Sometimes the greatest stories often go untold and are then slowly forgotten over time. This is the reason why we’ve decided to take it upon ourselves to tell you the story of the man who helped introduce the auralite amethyst to the world back in 2011. For a long time, many people have wondered where Auralite came from and why it was so popular. In this article, we will tell the story of Charles Klemens, the man who played a major role in introducing this crystal to the world. This interview took place at his office in Montreal, Canada, on September 20, 2017.
We met Charles for the first time back in 2012, when we were considering purchasing a Tibetan singing bowl we found in a local ad. When we arrived at his office, we quickly connected because of our shared passion towards crystals and we eventually became friends. Charles was also the person who gave us our first crystal: an auralite amethyst! He said: “Even if you cannot understand how crystals work, simply carry this in your left side pockets and you will see in time that with discipline, perseverance, hard work, faith and patience everything is possible.” That is how our journey with Crystal Dreams began.
Today, we feel honored to have had Charles Klemens as our mentor and dear friend. He is the one who first guided us during the initial steps of creating one of the most popular crystal stores in Canada and North America: Crystal Dreams. He also taught us how to market our website, how to use social media, how to run an e-commerce shop, how to ship orders around the world, how crystals worked and what they meant. His advice and counsel was invaluable to us in Crystal Dreams’ early stages. This is his story:
The Birth of a Powerful Force: The Auralite Amethyst
Auralite is a rare type of Amethyst that can only be found in one place in the world: Canada. Also known as Thunder Bay amethyst, the auralite crystals were born in the mesoproterozoic age 1.2 billion years ago, when multicellular creatures first emerged and began to flourish. It was a time in the Earth’s history when massive changes were shaping the planet. While the crystals were developing, new forms of life were also evolving, continents were being born and meteoroid impacts were still occasionally striking the planet, piercing deep into the mantle of the Earth. The heat generated by the impact from comets hitting this region melted over 23 minerals and elements together into one solution which came to be what we now know as auralite-23. The metallic minerals were dissolved by super-heated hydrothermal fluids and flowed through massive parallel fault systems directly into the Auralite deposits. As the fluids began to cool, the dissolved minerals were deposited as crystal “pockets” lining the walls of these vaults. The entire crystal is composed of layered chevron phantoms which, like tree rings, represent the historical events that first shaped the North American continent over the course of millions of years.
Discovered in Ontario, Canada, the auralite crystals are structured layers of phantom chevrons composed of three base quartz species; amethyst, citrine, smokey quartz, and a rare form of green quartz. The minerals and elements present as inclusions in the Auralite crystals have been studied by optical crystallography. Traces of the following elements and minerals have been found through time in different auralite specimens: Lepidocrocite, Cacoxenite, Goethite, Pyrite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Gold, Silver, Platinum, Uranopilite, Covellite, Sphalerite, Copper, Limonite, Pyrolusite, Adularia, Hematite, Epidote, Magnetite, Titanite and Rutile. By assay, using x-ray diffraction, the following elements and crystals have also been identified in various samples: silver, gold, aluminum, barium, beryllium, bismuth, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, potassium, lanthanum, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, palladium, lead, sulfur, antimony, scandium, strontium, thorium, titanium, thallium, uranium, vanadium, tungsten, zinc, and zirconium. This is why the Auralite Amethyst is also known as Auralite-23! It is important to note that not all pieces will contain all 23 elements and minerals but will rather have a mixture of at least 2 to 7 from that list.
Auralite was recently discovered in 2007 and this is why it is being called “a new age stone of consciousness”. Many believe that its abundance of elements and minerals has amplified its vibration and metaphysical properties to something that the world had never seen before! Auralite-23 is a great crystal for code clearing, DNA Healing and Cellular Activation. It is known as the gem that helps turn dreams into reality, that is, if the person is willing and ready to receive them of course.
An Unbreakable Willingness: Destiny
Charles Klemens first saw this crystal in 2007 and recognized right away that there was something unique about it. When he started working with Auralite, he realized it wasn’t an ordinary crystal, there was something very interesting about it. He quickly noticed this crystal had the capacity to help a person to manifest their goals and life purposes. After this crystal changed his life, he then knew without a doubt that it was a true gift from the universe which he needed to share with the world. In 2011, he placed everything aside and dedicated all his time and energy into making this crystal known to the world. He made it his mission to ensure that people from all walks of life could have access to this rare crystal that has the potential to change a person’s life forever.
