August Issue
kiin x Colleen McCann
Colleen McCann has been an instrumental part of my journey these last few years. I came across her when a friend of mine recommended her book to me: Crystal Rx: Daily Rituals for Cultivating Calm, Achieving Your Goals, and Rocking Your Inner Gem Boss. I was learning more about spirality at the time and had become super curious about crystals… especially the pretty, sparkly kind. In my own personal journey, I was experiencing an important lifestyle shift and felt a pull towards the comfort and calmness crystals have been known to offer. I wanted to learn more about the significance of different stones and choose the ones that offered the right meaning for me.
After reading Colleens book, I quickly knew I needed to get in contact with her, and had my first personal session with this beautiful, cool, modern day shaman. The rest is history. One session turned into many and I was ultimately fortunate enough to become one of her “mentee students.”
Years later, my world has opened in incredible ways. Through relationships like the one I have with Colleen, I’ve gained knowledge, community, and enlightenment. I feel privileged to know her and to be a part of her mentee group. She is an incredible teacher, so passionate about what she does and how she does it: always with the utmost style and ease.
I truly adore this woman. Please read on for my interview with Colleen.
X Carolyn
kiin Picks
I N T E R V I E W
When did your expertise begin with using crystals as an energy healer?
My relationship with crystals has always been present in my life. As a young girl I was always covered in crystal jewelry & then later that love of gems translated into working with accessories on set in editorial fashion. I then started to learn the energetic properties of crystals when my first spiritual mentor came into my life 15 years ago. She asked me to pick a few crystals I was attracted to and then proceeded to do an energy reading about my life from the stones I had chosen. The reading was so spot on that I had to learn how to do this work myself, and seven years later, Style Rituals was born, where I align the energetic and visual bodies of my clients.
How did your interest evolve in the spiritual realm?
During my late twenties my intuition turned way up. Through a series of wild, magical, and unbelievable experiences, I learned that I was able to read other people's energy and know things about them that I couldn't rationally explain. It was almost as if I didn't have a choice as all manners of mystical experiences and spiritual teachers kept popping up in my life… I couldn't ignore jumping down the mystical rabbit hole to learn more.
As I started training in healing modalities like reiki, shamanism, feng shui, astrology, tarot and crystals, I realized that I wanted to help other people, and I could do that through energy healing.
As a modern-day shaman, why do you think spirituality and having a spiritual practice has taken off in popularity?
I believe spirituality has become more popular because of the extraordinary times we are living in. People are looking to feel safe, happy, and are searching for knowledge about why they are experiencing certain situations. Spiritual practices help people feel grounded and become present in their daily lives. It also provides answers to their questions and taps into their own inherent intuition.
Why do you think incorporating crystals into home decor has become the latest trend?
Ancient modalities, like feng shui, have been mindfully placing crystals in certain locations for the last five thousand years. I believe there is a revival in putting crystals in the home as people have become more aware of their living environment since the pandemic and want to make sure that their space is as calm, joyous, and as protected as it can be. It's an ancient trend that is being utilized in a modern way.
Why do crystals elevate your living experience in your home?
Crystals elevate your living space through the energy they bring into that space.
What are the six must-have crystals in your home?
The six must-have crystals to have in your home are amethyst, black obsidian, citrine, rose quartz, lapis lazuli and shungite:
Amethyst: The stone of wisdom that protects one from "energy vampires."
Black obsidian: Stone of grounding and protection.
Citrine: Stone of personal power and business abundance.
Rose quartz: Stone of self-love and love of others.
Lapis lazuli: Stone of communication.
Shungite: Stone that absorbs harmful manmade EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) from our space. EMFs radiate from cell phones, computers, microwaves, etc…
7. Do you have a suggestion on a trustworthy source to purchase crystals if you are a beginner?
Sourcing ethical crystals has only recently become important for consumers. We know where our meat and clothing come from and it's equally important to have a paper trail from the magical stones we are bringing into our precious spaces. The challenge is currently that a gemstone will change hands five to seven times from mine to customer. The industry is in the process of learning how to regulate a crystal's journey from cave to doorstep. In the meantime, I recommend to ask questions when entering a brick-and-mortar crystal shop or an online store. Ask the owner if they ethically source their crystals, or see if that information is shared on their website.
The bottom line is always that if you get a bad vibe from a crystal store or owner, then it's best to look elsewhere.