The sublime moonstone, the stone of femininity

Moonstone is synonymous with femininity, motherhood and innocence . Naturally, it promotes intuition, travel and spirituality .

The origins of moonstone

Formerly called fish eye or argentina, moonstone today bears a much more delicate name. Unsurprisingly, its new name comes straight from the sky : the stone releases as much clarity as the star whose beauty it reminds us of.

This stone was officially discovered in the Alps in 1801 by a French man which proposes the name "of orthosis". This term is certainly less glamorous, but it designates the mineral of which moonstone is a variety.

Shortly after its discovery, a French mineralogist renamed it. He was inspired by the Greek moon goddess Hecate and gave her the following name: Hecatolite .

Then "Hecatolite" quickly gave way to another name " adular ", this time in reference instead of its discovery. The stone coming from Mount Adule or Adula in the Saint-Gothard massif located in the Swiss Alps.

It is also known by the English name moonstone and it is the stone of Aphrodite in symbolism. She celebrates the wedding of Muguets (13 years of marriage).

Beautiful and large specimens are very rare. The most popular adularia are colorless or white with blue or gray-blue reflections. Those with yellowish reflections are less sought after.

Alpine Adularia

Adularescence

This is the name given to the phenomenon of iridescence specific to adularia but also to other similar stones. The adularescence comes from the reflection of light between the myriads of thin lamellae developed during the crystallization phase.

This particular shimmer gives silver reflections seeming to float on the surface of the stone. This characteristic is also called the “Schiller effect”. The adularescence is revealed by a cabochon cut, the pearly undulations then move gracefully under a light source.

Some extremely rare stones have a starry effect (asterism) due to tiny inclusions of rutile or ilmenite. Exceptional moonstones can be admired at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

This optical effect called “adularescence” gives the impression that the stone is a mirror that captures all the reflections and all the colors in its path. This is also the case with labradorite, which is white in color.

Where do you find moonstones?

The most beautiful moonstones are extracted in the southwest of Sri Lanka. It is also found in the following countries and places:

• India (Tamil Nadu), where sanidine is common, usually more colorful and satiny in appearance
• Burma
• Madagascar (Itrongahy), for yellow orthoclase or sanidine
• Tanzania
• Canada (Mont Saint-Hilaire)
• Brazil
• Mexico, where we find sanidine or adularia called valencianite
• United States (State of New Mexico)
• Russia (White Sea)
• Australia
• Austria (Tyrol), Switzerland (St. Gotthard)
• France (Cantal, Haute-Vienne, Hérault, Lozère, Puy de Dôme)

Confusion is possible with:

• girasol quartz
• white chalcedony
• the opal
• selenite.

Rainbow Moonstone, Norwegian Moonstone, and Spectrolite are Labradorites. The name “Californian moonstone” is prohibited since it actually designates a chalcedony.

There are also fake moonstones. The doublet technique and the colored coating of stones then called "celestial moonstones" are fallacious practices aimed at artificially intensifying colors and reflections. We try to imitate moonstone by heating colorless synthetic spinels in order to obtain a milky appearance.

Are there "moonstones" on the moon?

Minerals of the same family are present in large numbers: plagioclase feldspars (sodi-calcium) in particular, potassium feldspars exist more rarely. The astronauts brought back more than 300 kg of lunar minerals. At the Cape Canaveral Space Center in Florida, visitors can touch a real moonstone. In France, one can see one at the Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse weighing 2 kg. The appearance of these specimens is not very attractive and in no way evokes the resplendent star of their provenance, unlike terrestrial moonstones.

What is the history of moonstone?

During Antiquity, moonstone was the subject of divination and was considered the stone of the goddesses.

The Romans particularly associated this stone with Diana, the goddess of the hunt and the moon. They thought that the Roman moon goddess was visible on this stone. At that time, she was already associated with femininity, gentleness and intuition. To receive celestial clairvoyance, some men wore women's costumes while putting the stone in their mouths. By slipping into the skin of women, men could then benefit from all the extraordinary powers of this stone, namely: clairvoyance and spiritual awakening.

The Greeks used it to protect pregnant women throughout their pregnancy. Associated with fertility and passion, moonstone increased sexual desire and carnal pleasure. This reference to fertility was also present in the Middle East, since moonstone was used to increase the chances of having a child.

Among the Egyptians, the moonstone was a great symbol of protection. After dark, Egyptian travelers wore this stone to protect themselves from nocturnal dangers and to benefit from its powers linked to intuition.

What are the properties of moonstone in lithotherapy?

Moonstone is an essentially feminine stone, a symbol of candor, of tenderness, linked to childhood.

at the psychological level

Stone Yin, the moonstone is a stone that promotes openness to others and stops the fear of others. As a rule, this stone has the benefits of eliminating unnecessary fears. It is a stone of tolerance that aims to loosen material tendencies a little in favor of openness. This stone also brings to the man a feminine side which makes it possible to counterbalance with a masculine temperament sometimes too developed. The moon symbolizes the female star in opposition to the sun which represents the male star. It increases tenfold the qualities generally attributed to women such as gentleness, tenderness, tolerance and maternal instinct. Even the most stern people can see their temper softened by wearing a moonstone. Like a light in the dark, it brings security and comfort.

Intimately linked to the third eye chakra , it accompanies you on the path to spiritual awakening and helps you develop your clairvoyance.

Moonstone allows you to be more in tune with your intuition. It improves your ability to feel and perceive things. It increases your sensitivity, your creativity and your inspiration.

Moonstone also acts on the sacral chakra . Located above the navel, this chakra is linked to emotions and sexual energy. When open and balanced, this chakra stimulates libido and fertility.

at the physical level

• Relieves menstrual disorders and those of menopause
• Stimulates fertility
• Protects pregnancy and childbirth
• Promotes lactation
• Calms insect bites
• Balances all hormonal systems
• Improves stress-related digestive disorders
• Regulates the functioning of the thyroid
• Activates the circulation of body fluids (draining effect)

Protective and comforting, it neutralizes pain and accelerates the healing process. Its gentle energy can equally suit women, men, children and animals.

How to purify and recharge moonstone?

Like all minerals, moonstone drains of its energy over time.

To preserve its powers and its beauty, it is enough to maintain it regularly. To cleanse it and purify it from accumulated negative energies, you can use spring water, earth or incense. The easiest method is to soak your stone for a few hours in a container of unsalted distilled water. Remember to wipe it gently so as not to scratch it. As soon as you feel a small drop in energy, you can also recharge your stone under the moonlight. Prefer full moon nights and place your stone on a cluster of quartz to optimize this recharging process. A few hours of this ritual are enough for her to regain her full powers.

Which stones to associate with moonstone?

Discreet and elegant, moonstone delivers an energy that is not compatible with all minerals. As a general rule, mixing stones with opposing powers should be avoided.

In the case of moonstone , you can easily associate it with all spiritual stones . For example: amethyst, labradorite, aquamarine, pink quartz, rock crystal or even kunzite.

On the other hand, you should avoid wearing a spiritual stone with an overly energizing stone such as garnet, red jasper, amber, malachite, tiger's eye, obsidian, black tourmaline or turquoise.

In the field of jewelry, let's take the example of the cabochon, the ring or the pendant, they go perfectly with silver or gold. On a silver setting, the oval cabochon, small or large, offers all the effects after polishing of this natural feldspar. When it comes from India or Sri Lanka, the cabochon offers reflections such that it looks like mother-of-pearl.

Some moonstone jewelry to find on the shop www.oussia.com