Charles was in his 70s when he launched his online store with auralite products and other crystals! At his age, Charles even became a blogger and an active social media influencer! Charles was truly an admirable person and the auralite couldn’t have fallen into better hands. He worked relentlessly online to get this crystal approved and known by the rest of the world. Today, we want to pay him tribute by telling his story in writing, about how he inspired the people around him to strive for growth no matter what life throws at them. We hope that this story will also inspire you to follow your dreams, no matter how late you think it might be.
The Interview With Charles Klemens
In 2017, the Crystal Dreams team decided to interview Charles to get more information about him. We walked into his office early in the morning and found Charles working hard on his computer as usual. He was going about his daily routine answering emails, packing orders and making sure everything was in order. He welcomed us warmly and invited us to take a seat in his living room where we began the interview. This is how the interview went:
– Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
“My name is Charles Klemens. I was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1934.”
– What was your childhood like?
“My childhood did not last very long. I was born at the wrong time: in a period that was very difficult for everyone due to the Second World War. I was only a few years old when the Second World War broke out. By the time I was 10, foreign air forces were bombing Hungary almost on a daily basis. The noise from the bomb alert sirens was going on every night and had become part of everyday life. To be quite honest, these were terrible times that I do not wish to recall or focus on.”
– What happened after the war?
“Many years after the war, military service became compulsory in my country and I was forced to join the Hungarian Communist Army in 1954. I was 20 years of age at that time. These were difficult times as well: around the end of my 2 years’ service, the Hungarian revolution broke out. On October 23, 1956 I was in uniform and I still remember that day clearly. They put us all in a big truck and sent us near the Hungarian National museum to protect a radio station. The students were revolting and wanted to seize control over the radio in order to broadcast the 16 fundamentals of freedom and liberty. When we arrived, the students were rioting and would not stand down. In the midst of the confusion, we were ordered by one of our officers to fire on the protesters. Instead, we raised our rifles and fired several shots into the air. Our superior was very upset and requested again that we comply with the orders. Instead of firing at the crowd, we approached the students, gave them our rifles and walked away. We returned to the base and waited in uncertainty. Shortly after, several Russian tanks stormed into our base and surrounded us. They gathered us in a circle and asked us to give up our entire armoury. We complied and when we were done they made us stand in the middle of the camp. We were sure they were going to kill us. This is when a soviet officer approached us and told us that we were no longer members of the soviet army and we were to leave at once.”
– What did you do after you deserted the soviet army?
“I took the train to the Hungarian-Austrian border because they were already an independent country since 1948 but there was no place to stay or work. So I headed to Italy where I waited patiently for the papers so I could obtain a visa to leave for America. After many years, I obtained my Canadian immigration visa and I was sent to France where I took a very small ship filled with Hungarian refugees. The trip to Canada was supposed to last 7 days, but it ended up lasting 9: In the middle of one of the nights we encountered giant icebergs on the path and this caused major delays. Finally, after days of traveling, we arrived in Québec City on the 15th of May 1957.”
– What did you do in Canada during your first years?
“My life had not been easy because of the war. I had no diploma, training or profession. I was just an ex-soviet-soldier. So I did everything from washing dishes, to shovelling snow, to you name it! It was hard work but I did my best to fit in. I even sold life insurances and optical frame glasses at one point. I kept this pace for most of my life until 1983. When I was 49, I had my wake up call: I had my first heart attack. Everything collapsed in my life; I now had no job and things were so hard that I even thought about going back to Hungary which was still a communist country at the time. Then, something came about from a strange twist of life: One of my friends referred me to a job. He used to buy his travel reservations at a travel agency and they were looking for a book-keeper. He even told the company that if they would not hire me he would quit buying plane tickets from them! Eventually, they hired me for 4$ / hour as a bookkeeper which was the minimum wage in those times. I worked there until 1990. By that time, I was getting 8$ / hour which was still the minimum wage. Nevertheless, I now had a dream: my dream was to work for myself and I was more determined than ever to achieve it. I became a self employed accountant and started doing freelancing jobs for 25$/hour until I was introduced to the world of crystals in 1995. Then my whole life changed. When I discovered the world of crystals things really started getting interesting quite fast.”
