Model, Leigh Hickombottom is one of the newest up and coming models in the fitness industry.   Upon meeting her, one is greeted by a beautiful smile, bright aura, and sunny disposition, which exudes a warm unconditional love. Through my interview with Leigh it became apparent what draws people to her and her spirituality. In fact, Leigh’s vibrant personality and positivity combined with her extensive knowledge in crystals and working with elementals and angels can be discovered through her Bellesprit column “Crystal Light Connection.” For this reason, she became an excellent choice for a feature story because the way she lives her life, both spiritual and natural, relates with the readers of the magazine.

Leigh grew up in Texas and was very close to her father and grandfather whom she adored.  Her grandfather would take her out to his farm and teach her all about nature and showed her how to connect with the earth and animal.  When he passed, Leigh was never quite the same.  Her time spent with her grandfather had a big impact on her.  She learned how to connect with nature, and to be good to the earth.  This is the principle for which Leigh lives her life today.  It has never left her.

Leigh began to model at a very young age. Coinciding this, by 6th grade Leigh also knew what she was supposed to be doing on a spiritual level, which was to be healer.  It would be in her catholic school’s chapel where she would have a life changing conversation with God. Within this conversation she asked Him to allow her to be able to heal. At this request, her hands immediately began to glow giving her the confirmation of His assistance and approval. Shortly after, she started to be able to intuit angels and other types of beings. So, even at such a young age Leigh had embarked on a path toward pursuing two of her passions: modeling and spiritual healing. After finishing a modeling course which her parents had placed her in at her request, Leigh learned that certain individuals had been approaching the school requesting if they could use her. For whatever reason, the school had its own agenda in not passing this information on to Leigh and replied to the individuals asking that Leigh was ‘unavailable’. None of this would hold Leigh back though. She ended up doing a commercial for an exercise club and this triggered a focus on fitness advertising. Her involvement with track and field required her to be fit and to lift weights so attracting fitness related focus over the long run just made sense.

Leigh is now a sought after model who’s beautifully toned body has graced the cover of one of the leading fitness magazines: Oxygen Magazine. Her first spokes model job was with “Nutrex” supplements.  Her goal beyond Nutrex is still fitness based, but more so hoping to blend fitness with a fashionable edge. In January 2011, she launched her own line of workout gear called SunLove Athletics. She was once quoted as saying about her fashion line of women’s pants and tank tops, “This line is about inspiring people to love their bodies and who they are.” However, Leigh never leaves her spiritual roots behind. Leigh has made a commitment to herself that both her job and her spiritual life must intertwine.  She always carries the intention that her work allows her the opportunity to connect with others in the highest and best way and that Spirit offers her the opportunity through her work to help her spread Light into the world and through her photos.

Leigh described how her modeling and spirituality go hand in hand.  She usually meditates before doing a shoot.   She also imagines being in nature or the ocean, and asks for the happiest intent.   Once she is on the set, she strives to radiate unconditional love to everyone.   People always compliment her on her positive outlook and energy.  “Of course”, she says, “there are those that are just plain unhappy!  You still radiate the love and you’d be surprised how they can change”

Leigh’s busy modeling career presently takes her all over the world. “When I leave on a modeling assignment or vacation, I don’t feel quite the same.”  She says.  “Each City has its own vibration, and the minute I touch the ground I feel different vibrations depending on where I am. ’

Leigh says that she travels with an entourage of spirit guides and angels!  She doesn’t leave home without them or a few crystals.  She states; “I find that when a place has lower vibrations I am constantly trying to shield my body.”  Once rebalanced, she is able to go about her time in that location, shielded with the help of her angels.

Leigh was drawn to Florida 7 years ago. “I resonate with Florida because of the water, and sun,“ she says, “The vibration down here feeds my soul and when I get close to nature, I stay balanced spiritually.”  At this point, Leigh couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. She loves to take walks along the beach during the sunny Florida days to regroup and reconnect. Leigh says that lower energy is benign near water hence it raises ones vibration. “She also meditates in the natural elements which strengthens her vibrations and keeps her centered. While Leigh does not like to call herself a psychic or medium, she will use the word “channeling” to describe best what she does when working with angels, guides, elementals or crystals.  While she has given messages from deceased individuals, she does not do so very often.  Such a positive person and wanting to more be a ray of sunshine within the world Leigh comments; “I try to close that part off, it just isn’t where I want to be.” She continues; “My preference is to work with angels because they are high vibration. There are enough people doing paranormal work helping people on an individual level and there is nothing wrong with that, but that isn’t my mission. My main mission has to do with working with the healing of mankind, earth and Oneness rather than with helping others on an individual level.” For this same reason and mission, you will not find Leigh offering paid sessions to others.  Her intention is less to use her channeling ability as a way to earn a living but as a way to uplift and be a positive influence within the world. Whatever messages she receives are meant to be shared for free with everyone.

