Sunstone is a member of the Feldspar family and is named for its warm shades of golds, browns and reds that cause it to sparkle like the sun. It carries the radiance of the sun and the fire of the Solar ray and is associated with physical energy in all of its forms, and also with the Divine Radiance that illuminates the minds of those who wish to connect with it.
It reflects the qualities of light, bringing honesty and benevolence, mental clarity and compassion to those who wear or use it. Sunstone may be clear and transparent or opaque and, although it is not a rare stone it is very popular and can bestow a variety of excellent qualities on the wearer. Clean red specimens of Sunstone are extremely rare. If Hematite is included in the crystal this refracts the light and can make the stone particularly iridescent and quite beautiful.
SUNSTONE HISTORY
Unsurprisingly, given its golden color, Sunstone was associated by the Ancient Egyptians with the god Ra. Ancient civilizations are thought to have believed that Sunstone feel to earth during a full solar eclipse, having broken off from the sun. In oriental cultures Sunstone was often referred to a “phenomenal gem”, meaning that it should be worn on Sundays. Phenomenal gems were thought to bring good fortune to the wearer.
Sunstone was used by Canadian Indians in ceremonies of the medicine wheel. It was placed in the center of the wheel to enhance the connection of the participants with the white fire, or healing ray, of the sun. It was used as a beacon or marker for spirit guides to follow to the heling rays and to return to the wheel with their healing gifts.
In Ancient Greece Sunstone was prized for its beauty in fashioning jewelry and also in the manufacture of goblets and plates. It was believed to counteract poison, hence its popularity in the ornamentation of eating and drinking utensils, and also to bring physical strength and stamina to those who ate or drank from these.
In Ancient India, Sunstone was revered as a protector from the destructive forces of hostile spirits.
SUNSTONE MEANING
Sunstone is a joyful stone bringing the warmth and comfort of the sun’s rays into dark or cold environments as well as conferring the warmth of love and compassion onto the wearer. It inspires us to nurture and take care of ourselves so that we can be of service to both the Divine and to others. It can restore zest for life and enthusiasm in everyday pursuits and activities, making it a particularly beneficial stone to turn to if you are feeling low in spirits or heading towards a more serious form of depression. It helps to counteract the negative effects of SAD (seasonally affective disorder) by replacing the light of the sun in our etheric bodies, and hence into the physical body. Sunstone provides a sense of abundance, both spiritual and material and is an excellent “good luck” talisman for competitions and showcasing your talents. It is believed to attract fame and prosperity and will help to provide motivation for those embarking on any form of physical activity or new fitness regime.
If you wear a pendant of Sunstone around your heart area this will help to align the wisdom and intuition of the heart with your intellectual or pragmatic choices and inspirations.
Sunstone is also a Barrier Filter, as was recognized by Ancient Indian cultures. This means that it confers and enhances our abilities to keep unwanted elements out of our lives. It can be used in psychic protection as its crystalline structure gives in strength in all directions, allowing it to provide all-round barriers and protection when used with this intent.
Sunstone as a talisman is very helpful if you wish to feel more optimistic and to see the beauty in everything around you on a daily basis. Sunstone crystals keep us focused on the good and the positive in situations and help us to resist the overwhelming nature of some forms of negative thinking or influences. Barrier Filter Crystals can also be very helpful to those who are sensitive to electromagnetic pollution from electronic devices.
SUNSTONE HEALING
SUNSTONE SPIRITUAL HEALING
Sunstone has strong affinities with people of faith, healers, teachers and those who act from a position of service to the world. It brings strength and comfort to those who work in extreme conditions, especially in the wake of natural disaster or armed conflict. It encourages us to act with grace and compassion towards our fellow human beings and for this reason it can be a great asset if you are embarking on program of spiritual growth and self-development.
As you would expect, Sunstone is closely aligned with Yang energy, balancing the Yin of Moonstone. When used or worn together a great sense of balance and harmony can be achieved in a spiritual sense, allowing used to feel totally grounded and also enveloped in the benevolent energy of the Universe.
SUNSTONE PHYSICAL HEALING
In a physical context Sunstone can be used to bring warmth to the whole body, increasing metabolic rate and amplifying the efficiency of the digestive and eliminative systems. It acts as a stimulant to a sluggish or exhausted system, enabling the body to begin the process of self-healing where necessary. It is particularly beneficial when used in conditions affecting the stomach and lungs as well as in providing relief from sore throats and inflamed sinuses. Any condition that is adversely affected by cold or wet weather will benefit from the application of Sunstone, so many people wear a bracelet or ring of Sunstone to help with arthritis of the wrist or fingers. Rub a smooth stone over other inflamed joints, such as knees or shoulders, or sew a piece of Sunstone into the waistband of any garment to alleviate tightness or discomfort in the gut and the area around the navel.
