ADORNMENT AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: COMMUNING WITH JOY SMITH

Channeling the Divine through the decadently bejeweled, artist and mystic Joy Smith is raising the mystical-material vibration ever higher with her transformational talismans.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

Sculptress and seer Joy Smith believes that adornment is an intimate conversation—between the creator, the wearer, and the Divine.

Inspired by nature’s potent mysteries, and the light of Divine beauty that resides in every being, the artist’s ethically sourced, recycled gold pieces spark an emotional exchange between the the universe and each of us.

For Smith, connection to the Divine is always available, and through our talismans we can bring our personal conversation with the heavens all the way down to Earth.

With her newly-launched Light Sessions, Smith is raising the material-mystical vibration even higher. During these custom experiences, she uses song, meditative chants, and Reiki to channel a one-of-a-kind talisman that supports your distinctive transformation and growth.

Spirit is absolutely everywhere. Why not dress her in radiant gold?

(Hint: Start decking out your Divine with some inspo from Joy’s jewel-drenched Instagram feed!)

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Ruby Warrington: What are your own personal talismans?
Joy Smith: I wear pieces according to what I need—so I can beam my light out everywhere. I have different pieces that embody different feelings for me.

For example, I have a custom piece I made for myself that’s super special. In Milan, on a retreat with Deborah Hanekamp, we hiked to a pagan ritual place, where I found what looked like a piece of a ceramic vessel glinting in the grass. I could feel that it was infused with a spirit that wanted to help me with my healing work, and so I set it into a ring, which I wear when I’m creating pieces, and during my Light Sessions.

Even talking about it takes me back to that place. In the future, I’d like to go on pilgrimages to sacred sites to source similar pieces as part of my work.

 

my moon my light communion by joy joy smith light sessions by joy ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world
My Moon, My Light Necklace

RW: Your pieces have a strong spiritual essence. What’s your relationship to organized religion?
JS: The dogma of different religions can get messy, but the essence of spirit is what’s precious to me. I connect to the idea of the Holy Spirit, which I think of as our connection to the Divine—the spirit in us. My work is about activating that in others. I’m also super interested in world religions. I see the common thread and that’s fascinating to me. All the stories are the same, just different characters.

Having grown up Catholic, I still connect deeply to the iconography. I see the etchings in my designs as radiating light, and my goal is to elicit the idea of “heaven,” which I define simply as the place where great spirit lives … bliss.

 

guardian rustic shield ring joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy
Guardian Rustic Shield Ring

RW: What do you see as the intersection between spirituality, craftsmanship, and art?
JS: I never thought I’d make jewelry. I knew I loved art history, and wanted to be a painter. I also connected to artists, as I felt they were connected to something spiritual with their work. I wanted that connection to come through in my work, too. I also love fashion because I see the spirit of the designer in it. It’s like art to me.

I fell into jewelry through the sculpture of making it. I initially wanted to be a fine painter, but didn’t think I was good enough and I couldn’t relay my message effectively at that time in that medium. Now, I express myself spiritually through my pieces as they relate to how I feel on the inside. I want them to be infused with feelings of beauty and light, and for this to be reflected in how I adorn myself on the outside.

I believe God, spirit, etc., created us as an expression of the beauty of the Divine. I make it a point to meditate and pray before I make my work. When we work in this way as creators, that’s spirituality to me.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy
The artist at work

RW: What do the concepts of God and the Divine mean to you?  
JS: I believe God and the Divine are forms of the highest spirit, a spirit greater than ourselves that also lives within us and is part of us. That guides and protects us and loves us unconditionally. Neither are religious terms for me- I see them as a universal Spirit.

