black shungite residue washes off easily with a little soap and water. You should see my hands after I unpack a shungite shipment!

Can I get my shungite wet?

I don't recommend exposing your shungite to water (with the exception of using elite shungite to make shungite water, which will be discussed shortly). Shungite is very soft and will dissolve, which you will see as a trickle of gray water. You should always remove your shungite jewelry when swimming or taking a shower. 

Why does my shungite piece have little metallic specs?

In addition to carbon, shungite contains a wide variety of natural elements. The most common is the mineral pyrite which is present in little specs and veins - these are the metallic spots you see. In fact, pyrite is so common that these characteristic metallic inclusions are one of the indicators that your piece is genuine shungite.

Interestingly, these little specs and veins frequently become brighter and more noticeable with time and wear. Because shungite is SO soft, as a piece is worn and handled, any thin layer of shungite over a vein slowly wears off to reveal the pyrite inclusions below. This is perfectly normal and just adds to the natural beauty of the piece!

Do I need to "clear" my shungite?

I am often asked if shungite needs to be "cleared" like many crystals by setting it out in the sunlight or moonlight, etc. There are conflicting recommendations about this. Some - including crystal expert Judy Hall - say that you do have to clear it. 

On the other hand, Regina Martino, who write the book on shungite, writes there is no need to clear shungite because of the unique way in which it works. It doesn’t trap or filter or collect negative energies - it transforms them energetically. Because it’s not hanging onto anything, there is nothing to clear. I tend to go with Martino because she studied shungite intensively for many years.

That said, it certainly won't hurt anything to put your shungite items out in the sun, especially if it makes you feel better. I have salt lamps at home, and on occasion I have draped my gemstone jewelry over them.

How is shungite water made?

It's your lucky day - I have a post about this! Shungite Water 

Where can I find more information about shungite?

Please download my free report, Shungite: The Electropollution Solution. 

The book about shungite by Regina Martino is Shungite: Protection and Healing, and Detoxification.

Where can I find information on the other stones?

My Gemstone Properties blog post will give you some basics.

Wait - you haven't answered my question!

If there's something I have not addressed, just shoot me an email. I do my best to respond the same day.

What is the meaning of life?

Check back soon.