In 2002, Leigh discovered the healing power of crystals and the responsibility involved in working with them while honoring their energies.  She had received her first crystal from an acquaintance with her own story and a message to share that Leigh will always remember. While very intuitive, this acquaintance was struggling with their own challenges involving drugs and alcohol. Handing to Leigh her beautiful quartz crystal, she told Leigh that she, herself, was not worthy of it anymore. She explained to Leigh that because she was not taking care of herself or her body that as a result it would have a dampening affect her abilities. So, she felt she needed to give her prized crystal to another person in whose hands the crystal would be appreciated and taken care of properly. When she saw Leigh that day, she intuitively knew that it was the right thing to do, to place it in her hands.  Leigh never saw the woman again.

Leigh quickly learned of the powerful energy of crystals after beginning to use this quartz crystal that had been gifted to her. “I didn’t understand much about them at that time” says Leigh, “the first time I held it tightly, it made me dizzy and ill. I soon learned that it had a powerful energy, and one needs to know how to use them properly and cleanse them.”  She began to learn more about them and realized their power in healing.  She began to do her own research and taught herself everything she could about crystals.  She soon had a collection of crystals and they play a big part in her life.  Leigh now has a “crystal garden” in her yard where she takes care of them. She said she often buries the rocks and then unearths them.  This is all a process to cleanse them.  “Crystals are my first love, and I want to teach the world about them,” She explains. Leigh soon realized that she could receive messages not only from the crystals but from angels and guides in relation to them.  This love for crystals and a divine connection with them led her to learning about the Crystal Skulls. With quiet authority in her words and demeanor, Leigh explained to me how skulls hold the memory in the same way a computer system would hold memory, from the beginning of time into the future. Through knowing from the skulls of future events it gives human kind the opportunity for insight and choice, since no path is written in stone.

Leigh’s Crystal Skull called ‘CRYMax’

Leigh even visited the Crystal Skull known as “Max.” Part of her intention in visiting this skull was to connect it to her own clear crystal skull, Crymax (short for Crystalline Max) in order to ‘activate’ it. Once she brought Crymax back home after its activation, this was when she first discovered what was called the ‘sound of light’. Leigh suddenly experienced other information being channeled through her in huge downloads. Researching some of the information that was coming through, including the ‘sound of light’, this led her to a healers site whose own channeled messages discussed using ‘sound of light’  through toning for the purpose to heal.

Leigh is quick to point out to me, however, that the main use of her skulls is not to gain information and knowledge so much as to use them to heal the Earth. Asking Leigh how she uses her crystal skulls to heal the earth Leigh states; “I sit them outside and give them a program to send direct light into Gaia; into her soul. I intend that the healing energies go through all of the skulls down into Gaia to heal her vibration. Sometimes I will leave them out for 2 days, other times 2 weeks. They let me know by appearing in my mind’s eye when they need to be used and will also show within my mind’s eyes what configuration to use them in.” Currently Leigh has 8 crystal skulls, the biggest of which is Crymax.

Leigh considers that just like humans have their own energies, stones and skulls have their own vibrational being as well. The same way humans have their own personalities, so do crystals as well. “I consider them as ‘alive’.” says Leigh.

As a true princess of the Earth, Leigh also feels very connected to the elemental world and its fairies and other magical beings. “They are a huge part of my life, just like angels. They exist whether they are believed in or not. I have a huge respect and love for the elemental kingdom in general, because they help heal Earth on a whole other frequency than just dealing with humans on a human level. Even though we are all connected and One, an elemental or fairy’s frequency is much higher. The frequency at which they heal the earth is much needed, so I don’t discount their help.”

What is on the horizon for Leigh?  After recently giving birth to twin girls, amazingly she is looking fabulous and back in shape demonstrating how easy it is to reshape the body back to its natural form. She has set her sight on Shape magazine as one of her goals for future endeavors. She would love to do something more mainstream in modeling which would be a tear away from fitness but still fitness based in some way.  She is off to another shoot next week for a fashion oriented magazine. As a columnist for Bellesprit magazine, Leigh teaches about crystals hoping to inspire others to love our Mother Earth, the angels and the elementals as much as she does. It is easy to see why Leigh is a true, natural ‘Beautiful Spirit.” To learn more about Leigh Hickombottom you can visit her website at www.holleighwood.com. If you would like to know more about her column “Crystal Light Connection” you can view all of her articles at http://bellesprit.com/leigh-hickombottom-crystal-light-connection. View her YouTube video doing the perfect split! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdtpUUJonWA

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