Published May 2014  •  Updated February 2024  •  Read Time: 7 minutes
Moonstone is an ancient name for a variety of iridescent Feldspar minerals.  They are typically white stones with a silvery-white, blue or full prismatic rainbow that shines on the surface.  They can also be black or orange, with a silvery-white shimmer.  Sunstones are the same minerals, the difference is that they are reliably orange stones with a golden or orange iridescence.  Moonstones have been linked to the moon and to goddess energy for centuries, making it a particularly popular stone for exploring feminine energies.  It is one of the most powerful stones for female fertility and is recommended during pregnancy as well as labor & delivery.

Rainbow Moonstone

Moonstone Meaning

Spiritual Healing Properties

Moonstone evokes the Goddess and the energy of the crescent and full moon. It invites us to dance in sensual celebration and to be comfortable exploring the many mysteries of the world. It can be used in tantric and other sexual rituals to sanctify the rites of love and pleasure. It ignites our most vibrant psychic powers, awakening and strengthening our intuition and encouraging all aspects of empowered femininity. Moonstone washes away the toxic stigmas and labels that have slandered women for centuries. It illuminates our true beauty, bestowing upon us a feeling of pride, joy and understanding. As a stone of new beginnings, it shines a bright and kind light on our all our dreams and helps us to chart a clear path forward. It provides protection and good fortune to travelers and anyone starting off on a new chapter in life. It invites us to know the Goddess in all her many faces and ages, and to see the goddess in every woman.

Metaphysical Properties Moonstone
Chakra Sacral, Third Eye, and Crown
Element Wind
Numerology 4
Zodiac Cancer, Libra, Scorpio

Emotional Healing Properties

Moonstone encourages us to connect with others heart-to-heart and to speak openly of the yearnings of our mind, body and soul.  It helps us to sort through our emotions and understand them better, both at the surface level, as well as the hidden undercurrents.  It calms overreactions and helps us to safely explore our emotional triggers and patterns.  It encourages us to release negative energies if they serve no purpose and to always be receptive to blessings and goodness.  Moonstone reminds us that life is a series of cycles and that to all times there is a season, and if we are wise, we honor and enjoy each passing moment.  It also teaches us the value of patience, and to wait for the “right time” rather than trying to force something to come to pass.  It also celebrates female connections and feminine energy, making it a powerful tool for explore the maternal line as well as for strengthen female friendships and family ties.  It asks us to trust that we will be supported by the people who love us.  But if we can’t find the support we need in our original family and friends, it encourages us to look elsewhere until we find our tribe and our soulmates.

Mental Healing Properties

Moonstone is a stone of sudden inspiration and intuitive knowing. It encourages us to wild levels of creativity and flexibility and helps us to be more spontaneous and open to serendipity. But, if our creative musing veer too far into the fantastical, it helps us to enjoy the ideas, but wait until the hard light of day before we take action. If someone wants to talk to us, Moonstone helps us to be emotionally supportive and give helpful advice. It makes us more conscious of power dynamics between people and encourages us to treat everyone with a healthy level of respect. If we find ourselves in a toxic situation, it strongly reminds us to prioritize our own mental health, even if that means leaving the relationship. If we do need to leave, it helps us stay calm and do what needs to be done. It reminds us that this difficult choice, is only a brief moment in our lives, and that better times will be ours again. Moonstone is a phenomenal talisman for astronomers, astrologers, and anyone who is always looking up!

Physical Healing Properties

Moonstone is fantastic stone for reproductive health and wellbeing. It is highly recommended for women who hope to get pregnant, are currently pregnant, are heading into labor & delivery and for post-partum as well. It connects women with Mother Goddess energy to create and nurture new life. It also connects women with all the mothers that came before them, and will come after, tapping into a sisterhood of support and understanding. Moonstone doesn’t idealize pregnancy or motherhood, but neither does it exaggerate the problems. Instead it helps women take a sensible approach and feel supported for the real pain and pleasure of this journey, both its ordinary and extraordinary moments. It is a also great talisman for women struggling with issues related to hormones and the pineal gland, menstruation, menopause or endometriosis. It helps us to assess what is normal and tolerable in hormonal fluctuations vs what is concerning and requires additional healthcare support. It firmly encourages us to be our own healthcare advocate and to not allow other people, including healthcare professionals, downplay our physical symptoms.