SUNSTONE EMOTIONAL HEALING
If you are emotionally dependent on others Sunstone can provide a source of strength to enable you to disentangle your emotions from theirs. It is therefore especially useful to those dealing with the negative aspects of a co-dependent relationship and will provide comfort and reassurance as you tackle the separation process. Likewise, if you have difficulty saying “no” to others, or find yourself in the position of permanent “people pleaser” you may find that working on these issues with Sunstone as your aid enables you to reach a more balanced and independent stance without too much disruption to those around you.
If you have possessive loved ones, or others in your life who constantly drain your energy, you might like to perform a full aura cleanse with Sunstone and various other cleansing crystals, as well as calling upon Archangel Michael to cut the ties and cords that bind you to another in an unhealthy way. Sunstone, along with stones of a dark or bright blue hue will be especially beneficial in a ritual of this nature, ensuring that the energetic hooks which need to be released are surrounded in positive, loving energy.
Sunstone encourages optimism and confidence as well as self-nurture, so it is a useful stone to employ if you feel yourself holding back through fear or self-doubt. It can melt away feelings of inadequacy or victimhood, replacing them with the courage and strength you require to alter your perceptions both of yourself and of others.
SUNSTONE MEDITATION
Meditating with Sunstone is a pleasurable experience as it brings in light and warmth to those who may be feeling fearful or hesitant. It can warm your whole body physically as you relax into a meditative state and if you place pieces of Sunstone on your brow and your solar plexus you will find that it amplifies your ability to see your way forward more clearly. Meditating on any issue that you may be facing can bring insights and solutions, and by aligning the intuition (third eye) with the gut (solar plexus) Sunstone can bring enlightenment and practical solutions to even the thorniest of problems. If your desired outcome is to connect more deeply with the higher realms and powers, Sunstone’s affinity with Divine White Fire will bring illumination and understanding during your meditation. Messages should become clearer and the feeling of connection to “all that is” can be very powerful when Sunstone is used to conduct thoughts and energies outward.
SUNSTONE BIRTHSTONE
Sunstone is not a traditional birthstone, but is a natural birthstone for those born in midsummer (July22- August 21)
SUNSTONE ZODIAC SIGN
Sunstone is associated with the Zodiac signs of Leo and Libra.
SUNSTONE CHAKRAS
Sunstone’s strong affinity with light and warmth, and its joyful, sunshine energy mean that it is beneficial to the whole Chakra system. It will clear and cleanse all the Chakras restoring joy to the spirit and strength and vitality to the body.
It is most beneficial to the Base or Root Chakra and the Sacral Chakra, although it also helps to balance the Solar Plexus Chakra when this area is feeling physically tight or uncomfortable.
Use Sunstone in shades of deep red or brown when working on the Base Chakra. This center is responsible for our feelings of material safety as well as being the foundation of our physical and spiritual energy. When the Base chakra is depleted or out of balance you are likely to feel lethargic and discontented, as well as physically tired, even exhausted or “burnt out”. Sometimes, when the Base Chakra is in need of healing, we feel disconnected from the world, flighty and ungrounded, with a tendency towards isolation and constant day dreaming. Perform a Chakra balance by placing Sunstone crystals on the two lower Chakras in order to direct the cleansing, healing energy primarily into the centers. You may feel a “shift” as these Chakras expand and begin to absorb the healing frequencies of the crystals. Breathe deeply and regularly during this process, taking your awareness into the Base and Sacral Chakras as you breathe in clear red/orange light and breathe put any impurities. In this way you will clear away any blockages and enable the two lower Chakras to raise their vibrations.
The Sacral Chakra is our center of gravity, keeping us grounded and stable both emotionally and physically. It is also our source of sexual energy, meaning that it control the vitality or Life Force within our bodies. When it is in need of healing or cleansing we may feel irritable with those around us, fearful of intimate or close relationships and generally frustrated with life in general. When we use the orange or golden forms of Sunstone to stimulate this Chakra we invite it to “wake up” and to add its influence to the energy flowing all through our bodies.
The Sacral Chakra needs to be in balance in order for us to maintain clear communications between the mind and the body. We can then make our choices from a place of both instinctual and intellectual wisdom. This leads to a wonderful sense of empowerment, enabling us to release our dependence on the opinions of others and to regain the confidence we need to take control of our own lives.
If you wish to use the paler shades of the Sunstone crystal in your Chakra balance, place one of these on your Solar Plexus and visualize the energies moving up from the Base Chakra, through the Sacral Center and into the Solar Plexus. We hold our “gut instincts” in the Solar Plexus, so it is important to keep this center clear and healthy as we are then able to make wise choices that are of benefit to all. Working on the three lower Chakras together can be a really helpful way of bringing you back into your body if you are engaged in a lot of cerebral activity. It will also be very useful to those who spend a lot of time doing spiritual work. It is important to stay grounded at these times, and giving attention to the lower Chakras, along with engaging in physical rather than mental activity every day is an excellent way of maintaining your own balance.
