Moonstone: History, Origin, Composition, Virtues, Meaning and Recharging of the stone

Moonstone is a natural stone from the Feldspar orthoclase family. The stone is highly prized for its beauty, particularly its vitreous white and bluish hues. The phenomenon that gives it its bluish reflections is called adularescence, thanks to the light that diffracts in the stone. In lithotherapy, Moonstone is also much loved by women for its beneficial properties. It is very popular and used today in the world of jewelry.

History of Moonstone

Moonstone owes its name to its pearly to bluish reflections, which resemble the Moon. Its name comes from both the Greek "selene" and the Latin "luna", meaning "moon". The scientific name Adulaire refers to the mountain Mont Adula, where one of the largest deposits of Moonstone was found in the 1800s. Today, this mountain is exhausted and no longer produces Moonstone.

Moonstone has been known since ancient times, and was associated with Hecate, the goddess of the moon, giving it the name Hecatolite. The Greeks also associated it with powers of protection and clairvoyance.

The Romans used Moonstone to enhance clairvoyance and associated it with femininity, while reinforcing the emotions of love to bring greater longevity to couples. It is said that men dressed as women and put the stone in their mouths to benefit from Moonstone 's powers. The stone was also linked to the goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Diana.

Indians believed that Moonstone was a piece of the Moon and thus considered sacred in India. During the Middle Ages, Moonstone was highly prized by women, as it was associated with passion, fertility to increase the chances of getting pregnant and had the power to protect the woman and her baby during pregnancy.

Among the Egyptians, Moonstone was used as a pendant to protect against attacks and evil spirits during travel. At the end of the 20th century, Moonstone was attributed to the Kennedy Space Center as a symbol of Florida, in honor of the first men to walk on the Moon in 1969.

Today, Moonstone is highly prized for its lithotherapy properties and is widely used in jewelry.

Origin and composition of Moonstone

Moonstone is a member of the Feldspar family, and more specifically of the Feldspar orthoclase family. It is composed mainly of aluminum silicate and potassium with inclusions of sodium, calcium and iron, with the chemical formula (K,Na)AlSi3O8. The stone has a density of around 2.6 to 2.7.

Moonstone forms mainly in sedimentary, metamorphic and magmatic rocks rich in feldspar and quartz. During formation, Moonstone undergoes a chemical reaction that occurs when the feldspar separates into two phases, one of potassium and the other of sodium. This separation creates microscopic lamellae, causing light to be diffracted and giving Moonstone its bluish reflections, otherwise known as adularescence.

There are several varieties of Moonstone, which differ according to their impurities:

• White Moonstone (presence of mica, quartz and other minerals)
• Peach-pink Moonstone (presence of titanium)
• Multicolored Moonstone (fine layers of feldspar albite and orthoclase)
• Ceylon Moonstone (presence of black tourmaline and/or zircon)
• Gray Moonstone (hornblende, magnetite, biotite and/or ilmenite)

Origin of Moonstone

The countries producing Moonstone are India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, Australia, Brazil, the United States and Burma.

Moonstone has a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale.

Virtues and Significance of Moonstone in lithotherapy

Moonstone is a stone of harmony and introspection.

Moonstone in lithotherapy

On a physical level, Moonstone is very popular in the world of lithotherapy, especially for relieving pain and stomach problems such as gastric reflux, cramps and menstrual pain in women. The stone can also improve digestion and the immune system, as well as warding off disease and infection. Finally, it promotes sleep and reduces sleep disorders and insomnia.

In lithotherapy, Moonstone is associated with several positive mental virtues, such as boosting self-confidence and self-esteem and reducing shyness. Not only does the stone enhance intuition, creativity, imagination and emotional sensitivity, it also promotes spiritual growth and connection with the inner world. What's more, it brings calm, mental clarity, concentration and, above all, reduces anxiety and all negative emotions.

Please note that lithotherapy is not a substitute for medical treatment or expertise.

Meaning of Moonstone

Moonstone is a symbol of sincerity and spirituality.

It is associated with the coronal chakra to reinforce spirituality and spiritual growth. The stone is also linked to the third eye chakra, which enhances mental clarity and intuition. It can also be linked to the solar plexus chakra to enhance inner peace, vital strength and happiness.

Moonstone is sensitive to the astrological signs of Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn and Gemini. It is also the stone of the birth month of June.

Care, Purification and Recharging of Moonstone

There are many ways to care for your Moonstone, and we'd like to share a few of them with you:

Cleaning and purifying your Moonstone

It's important to clean and purify your Moonstone once it's in your hands:

• Clean your stone with salt water, by placing it in a bowl filled with salt water for several hours to a full night, then rinse with fresh water and wipe dry with a soft cloth,

• Purify it by fumigation, leaving the stone in the smoke of purifying herbs for a short time,

• Purify Moonstone by burying it in dry earth for several days, then rinsing with clean water and wiping with a soft cloth,

• Purify it by covering it with dried sage leaves for several hours to an entire night, then wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Recharging Moonstone

Don't forget to recharge your Moonstone frequently to take full advantage of its powers:

• Place the stone under the moon's rays overnight during a full moon,

• Place it under the sun's rays for a few hours,

• Place a cluster of quartz next to Moonstone.