Moonstone Meaning
Ethereal-looking moonstones have been carved into statuettes, amulets and talismans and used in jewelry for over 2,000 years. The most common moonstone color is clear or opaque but they can be blue, peach, gray or yellow, too. Rainbow moonstones have an iridescent, multi-color sheen. All moonstone colors are included in this opaque feldspar's long, interesting moonstone history and are still widely revered today.
Moonstone History
Use of the moonstone gemstone in jewelry dates back more than 2,000 years. Opaque feldspar became popular in India and the orient before the Romans began making moonstone gemstone jewelry in 100 AD.
According to Asian myth, the highest quality blue moonstones wash up on the beach every 21 years. However, the increasingly rare blue moonstone rock is most commonly found in Sri Lanka. At one time, moonstone was considered a "phenomenal gem" that should be worn every Monday to encourage good fortune.
Moonstone gemstones were considered sacred in India. Ganesha, the four-handed god of the moon, has worn a moonstone at the center of his forehead since the beginning of time. Hindu legend states that moonstone stone is created by moonbeams. It was once believed that a person could see his or her future while holding a moonstone in the mouth on the night of a full moon.
Ancient Romans believed moonstone rocks were created from drops of moonlight. According to them, each moonstone rock contains an image of the moon goddess Diana. It was believed that the moon goddess Diana would grant love, victory, wealth and wisdom to whoever possessed a moonstone. They also claimed moonstones possessed the gifts of second sight and prophecy. Moonstone was also reputed to clear the mind for better decision making and maintain the connection between heart and mind. Many of these beliefs helped to shape moonstone meaning.
Moonstone stones were at one time known as adularia due to their shimmery sheen, referred to as adularescence among gemologists.
Moonstone gemstones enjoyed a rush of new-found popularity in the world of "Art Nouveau" a little over 100 years ago. Rene Lalique, a well-known French Master Goldsmith, and jewelry designer Louis Comfort Tiffany used moonstone extensively, as did other creators of fine jewelry.
- Moonstones enjoyed another surge in popularity during the 1960's, thanks to the "flower child" era's appreciation for the ethereal appearance of opaque moonstones.
- Moonstone became Florida's official state gem in 1970 in tribute to Apollo 11 landing on the moon and the Kennedy Space Center located in Brevard County, Florida. This opaque feldspar is not found naturally in Florida.
- Their popularity increased yet again during the 1990's "New Age" movement when people developed a new appreciation for moonstone benefits and moonstone meaning.
Moonstone Meaning
Moonstone meaning is directly connected to the moon and its effects on the earth. Moonstone meaning is all about natural rhythms of the earth, the tides and life in general. Moonstone rocks were carved into amulets to protect travelers, evoke passion in lovers, open the path to wisdom and open channels for prophets. The waxing and waning cycles of the moon, which are at the heart of moonstone meaning, are said to be reflected in moonstones as they wax and wane along with the moon cycles. Moonstone meaning ties into the calming natural rhythms of the moon and mother earth. Moonstone statuettes and jewelry encourage calm emotions and behavior while supporting spiritual growth, all of which tie into moonstone meaning.
Moonstone Healing
Spiritual Healing
Moonstones encourage hopes and dreams, providing hope for the future and dreams of how that future may unfold. Moonstone rocks and jewelry can bring about useful insights while preventing the negativity that stifles hopes and dreams for the future. The mind is more open to inspiration and the possibility of serendipity and synchronicity, in accordance with moonstone meaning. Moonstone strengthens spiritual purity by shrinking the ego. Materialism can more easily be controlled or denied, allowing a stronger focus on faith. Monks frequently utilize moonstones to strengthen their spirituality in keeping with moonstone meaning.
Moonstone imparts a metal energy in Feng Shui. Metal energy supports healing, creativity, contraction and intelligence, all moonstone crystal benefits reflected in moonstone meaning. Metal energy enhances togetherness and promotes better functioning as a group, in keeping with moonstone meaning, resulting in more positive outcomes from concepts and ideas. Metal energy is essential for going through life without becoming a victim, even though it is a sharp, hard energy that can be destructive. Place moonstone in rooms where groups of people work together or in areas for gathering strength and concentration. Moonstone's metal energy is commonly utilized best in west or northwest areas of the home. It will encourage determination and solidify efforts, both of which are benefits included in moonstone meaning.
Physical Healing
Moonstone healing properties on the human body revolve around supporting normal rhythms, in keeping with moonstone meaning. Moonstone benefits feminine reproductive systems, improves fertility, reduces menstrual cycle issues, encourages hormonal balance and reduces retention of fluids. Moonstone powers have beneficial effects during pregnancy and childbirth, which supports moonstone meaning.
Moonstone powers may encourage a healthy growth rate in children and teenagers and combat aging in elderly people, in keeping with moonstone meaning. Moonstone benefits support hormonal balance for women going through menopause, helping to alleviate menopausal symptoms.
The healing benefits of moonstone extend to degenerative diseases involving the eyes, fleshy organs, hair and skin. Moonstone helps relieve insomnia while encouraging pleasant dreams. Moonstone healing properties are beneficial to the digestive cycle which reflects moonstone meaning. It facilitates the absorption of nutrients from food and the elimination of toxins.
Emotional Healing
Healing properties of moonstone provide soothing, calming energy for emotional health and balance, in accordance with moonstone meaning. Moonstone gems impart a healing energy that balances extreme emotional highs and lows. This makes it easier to control emotions through Higher Will instead of expressing them inappropriately or repressing them. Subconscious emotional patterns can be more easily identified and explosive expression of emotions better controlled. All of this culminates in improved composure and confidence.
