Some say to hold a moonstone is to hold a bit of the moon in your hand and to look at a moonstone would be akin to looking at the moon itself. In mythology, it's said that moonstone is made of moonbeams made solid, in India, it's regarded as sacred, possessing the powers of love and making a great wedding gift. Unfortunately, the moonstone doesn't come from the moon but its beautiful color and adularescence make up for that.
Recently, gemstones like the moonstone have made a significant rise in wellness with many singing the praises of their healing capabilities, uses, and more. So, I wanted to talk to you about the moonstone and their properties, uses, and benefits and how you can see where they fit for you.
Moonstone History
Let's start with a little history on the moonstone. It's believed that the Roman goddess, Diana, goddess of the moon used to be seen with the stone, bestowing love, wisdom, and good fortune on those who held the moonstone. They believed that it would keep the mind clear and help people make the wisest choices in life. In India and Europe, people believed that two people who wore the moonstone on a full moon would fall passionately in love. The moonstone is also known as the "Traveler's Stone" protecting those traveling at night.
During the 1890 and 1910s, the moonstone was extremely popular in the Art Nouveau movement where designers would create custom jewelry. Then, in the 1960s with the hippies and again in the 1990's New Age movement, all the way to the present day where we have found new meanings and uses for this gemstone.
Moonstone Properties
The moonstone is part of the feldspar family of minerals and is composed of potassium aluminum silicate. An opalescent stone that comes in colorless forms, peach, pink, yellow, gray, brown, and blue. The rainbow form is actually labradorite and it can also be confused with opalite, which is a man-made glass that is designed to simulate the moonstone and the opal. The blue moonstones can only be found in Sri Lanka and are very valuable because they're becoming hard to find. You can find moonstones in countries like the US, Brazil, Australia, Myanmar, Madagascar, India, and Sri Lanka.
The moonstone is also associated with healing properties for PMS, better hormonal balance, and good sleep. There are also some claims that the moonstone helps with fertility issues and helps with discomfort during pregnancy and childbirth. It's also associated with lovers and was given as tokens of affection or to enhance the affections of their partner.
However, it's important to mention that we cannot verify any therapeutic claims aside from the seeming placebo effect. There isn't any scientific evidence that crystals do possess these qualities, but a number of people swear by them. For some, it's the belief that they place on the stones that help them gain healing and use them as a kind of talisman.
Moonstone Uses
The moonstone is commonly used in jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Even though the moonstone may be placed into different kinds of jewelry, having them set in rings requires more care in the setting because the moonstone is soft and can get scratched or cracked. They're less prone to bumping and banging when used at necklaces or earrings being prone to cleavage along with their layers and planes. By having the moonstone in jewelry form and next to your skin for a large amount of time, you're allowing for maximum exposure to its power.
Other than jewelry, you can use the moonstone around your home too! Think of beautiful coasters, bowls, or small pieces for your bedroom or other living areas. The moonstone is also quite pretty and can absolutely spruce up your home spaces like your home office or other areas.
There are also some companies that specialize in gemstone beauty products like rollers and gua sha, even using the essence of the gem in some beauty treatments. Recently, there has also been a trend where you can put crystals in water bottles too. The purpose of this is to energize your water with good energy and as you drink from the bottle, you remember your intention with the gemstone.
This gemstone can be turned into various shapes and sizes, you can see them come into the classic oval, pear-shaped, or square. This gemstone can be professionally cut to match certain occasions or preferences.
Moonstone Benefits
The moonstone has been associated with many benefits that are physical, mental, and spiritual.
For the body, it's associated with problems of the liver, spleen, pancreas, and stomach easing digestion. It's said to cleanse the blood and improve the lymphatic system. It can also help alleviate the pain of PMS and ease childbirth. This gemstone is also known to help people who suffer from insomnia, jet lag, or negative thoughts, aiding in the sense of deep tranquility.
For the mind, the moonstone is great to meditate with, enhancing mood, creativity, intuition, and positivity. It alleviates the fear that is associated with change, improves confidence, and it makes the wearer more accepting of the change.
As for the spiritual benefits, the moonstone shines through in its different variations. The blue moonstone develops communication and telepathic connection, the grey for removing confusion and improving second sight. The peach moonstone can help with emotional healing and the labradorite for protection against psychic attacks.
Conclusion
The moonstone is a beautiful and multi-faceted gemstone that can be both practical and spiritual depending on the user. You can choose to use them in any way you like for your home or as jewelry. The diverse looks and properties of this gemstone continue to remain popular among many and will most likely continue as the years go on. Even if the moonstone doesn’t come from the moon, having a tangible moonbeam to carry you through the day sounds like a dream.