– How did you start your own crystal and gemstone company called Klemco Distribution?
“It all began in 1998 when I was 64! I opened an office on Rosemont Boulevard in Montreal and started working with crystals. I first started giving bead stringing courses to people who wanted to learn how to make necklaces, till 2004. I was buying my crystal supplies from an American company that was giving me an incredible price. Unfortunately, the owner passed away and his family closed the company shortly after. It was a major set back, but I never gave up. I feel like the crystals just gave me energy to keep going. At 70 years of age I started working online and created my own website! It was also during this time that Auralite came into my life and my business really took off. Ever since, I’ve never stopped. At 70 years of age, I created accounts on Facebook, Pinterest, Gmail, Hotmail, PayPal, Etsy, Ebay, you name it. It’s almost as if the Auralite kept me young at heart.’’
– Charles it is very impressive what you managed to accomplish at your age. How did you do it?
“I am not sure how it all came together. But sometimes I do think it was the Auralite. I feel that I’ve been injected with Auralite! I strongly believe that it has a profound effect on the people who carry it. It is truly incredible.’’
– How did you get into crystals? Why?
‘’I went to the Gem and Mineral Show in Montreal. In those times I didn’t know anything about stones. But as soon as I saw them I was attracted to them! I grabbed a few, got hooked and that was the beginning of my crystal healing journey. I returned to the show the following year but this time as an exhibitor showcasing my beads and jewelry.”
– Do you believe in the metaphysical properties of crystals? How do they work?
“I’ve manipulated Auralite stones for many years and even though I cannot feel the energy, I can see how I’ve become filled with this energy and it has transformed my life. I feel like I’ve been injected with Auralite and I am the happiest I’ve ever been today. I do think every stone I place in my hand does something at a subconscious level. It is hard to explain in words but there is definitely something special about it. I don’t think I would be where I am today without the energy of the crystals.”
– How did you discover the Auralite and when?
I didn’t discover Auralite, it discovered me. One morning, I got a phone call from a stranger, who asked me if I wanted to sell amethyst. This person turned out to be the owner of the first Auralite mine to be discovered. We didn’t even know what it was and asked if I was interested in selling a new type of amethyst that had never been seen before. After seeing how incredible this crystal was, I said yes and started advertising on my website. After holding it in my hands, I quickly realized that there was something more to this stone: I became fascinated and filled with dreams of a better future. It felt that it wasn’t just regular amethyst and that it was very special. One day, a geologist analyzed the stone and discovered that this crystal was composed of various substances from a list of up to 23 elements and minerals. Some pieces even contained elements like gold and silver and minerals like quartz. This geologist was the first to identify this fact in 2008 and he even discovered particles of gold in some of the specimens! The mixture of elements and minerals on this stone had never been seen before in any amethyst across the world. I believe it is the mixture of all these minerals and elements that creates that strong energy in the Auralite-23 crystals. This must be what causes the Auralite’s energy to be like a shock or an explosion in a person’s life.”
– How did the name “Auralite” come up?
“I worked with the owner of the Auralite mine to come up with the name. Since Auralite comes from the boreal forest in Canada which is home to the aurora borealis we figured the name would be ideal.”
– How has Auralite affected your life?
“This stone literally transformed my life and helped me to realize my dream. It has taught me to never give up no matter what happens. To be honest, I believe this stone is keeping me alive in many ways: emotionally, physically, spiritually, socially and financially. Like I mentioned before, my life has not been easy, and I once felt like quitting. There was not much going on in my life until I discovered the power of crystals. It was also around this time when the Auralite literally reminded me to not give up because that would be the end of my life. After seeing how crystals changed my life, I felt the need to share them with the world. I feel that my work is important, so I cannot give up. The Auralite keeps me going and until this day, even against all adversity, I still manage to thrive. The Auralite made me realize for the first time in my life, that one cannot keep living in the past and that a person needs to keep moving forward no matter what happens. I believe this is the message I have now become: That everything is possible and things can change for the better at any time, even when one has given up all hope. In my case, I was only able to see the magic in the world and live my dream at 83 years old! And I have to thank the Auralite for this.”
