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[Alexandr Korol]

Right now, at this very moment, I’m wearing a ring with onyx, a pendant with onyx, and rings with amethyst. If I compare the time back then with now — back then, I was completely against the stone amethyst. Why? Because it’s like a crystal, you know, a stone with everything crystallized inside. These kinds of stones are often chosen by people who are, let’s say, low-frequency — people who pick them purely for their appearance. And I always used to say, “People, don’t choose stones based on beauty. And don’t go buying amethyst, like all the aunties and grandmas do.” That was my stance back then. And it was valid, because you should approach everything consciously. At the time, I spoke that way about amethyst, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad stone. I was just sharing a social observation about what kind of people buy it and why — just because it sparkles. But now I wear amethyst because there’s a reason, because of what kind of stone it is and how it works. And it’s the same with black stones. Back then, I tossed all the black stones into one pouch, and maybe in combination they affected me that way, but I wouldn’t say that when I wear onyx now, it negatively affects me or that I feel drained. Not at all — on the contrary, I feel a kind of protection from dark forces, I’d say. Even though onyx, like amethyst, is considered semi-precious and super cheap, if it’s set well in a quality design, of course it’s perfectly fine. What I also remember — actually, I’d be curious to test this again now — is that back then I emphasized how strongly lapis lazuli, the blue stone also considered semi-precious, had a really positive effect in terms of making me feel alert and focused. I remember that when I was carrying a bunch of these little blocks, these stones, around with me in Los Angeles and wearing them and so on, I genuinely felt like they gave me some kind of super energy and sharp concentration — like an energy drink, seriously. That was also part of the experience. But that was back then — I haven’t returned to that specific story since. Still, the fact remains that all stones, and artifacts too, can truly influence you differently, and what’s most interesting is that this influence can be both positive and negative — that’s true. It really is true. But I’ve always had this approach: if it radiates energy, that’s already good. Better than plastic. And how exactly it radiates or how it influences you — you can figure that out later. That’s why I have a large collection of artifacts. And just yesterday I wore one of them — an artifact made especially for me by a monk during a full moon. It was a birthday gift. And the state it puts you in — this particular talisman