My own spiritual breakthrough came in my early twenties, when I had a very severe panic attack, and found myself debilitated by anxiety. My first teacher asked about my spiritual practice, and she gave me my first spiritual book, Marianne Williamson’s A Return to Prayer. I still read it every day. It helped me remember how to pray—how to connect to God—in a spiritual way.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

RW: “Light Language” is such a glorious phrase—tell us about learning to speak this language, and how clients experience it during your “Light Sessions.”  
JS: “Light Language” is how I describe my conversation with the divine, something that comes out in channeled melodies, or prayer. The term came to me via my guides during an Akashic records reading—and this really is how I feel about my conversations with God. The Light Language also comes through as automatic writing, which I carve into my talismans and artwork.

I came up with the Light Sessions since my work can be very solitary and I knew I wanted to connect with people on a deeper level. And my Light Language becomes vocal, as if I’m speaking in tongues, during one-to-one with my clients. I see it as the language of love, as expressed in my creations.

The Light Sessions are about channeling creations for transformation. We talk about stones and the style of the piece, and then my clients give me their intention and lay on my table, and I’ll either sing melodies of prayer or do Reiki and channel messages that come to me.

Afterwards, we create an intention candle together and they go home with their candle to pray / meditate with their intention in mind, and I go home and channel that energy while creating the piece for transformation. The plan is to also make this available to couples as a custom ring engagement ceremony.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

RW: Who is the “Communion Woman”? 
JS: Women who wear my jewelry have a strong sense of self. The common thread is that they have a connection to spirit, and that they’re all powerful in their own right. A lot of my clients have often been through a lot emotionally.

Having experienced challenges in their lives, they have been led to work on themselves spiritually, in order to connect more deeply to themselves and to the Divine. They’ve already found this connection, and want to explore more deeply what it means for their lives. A lot of their work is in service of the greater good. They have that depth.

Discover more about Communion by Joy’s sumptuously sacred jewels HERE, and book a custom Light Session with Smith in LA. 

joy smith ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world communion by joy light sessions by joy

ADORN YOURSELF: 10 HIGH VIBE TALISMANS WE LOVE

Jewelry designer Kirstie Gibbs explains the importance of finding a piece that speaks to your path. PLUS 10 high-vibe talismans we love! Main images: Jacquie Aiche Holiday ’15 campaign

Jacquie Aiche holiday 2015 high vibe talisman on The Numinous

Several years ago, in my role as jewelry buyer for Harrods department store in London, I was introduced to the idea of worn treasures being used for a higher purpose and energetic attraction.

It was around this time a friend gave me a symbolic ring and told me confidently it would bring me love. Having just come through a challenging personal period, I thought ‘why not give it a try?’ and wore the ring every day.

The year that followed was filled with bad dates and disappointments, but what never failed was my deep belief that when the time was right I would find love, because every morning when I slipped that ring on, it uplifted me and gave me new hope. I realized this was my modern day, rose gold and white diamond talisman.

By definition, a talisman is a physical object that is thought to possess certain magical properties and can provide positive and protective energy to the person who wears it. They are generally made of crystals and gemstones, and commonly worn as a necklace or other piece of jewelry.

Throughout history it was the role of the alchemists, shamans, witches and priests to create and provide these magical objects. Talismans ranged in value, material and craftsmanship, but were worn to protect against violence, illness and bad luck – the sorts of human problems that are still rife and troubling to this day.

Jacquie Aiche holiday 2015 high vibe talisman on The Numinous

And so it’s fair to say that talismans are still needed and embraced in our modern society. In fact, in our world of over-stimulation I believe it’s even more important that we awakening women stay tuned in to our own purpose and carry a personal, sacred object of our choosing.

Everyone from Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Heidi Klum and Rhianna have been spotted wearing the Hand of Fatima/Hamsa – an ancient symbol of luck and protection – so it seems that even these seemingly blessed individuals are still looking for an extra bit of magic in their lives.

And as more and more of us remember who we are and return to a spiritual way of living, we want to celebrate and support our commitment to this connection. When a woman wears her own talisman she charges herself with the energy of what she wants to attract and/or harness, be that protection, a successful Tinder date or a flow of creative ideas in her work life.