– What do you see of Auralite in the future?
“I am worried about the outcome of Auralite: A lot of fake Auralite is being sold in the market and also, a lot of people are now trying to just make money out of it. This has made me so disappointed. There is almost like a war over auralite happening at this moment that most people don’t even know about, and this saddens my heart. My wish is that 100% authentic auralite amethyst will remain accessible and affordable to everyone who wishes to buy or sell it.”
– Any advice to future generations to come? A message that you want to send to them when they face adversity?
“I thought about this question quite a lot and when I woke up this morning I had finally found the answer. This is the message I would like to send to the future generations: You might have the knowledge, but I have experience of a lifetime. So listen carefully: Life is a journey to find what you love doing; never give up and follow your dreams. There is literally nothing else I can say that is more important than that. I had a dream to work for myself and it took me 60 years to get there and now I am living it. Realizing my dream has given me a sense of accomplishment and happiness that I have never experienced before. This is why if you hear this message I urge you to find your passion in life or to keep searching until you find it. Ever since I found my life’s calling, I feel like a new man. Of Course it hasn’t been easy, and even until today I face adversity but I am happy. There will always be someone trying to stop you but you must be determined to keep going no matter what. I know that is what I am doing and I am not stopping for anyone and neither should you! It is my mission to spread the Auralite to as many homes as possible! Follow my example; keep going, find your dream, go for it and never give up. At 83 years old I am doing what I love and I feel blessed. I have also found that when your values are right and your cause is just, you will be encouraged to keep going by many people who rely on you and believe in what you’re doing. I know this because it is happening to me. My customers give me strength and hope to keep going. What some of them go through to acquire this crystal reminds me of the importance of the job that I am doing. My clients inspire me to keep going and in return I feel like I inspire them. I am one of the very few merchants who still sell 100% authentic Auralite and I believe this is my life calling: To spread this incredible device to as many homes as possible across the globe.”
– Charles, you have a mental clarity and a drive for life that is inspirational and contagious. What do you think caused this?
“Ever since I was introduced to crystals, I keep myself busy no matter what. I can’t just sit down and watch tv or stare at the computer. I know that the day I give up is the day that I will die! I think crystals have taught me that the trick is to try to keep busy as much as possible.”
Charles Klemens: The Soldier that Auralite Called Upon
That last question concluded our interview with Charles Klemens. This man is the perfect example of a warrior of the light. He survived adversity many times and kept thriving against all odds. The fact that he managed to create a successful online business at age 65 when most people don’t even know how to turn on a computer at that age, is an amazing accomplishment. Charles faced great adversity and challenges (Living in a country destroyed by war, aging and illness) but his way of facing them was inspiring. He stood firm and held his ground with an ambition and zest for life that was contagious. This man changed the life of many people, including ours. We like to believe that Charles Klemens changed the world by introducing the Auralite to the market and helping people see the beauty in it. When we first met him in 2012, we never knew that he would become our mentor four years later. Until today, we still remember the day he gave us our first Auralite crystal as a gift and told us to carry it in our left pocket. He told us that even though we didn’t understand it, carrying this gem would help us see the way. Truely, ever since that day, we never looked back and our life has become a journey filled with adventure. Charles Klemens was not only the person who introduced us to Auralite-23, but he is also the man who first saw potential in us when no one else did. He showed us the way to create an online store and infected us with his passion for crystals and life. Seeing him work relentlessly and thrive even when he faced so much adversity (He was fighting cancer, he had a pacemaker installed due to his heart condition, he underwent several medial operations due to other health problems in the last years of his life and his wife health was rapidly deteriorating due to alzimers) fills our hearts with a profound respect and admiration for this great man. It was a blessing to have him in our lives and we will always remember him as Charles Klemens; the grandfather of the Auralite. Thank you Charles for being a candle in the dark and allowing people to see the magic in the world. Your guidance was invaluable and you’ve been a great source of inspiration for many. Charles Klemens, peacefully passed away in the summer of 2018 in Montreal, Canada. May his soul rest in peace.
Crystals: Types, Meanings and Properties
