[Different colors of pearls, one of the birthstones of June.]
THE
METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF JUNE BIRTHSTONES
“Who
comes with summer to this earth,
And owes to June her hour of birth,
With ring of agate on her hand
Can health, wealth, and long life command.”
And owes to June her hour of birth,
With ring of agate on her hand
Can health, wealth, and long life command.”
~”June”,
from a 19th century birthstone poem~
What
is a birthstone? Where do the listings originate?
A
birthstone is a gem associated with each month, believed to bring
good luck to those born during it. The 18th century
jeweler Jean Henri Prosper Pouget believed the custom originated in
16th century Germany, while the 20th century
mineralogist George Kunz suggested 18th century Poland
instead. Because the historical evidence is so limited, both origins
are speculative. Both authors theorize the birthstones were first
modeled on lists of gemstones in the Bible, said to symbolize
specific zodiac signs, religious figures, and virtues by later
authors.
The
modern birthstones originate in 1912, after the National Association
of Jewelers met to standardize the list, which varied greatly between
older sources. Subsequently alternate stones have been added, as
they became available in the market.
What
are the June birthstones?
Pearl
and moonstone are the modern birthstones for June, alexandrite was
added in 1952. Older sources list agate and emerald instead. Each
stone is thought to symbolically represent something about the month.
Both pearl and moonstone are associated with the Moon, which rules
the zodiac sign Cancer (~June 21st - July 22nd),
while alexandrite, agate, and emerald are all associated with
Mercury, which rules the zodiac sign Gemini (~May 20th –
June 20th).
Pearl:
A pearl is an organic object produced by certain molluscs, most
notably the oyster. They form to protect the animal from injury or a
foreign body, wrapping it in layers of the minerals calcite and
aragonite and the protein conchiolin. Natural pearls are a rare
occurrence and were once the most precious jewelry material
available, known as the “queen of gems”. In the early 1900's
techniques were developed in Japan to produce cultured pearls, which
made them available to the greater public.
Because
of their white color, biological purpose, and layers, pearls
represent purification, spiritual protection, and the overcoming of
obstacles. Since they come from the ocean and are round like the
Moon, they are lunar symbols, connected to the emotions, romance, and
traits culturally associated with the feminine like intuition.
Pearls are also said to have a calming effect, just like they help
the oyster with an irritant, or are used to reveal and pacify the
root of a personal wound.
Moonstone:
The name moonstone comes from the1st
century CE Roman naturalist Pliny,
who described a mineral named selenitis
(Latin, “stone
of the Moon”), said to change its appearance
based upon the phase of the Moon.
Today the term refers to stones that display a
certain optical effect, a sheen that moves across their surface,
rather than a particular mineral. Those with a
blue or white flash are
orthoclase or albite
feldspars, or an intergrowth of both, while
those with a rainbow flash are a variety
of labradorite instead, with
a colorless background. The
shimmer is produced by light reflecting off and between the layers of
the mineral.
As
the name suggests, moonstone is connected to the Moon, taking much of
its metaphysical properties from its symbolism. It is used to
support personal growth during changes, safe travel, especially over
water or at night traditionally, and romance. Because the Moon
symbolizes women in many cultures, it represents all things feminine,
from the Divine Feminine, fertility and menstruation, to traits
culturally associated with the gender, like emotion, intuition, and
creativity. Finally minerals with optical effects are associated
with contemplative states of being, like inspiration, meditation, and
devotion.
Alexandrite:
Alexandrite is a rare
color changing variety of the mineral
chrysoberyl. Known as the “emerald by day, ruby by night”, it
appears green to greenish blue in sunlight and red to pinkish purple
in candle light. It also displays pleochroism,
appearing to be a different color when seen at
different angles, in the same light.
It was first discovered in Russia in
the early 19th
century. Originally called
diaphanite (Greek “two” and “unseen, appearance”), it
was later renamed in honor of Czar Alexander II. Its
optical effects are due to trace amounts of chromium replacing some
of the aluminum in its crystal structure.
Because
of its color changing ability in natural or artificial light,
alexandrite is associated with balancing the material and spiritual,
psychic gifts, and altered
states of consciousness like dreams, meditation, and shamanic
journeys. Both green stones
and those with multiple colors were historically ruled by Mercury,
the planet of communication, the mental realm, and everyday life. In
contemporary metaphysical sources, Alexandrite's red
to purple and green to greenish blue coloring suggests it integrates
the physical world, spirituality, feeling, and thinking. It
also symbolizes good luck, abundance, and balanced relationships.
Agate:
Agate is
a
banded
variety
of chalcedony, a form of quartz that grows in masses rather than
points. Chalcedony
is the mother of many gemstones,
given
different names depending on its appearance:
onyx is black or black white chalcedony, carnelian is red,
chrysoprase is green, etc. The
different colors are caused by inclusions of other minerals. Some
forms of agate are more porous and may be dyed.
Throughout
antiquity agate was engraved to make amulets and seals. When pressed
into wax or clay, their images made documents official and protected
goods by proving ownership. Seals were important symbols of
authority, so agate came to
represent victory, public
favor, and protection. Because of its hardness and resistance to
most acids, agate is
used to make mortars and
pestles for medicine, so it also came to symbolize healing,
longevity, and fortitude. Historically stones with multiple colors
were ruled by Mercury, which
further associated agate with business, mental clarity, and spiritual
defense.
Emerald:
Emerald is
a rare green
variety of the mineral beryl, colored by trace inclusions of the
metal chromium. Some
sources also include stones
colored by vanadium. Beryl
colored green by iron is more common, but
has a much less vibrant
color, and is
known as “green beryl” instead. Like
chalcedony, beryl is the mother of many gemstones, given different
names depending on its appearance: aquamarine is blue beryl, heliodor
is yellow, morganite is pink, etc.
Traditionally
green and blue gemstones represented the life giving qualities of
water and its role in plant growth. Therefore emerald symbolizes
abundance, well being, and the transmutation of negativity, since
it was once believed to be an antidote to poisons.
In antiquity it was sacred to Venus and other love goddesses,
connecting it to romance, fidelity, and balancing partnerships. Finally
both emerald and beryl have historical associations with spiritual
and physical sight, used to create both gazing spheres for divination
and eye glasses, before advances in glass lenses.
Copyright C. L.
Matthews, 2012
[Image Source: Wikipedia Commons]
[Image Source: Wikipedia Commons]