And while our core values and fears may not have changed much in thousands of years, our style certainly has. Recognizing this, is a new breed of jewelry designers are creating beautiful and meaningful pieces to take you from the juice bar to dancing on tables.

This was the inspiration behind my brand, The Alkemistry. Recognizing the desire among spiritually minded women for meaningful objects, I created a powerful online tool that harnesses the power of astrology and numerology to match-make women with the finest gemstone jewelry.

It is my hope and wish that all women can find the right talisman to help them manifest their desired intentions, just like the ring I wore for love. It might have taken a year, but once I slowed down, took a step back from dating and allowed myself to just receive, eventually love found me.

Thealkemistry.com

Orion bracelet, $600, The Alkemistry on The Numinous
Orion bracelet, $600, The Alkemistry

 

 

 

Lone Star ring, $1080, Rock & Raw on The Numinous
Lone Star ring, $1080, Rock & Raw

 

Multi-coin necklace, $490, Laura Lee on The Numinous
Multi-coin necklace, $490, Laura Lee

 

Journey Shield ring, $1025, Communion by Joy on The Numinous
Journey Shield ring, $1025, Communion by Joy

 

Blesslev keychain by Jacquie Aiche on The Numinous
Blesslev keychain, $245, Jacquie Aiche

 

Heart Chakra fragrance pendulum necklace, from $325, Unearthen on The Numinous
Heart Chakra fragrance pendulum necklace, from $325, Unearthen

 

Snake totem ring, $1320, Logan Hollowell on The Numinous
Snake totem ring, $1320, Logan Hollowell

 

Moon seal necklace, from $665, Jessica De Lotz x Louise Androlia on The Numinous
Moon seal necklace, from $665, Jessica De Lotz x Louise Androlia

 

Eye of Protection ring, $49, Satya Jewelry on The Numinous
Eye of Protection ring, $49, Satya Jewelry

 

Amethyst pendant, $185, Pound Jewelry
Amethyst pendant, $185, Pound Jewelry

MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: LULU BRUD

A.k.a. Lady Lu of The Wolves, Pretty Little Liars actress, storyteller, and interior designer Lulu Brud is the most mystical of material girls. Here’s a peek into her world…Portraits: Taren Maroun

Lulu Brud interview on The Numinous

WE’RE STARTING A NEW EVENT SERIES CALLED “STORY MEDICINE.” AS A TELLER OF STORIES YOURSELF, WHAT DO YOU FIND HEALING ABOUT STORYTELLING?
Stories are mirrors, reflectors of humanity that can reveal the great archetypes throughout history. They can awaken a connection to seemingly far away lands, spirits, and forgotten or imagined times. Stories are teachers and invokers. They lend us the words when we have gone silent or inspire empathy where perhaps before there was none.

WHERE DID THE NAME OF YOUR BRAND – “OF THE WOLVES” – COME FROM?
I dated a man a long time ago who gave me this book, Women Who Run With the Wolves. It was as if he had been sent just to give me this important thing, because I never really heard from him again after that! Later that year, for my 25th birthday, my best friend gave me a Wolf Ring that has become a talisman in my life. I joined Instagram the same week I got the ring, and as I was searching for my moniker, the name just sort of came to me. I didn’t go out looking for the wolves, the wolves came looking for me.

AS AN INTERIOR DESIGNER, WHAT MAKES A HOME A SANCTUARY?
We spend a lot of our lives out in the world, sharing space and entangling ourselves with the energy of strangers. It’s important to have a home to return to that feels like a calm and grounded sanctuary of our own making. My personal approach to interior spaces is inspired by natural and warm elements like plants, crystals and wood, different patterns and colors in textiles and tiles, and up-cycled/repurposed pieces. I love bringing inside living, outside, and outside living, inside…in other words, I don’t like such hard defined lines between the inside of one’s home and the wild outdoors.

