Creating Metaphysical Art: What is Real and What is Imaginary?

One of our "gimmicks" — or marketing approaches — we use when it comes to presenting Alchemy Stones to the public has always been that they have "metaphysical value."

Depending on your view of the world that can come across as either something really interesting, or a completely ridiculous crock of crap. I'm not here to judge anyone's perspective!

When we're at shows and festivals, we often find ourselves with the task of having to make an instant evaluation of whether the person we're talking to is of a spiritual bent or a logical bent and adjust our approach accordingly.

To be honest, I have no idea to what degree Alchemy Stones may or may not have healing properties, but I do like to think that they can help people, in one way or another.

What I do know — and which is well documented within the medical profession — is that there is something called "the placebo effect" meaning that if somebody believes something is going to help them in some way there is a better than 50% chance that the outcome will be positive for them. That's not "magical" at all, that is simply a matter of focused intention and the way focused intention tends to produce whatever outcome you're giving your attention to.

I believe it was industrialist Henry Ford who once observed: "whether you believe you'll succeed or you'll fail, chances are you're right!"

What I also know is that more than a few people have told me directly that they have been able to improve their meditation focus as a result of holding and looking at an Alchemy Stone, before and during their meditation practice.

What I also know (part two) is that one of our early customers — who has since come back many times — is a child psychologist who deals with troubled teens. She keeps a basket of about 8-10 stones in her office and whenever somebody comes in and is being unruly and bouncing off the walls, she tells them to pick a stone from the basket and sit on the couch and just look at it.

Evidently after about 3-5 minutes their minds calm enough that she can have an actual therapeutic conversation with them.

Now there's of course no telling whether it's the actual Alchemy Stone that's making the difference... or she could have asked them to pick something out of a basket of seashells, or a basket of acorns. But I like to think that it's something in the geometry and patterns that helps divert somebody's focus away from whatever they're angry at and unto something less aggravating.

Anyway, we have been pursuing the spiritual angle for better than a decade, and I see more benefits than drawbacks, so I guess we'll continue!

Thank You!

If you enjoy painted rocks, do check out The Hive Rocks Project and help spread the word about Hive, while also being creative!

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2026.02.06 AS-TXT-376/346