How to use moonstones for emotional healing:
- Place the moonstone on the center of the chin or moon center while lying down at rest to enjoy the healing properties of moonstone.
- Blue and cat's eye moonstone gems are especially useful for inner vision and clarity, focus during meditation and sharp awareness during altered states. Emotional patterns and cycles as well as life lessons are more easily revealed and yin and yang energy balance achieved with these particular types of moonstone, reflecting moonstone meaning.
- Gray moonstone stones or "New Moon Stones" facilitate deeper perceptions and movement into new realms, in keeping with moonstone meaning. They are especially useful for shamans and clairvoyants. They are the moonstones of the new moon where potential abounds.
- White moonstone powers impart the highest new moon energy. They facilitate psychic perceptions and visions and work with dreams. Be cautious with this moonstone. It magnifies emotions and activates kundalini energy for women. White moonstones encourage emotional balance for men, as reflected in moonstone meaning. Use white moonstones to suppress nightmares for children and eliminate insomnia.
- Peach and yellow moonstone powers are especially useful in areas of the heart and mind, in keeping with moonstone meaning. When used in meditation, these moonstone rocks focus on the reduction of anxiety and worry to bring out your best behavior. They impart loving energy that supports The Divine and emotional support for sensitive, intuitive children.
- Rainbow moonstones diffuse energy all through the aura like a prism. These moonstones are aligned with the goddess, connecting the spirits and energy of nature in keeping with moonstone meaning. They facilitate clearing of the senses and mind, calm sleep, lucid dreaming and psychic protection, including deflecting negativity. Rainbow moonstones also ease emotional trauma.
- Place moonstones over the heart and solar plexus while meditating to help balance the emotions, in keeping with moonstone meaning. Practice deep breathing to facilitate emotional awareness and healing.
- Put a moonstone gemstone on a chain or string that allows the moonstone to hang on the chest in front of the heart.
- While lying on the back, place moonstone gems in a line that extends from the navel to the bottom of the breastbone and one moonstone over the heart.
- Meditate while holding a moonstone mala gently in the left hand.
- Hold the first bead between thumb and index finger.
- Recite one mantra, move to the next bead and repeat.
- Place a moonstone on the top of the head or crown chakra to partake of benefits denoted in moonstone meaning.
- Set a moonstone on any of the chakras to take advantage of moonstone crystal benefits in accordance with moonstone crystal meaning.
- Use a white or opaque moonstone for the greatest benefit to spiritual energy.
- A woman can set a white or opaque moonstone on the base chakra at the base of the spine to assist in releasing kundalini energy. Exercise caution when using moonstone in this way.
Moonstone properties can help men find their "feminine side" by stimulating the right brain. As a result, men achieve greater emotional balance, in keeping with moonstone meaning, and experience non-linear thinking.
Moonstone powers can help women find their feminine power, encourage clairvoyant abilities and increase kundalini energy.
Moonstone properties calm children, soothing them while they are away overnight, reducing the likelihood of nightmares and encouraging sleep. Moonstones are also used to help prevent sleepwalking.
Moonstone Meditation
Moonstone powers facilitate a deeper meditative state. Insights into situations and interactions will be more readily revealed with the use of moonstone gemstones. Moonstone rocks also facilitate past-life regressions.
How to use moonstone in meditation:
A moonstone mala is used for counting mantra recitations while meditating. Moonstone malas can be especially useful for meditation during pregnancy and childbirth.
How to use moonstone malas:
Moonstone meaning in Divination is: Now is the time to speak what is in your heart. Pale blue moonstone rocks or gemstones are used in divining. The moonstone is placed on a yellow cloth on a full moon night. Gaze at the moonstone in the moonlight or in silver candlelight. Watch the light dance across the surface of the moonstone and wait for mental images to appear. It is said that words will explain the significance of the mental image. Events observed will supposedly happen during the following three months.
Moonstone Birthstone
People born during the month of June have a moonstone birthstone as their traditional birthstone. Because the most common moonstone color is opaque or white, it is not a natural birthstone.
Moonstone Zodiac Sign
Moonstones are zodiac stones for people born under the zodiac sign of Cancer which is symbolized by a crab. This is also referred to as the "Sign of the Teacher" and "Sign of the Prophet." Cancers are born between June 21 and July 22. People born under this sign tend to have strong family ties, adapt easily and are very loyal. Cancers are blessed with an active imagination and usually do well in the fields of art, music, writing and composing.
Moonstone Chakra
Moonstones provide balancing and healing energy, in keeping with moonstone meaning. Moonstone crystal benefits are most useful for cleansing and balancing the crown chakra which is on top of the head. A clear, balanced crown chakra facilitates connection with higher planes of existence, balanced energy and a calm demeanor in the face of life's setbacks. Moonstone crystal benefits include clearing negativity from all chakras while supplementing energy and providing physical, intellectual and emotional balance which supports moonstone meaning. Moonstone chakra meditation imparts spiritual support to sustain people through the changes experienced during a lifetime. Moonstones are quite useful for radionics analysis used to find particular problem areas and treatments as indicated by moonstone crystal meaning.
How to use moonstone:
While one of the moonstone crystal benefits in keeping with moonstone meaning is helping to release kundalini energy, this step toward further enlightenment must be taken with extreme caution. Do not attempt to release this energy from the base chakra without further education and meditation on the matter. Fatigue is a common temporary side effect but more serious side effects can and do occur. Only people with experience and knowledge about chakras who understand kundalini should attempt this.