Lulu Brud interview on The Numinous

WE LOVE THE SOUND OF YOUR “PICNICS OF THE WOLVES” GATHERINGS! WHAT INSPIRED THIS IDEA AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
I love gathering with women (and sometimes men too!) over food, drinks and chats doing crafts and/or at lectures. Working with our hands, healing through laughter and shared stories, that’s what it’s about. I’ve done a few of my own gatherings now, and they are organically growing into something really special. There will be several coming up in 2016 – Lindsay Mack of Wild Soul Healing will be in LA in May for a Tarot focused Picnic, and I’m hoping to get a Cob Oven building workshop on the books too, things like that. The sign-ups will be listed on my website as they become available!

ACTORS ARE EMPATHETIC SOULS BY NATURE – HOW DOES ONE KEEP YOUR ENERGY FIELD CLEAN OPERATING IN A CUT-THROAT ENVIRONMENT LIKE HOLLYWOOD?
To be honest, I struggle with it a lot, but Of the Wolves has saved me in many ways. My days are filled with storytelling in many forms, and I go to bed feeling creatively fulfilled at night. I have had the opportunity to work more this year than I ever have before, with a small arc on Pretty Little Liars and an appearance on Ray Donovan, but for now, it’s all quiet again on the acting front.

The ups can be really exciting and thrilling, the downs can be pretty heavy and dark, and rejection is an everyday occurrence. The trick, for me at least, is staying balanced and grounded through it all, keeping my hands busy, telling good stories, and not pausing for too long to dwell on things that are so out of my control. At the end of the day, it’s just a job. It’s hard not to compare my path with that of those around me, but I just can’t do it…their story isn’t my story and my story isn’t theirs.

:: MATERIAL GIRL :: 

My label // Reformation or vintage finds from old closets.

Bordeaux dress, $278, Reformation
Bordeaux dress, $278, Reformation

My shoes // Black vintage lace up Justin boots (that I’ve had resoled 5 times), PFKaufman Mules, Minnetonka Moccassins.

Mules, $350, PFKaufman
Mules, $350, PFKaufman

My fragrance // Jiva Apoha 1967 Body Oil or if I’m feeling fancy D. S. & Durga Freetrapper.

Body oil, from $53, Jiva Apoha
Body oil, from $53, Jiva Apoha

My jewels // Alkiemie Wolf Ring, Communion by Joy Eye of the Warrior Ring, my wedding ring with a family crest that my husband and I designed together, and Native American vintage turquoise pieces

Eye of the Warrior Ring, $1985, Communion by Joy
Eye of the Warrior Ring, $1985, Communion by Joy

My pampering // A quiet solo night at home with a good playlist, candles, bath time, and a glass of wine.

My home // Rustic + Bohemian + Cabin feels nestled into a hillside on the east-side of LA.

My food // I love cooking any foods with good people and high-vibing ingredients

The Plantpower Way: Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes and Guidance for The Whole Family
The Plantpower Way: Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes and Guidance for The Whole Family

:: MYSTICAL WORLD ::

My awakening // Waking up slowly and cuddling my husband and our eight-year-old tea cup poodle. Then lighting candles in our meditation room, burning Juniper Ridge incense, and sipping coffee until I need to face the music and get the day started.

White Sage Incense, $12, Juniper Ridge
White Sage Incense, $12, Juniper Ridge

My sign // Sun: Scorpio | Rising: Taurus | Moon: Cancer.

My mantra // “I am enough.”

My healer // The colors and the quiet of Momma Earth – deserts, oceans, mountains.

My reading // “Women Who Run with the Wolves” – “The Anthropology of Turquoise” – “Just Kids” – “A Handbook of Native American Herbs”

EkiTMCB50OPQ15FWKCRRwZ0a5j9K7Ivld40r_GW5O9gJust Kids by Patti Smith

My transformation // When I stopped limiting myself to just being a storyteller through acting, and opened myself up to all of the other ways I tell stories – home designing, sharing stories on my blog, making goods, and curating my online shop.

My mission // To awaken and connect people back to one another and their wild sides, and to instill a new paradigm of protectors for the sustainability of this planet.

www.ofthewolves.com