A Part of Nature is a crystal skull and raven sculpture that has been carved from an excellent petrified wood branch specimen from Xinjiang, China. The A Part of Nature crystal skull carving is a solid, single piece sculpture that stands vertically on the lower jaw of the skull and the spine which has been carved behind the jaw. At the top, an intricately detailed raven is perched on the branch, and the original natural exterior of the petrified wood branch creates an amazing textured pattern between these two expertly carved features. The A Part of Nature crystal skull and raven both seem to be focused on a shared point of interest, watching with expectant curiosity for something important to occur. This wonderfully crafted work of art measures 2.8 x 1.7 x 5.0 inches (70x43x125mm) and weighs 0.54 pounds (245g).

The A Part of Nature crystal skull and raven sculpture emphasizes our oneness with nature and our world, and teaches us that each of us has the ability to experience harmony and unity with Nature. The people of the Earth, and Nature, are, after all, simply extensions of each other. But it is easy, in our distracting daily lives, for us to forget about this intimate connection we share with our home and with each other. The A Part of Nature crystal skull and raven reminds us of our shared interdependence, helping us to keep this important aspect of our lives from being forgotten, and inspires us to take the time to strengthen our relationship with Nature and reconnect with the vitality of our world.

The A Part of Nature crystal skull and raven sculpture encourages us to express our gratitude for the situations, people, and things in our lives, and helps us to understand the value of our personal experiences by enhancing our awareness of the things that create within us a deeply emotional response. The uncompromised beauty of music, nature, and art, among other things, can help us to have a genuine appreciation for our life experiences. The A Part of Nature crystal skull and raven inspires us to carry this gratitude further to apply it to the challenges we face, encouraging us to look for the beautiful aspects of those difficult and less desirable situations. By learning to be thankful for all we experience, we begin to attain wisdom and enlightenment, and so gain the ability to live a life full of joy and prosperity.

The A Part of Nature petrified wood branch crystal skull and raven sculpture encourages us to give selflessly, even when we know we may be taken advantage of. We are urged to remember what is most important is our choice to be helpful, and to understand that a genuine act of kindness cannot be abused, in the same sense that one cannot steal something which is freely given.

Remarkable intelligence and the ability to speak have made crows and ravens symbols of an oracle. The fact that their vocalization, which was heard as sounding like "cras" supported this, as cras is the Latin word for tomorrow. Crows and ravens are considered to be signs and omens, and to be able to predict the future. Many cultures consider crows and ravens to be messengers and heralds of powerful secrets. Crows and ravens are symbols of wisdom and knowledge, and of connections with the deep mysteries of life and the universe.

Norse legend holds that Odin had two accompanying ravens, Hugin, who represents attaining knowledge and the power of thought, and Mugin, who represents the mind and the ability of the intuition to eliminate the necessity of looking for information. For the Romans and Greeks, crows and ravens symbolized the sun and were associated with both Athena and Apollo, and represented light and wisdom, and again, the oracular characteristic of Apollo.

Native American, Nordic, and Celtic legends hold that the crow is tasked with carrying souls into the other side of life. The crow, a traveler between life and death, will convey messages as well as souls, to and from the afterlife. Egyptians chose crows as a symbol of faithfulness, devotion, and loyalty due to their tendency to be monogamous. Ancient Asian legend states the crow was said to be the father of the Asian race, leading it to be considered the parent of humankind.

Crows and ravens are considered to be cunning, helpful, clever, and magnanimous at different times. Native American Inuits believed the raven tricked a giant sea monster into submission, and to this day its body serves as the Alaskan mainland. Other Northern Native American tribes believed the raven flew out from the dark womb of the cosmos, and brought with it the light of the sun, the dawning of understanding, and so consider the raven to be a bringer of light, and a venerated bird of creation. North American Indian lore also shows the raven to be symbolic of change and transformation, as do many other cultural references to the raven. It has also come to be known as a trickster because of its association with change and transformation.

Shaman and medicine men called upon the raven in ritual to assist in bringing clarity to understanding visions, as these holy men knew that what one sees in the physical world is not always the truth of reality. The raven is considered to be an emissary of magic and a sign of messages from the spirit world and the universe. The raven is utilized for healing as well, particularly delivering healing over long distances.

Crows and ravens are considered to be keepers of secrets, and assist in learning answers to one's inner thoughts. Dr. Carl Jung considered the raven to symbolize the dark side of the psyche. The raven represents one's ability to become a whole individual, balancing and communicating with the two diverse aspects of one's nature. The raven can help expose the sensitive secrets one keeps hidden within, often with detrimental effects upon one's self, so one may resolve and release these, and so find understanding, acceptance, and realize a more complete state of harmony and health.

Petrified wood helps to clear the mind of cluttering thought processes. It assists one to identify which parts of an issue or challenge one can affect and change, and also which areas one has no control over, encouraging one to take action where one can, and to gracefully accept and adapt to what cannot be changed.

Petrified wood brings support and strength during crisis, inspiring insight and understanding of the sequence of events that created the situation. It helps one to prevent making similar mistakes, and to resolve similar issues, in the future. It is useful in clearing and removing fears that stem from one’s survival instincts, bringing calm and helping one return to a centered state so one may respond to a situation rationally. It brings balance to the emotions helping to prevent excessive emotional fluctuations.

Petrified wood assists one to let go of frivolous concerns. It helps to calm nerves and reduce fear and anxieties by providing gentle reassurance and a sense of security, safety, and well being. Petrified wood, having survived many eons of time, reminds us that “this too shall pass” and despite the physical reality and its challenges, the true reality is one of eternal spiritual energy.

Petrified wood is exceptionally attuned to grounding energies, and is an excellent stone of protection. It can be very useful during meditation. Petrified wood aids in gaining access to detailed past life recall and aids in utilizing the information learned to move past emotional experiences that may be affecting one’s current behavior patterns in this life. Petrified wood encourages change and growth, helping one to choose to begin the process of growth, to attain a higher level of being, and to understand that all actions and experiences are what is required to achieve one’s higher purpose.

Petrified wood is used to bring success in business. It can help one to follow the flow of time, preventing the experiences of not having enough time and of time going by too slowly. It helps to manage one’s time with a resulting increase in efficiency and effectiveness.

Petrified wood has been used to strengthen the body, especially the back and the bones, bringing alignment to the back and skeletal structure, and to relieve back and hip pain. It is used for treatment of atrophied areas of the body, paralysis, and disorders that affect standing and walking. Petrified wood is also used to treat hearing loss and incontinence. Petrified wood provides reassurance and calm when one is recovering from a traumatic disease or related healing events. It helps one to identify the reasons for experiencing dis-ease and the lessons to be learned from the experience so that once the lesson is learned there will be no need for repeating the experience. A topically applied elixir is used to soothe the skin and to stimulate thick and lustrous hair growth.

NOTE: Skullis does not prescribe treatment for medical issues. Skullis offers information for reference to assist with the selection and understanding of crystal skulls, including this petrified wood branch crystal skull and raven sculpture.