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Moonstone Mineralogy

Where does Moonstone come from?

Most of the Moonstones on the market come from India, Madagascar and Sri Lanka.  Other notable deposits are in Australia, Austria, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United States

Mining and Treatments

Moonstones are typically mined at their primary deposits which still have their original relationship with the host rock. Most of the Rainbow Moonstone come from artisanal miners working small shafts dug out by hand.

Moonstones have a natural iridescence that is enhanced by cutting and polishing.

Moonstone Placeholder
Moonstone

The Environmental & Social Impact of Crystals

Your crystals should have a healing energy that is clean, powerful, & makes a positive difference.

Mineral Family

Moonstone is a name used to describe a variety of Feldspar minerals which show a white, silver or rainbow iridescence.  Feldspars are silicates, minerals which contain the elements Silicon (a light gray shiny metal) and Oxygen (a colorless gas). Together, these two elements form a tetrahedron – a shape similar to a pyramid – with a Silicon atom in the center and Oxygen atoms at each of the four corners. These tetrahedra connect with other chemical structures, in six different ways, to form various minerals and rocks. There are six main groups of Silicate minerals, and these main groups are further subdivided into secondary subdivisions, such as Quartz and Feldspar.  Scientifically, Moonstone can be any of the following minerals: Orthoclase, Anorthoclase, Oligoclase or Adularia.

Moonstone’s energy works well with its family – other Feldspar minerals.  Try it in combination with Amazonite, Labradorite, and Sunstone.  If working with a white variety, try it with Black Moonstone and Peach Moonstone.

Moonstone Formation and Crystal Associates

Moonstone can be formed through igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic processes. Its most famous feature is an iridescence which may be white, blue, or a full rainbow. This shimmer is called the “schiller effect” and is caused by tiny layers of various Feldspar minerals (most notably Albite) which are laid down during the crystallization process.

Moonstone’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Aquamarine, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Spessartine Garnet, and Topaz

Mineralogy Moonstone
Chemical Formula Various
Cleavage Perfect
Color White, with iridescence
Crystal System Monoclinic
Form/Habit Short prismatic
Fracture Conchoidal to uneven, brittle
Hardness – Mohs Scale 6-6.5
Luminescence None
Luster Vitreous
Mineral Family Feldspar
Specific Gravity 2.6
Streak White
Transparency Transparent to opaque

History of Moonstone

Moonstone has been a prized gemstone for centuries. Unlike most healing stones, it isn’t a single mineral or a rock, but rather the title given to a variety of Feldspars that show a shimmering iridescence. Most Moonstones are white or cream colored, but they can also be peach or black.  As the name reveals, it has been closely associated with the moon since antiquity.

The oldest historical reference to Moonstone comes from Pliny the Elder (CE 23-79), a Roman author, naturalist, and philosopher. In his lapidary, The Natural History of Precious Gemstones, Pliny the Elder wrote that Moonstone, “contain[s] the image of the moon, which, if the story are true, daily waxes and wanes according to the state of the luminary.” The idea that the gem would change in size and luster according to the phases of the moon was repeated in numerous other ancient and medieval lapidaries. In the 16th century, this legend was even “proven” by Antoine Mizuald, an Italian scientist who studied a Moonstone owned by Pope Leo X (1475-1521). According to Mizuald, he carefully recorded the changing size and the position of the shimmer on the gemstone and compared them to the moon in the sky. His research led him to conclude that there was in fact a direct correspondence between the gemstone and the lunar orb.

Because Moonstone has long been tied to the moon and lunar cycles, it is no surprise that it is often considered a particularly powerful talisman for women and feminine energies. It has long been associated with soothing menstrual discomfort, enhancing fertility, and easing the pains of childbirth.  Rainbow Moonstone and Peach Moonstone are associated with the full moon and crescent moon, while Black Moonstone is associated with the dark moon and connects us with the Dark Goddess, queen of Witches and the Sacred Mysteries.

Moon Mother, Moonstone

Moon Mother

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