And as Ashley Leavy, founder and educational director of the Love and Light School of Crystal Therapy, previously explained to mbg, birthstones also have roots in Western astrology and Ayurveda. In fact, she says, the reason the National Association of Jewelers standardized all the American birthstones just over 100 years ago was that so many different traditions had different birthstone options for each month. Nowadays, birthstones remain popular as a go-to gift option for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and more. As far as which one June babies should claim as their own, it’s a personal decision, as Leavy always recommends working with stones you feel a resonance or connection with. If you’re looking to purchase a birthstone gift for someone else, learning more about the meaning and symbolism behind each should help you pick. “Though they’re not made through geologic processes, we do still use pearls in crystal healing,” Leavy tells mbg. “They do have a long, long history of traditional use and lore,” she adds. And as Leavy adds, pearls also have a strong association with the moon. “This association makes sense because it literally looks like a tiny moon—it’s brilliant, and shining, and lustrous,” she says, adding, “the ancient Greeks and Romans believed this stone was actually formed from the light of the moon.” In astrology, the moon also rules the sign of Cancer, further connecting it to the month of June. (Cancer season begins toward the end of June.) It’s also associated with Monday or “moon day,” Leavy says, so it’s “particularly auspicious to work with pearl Mondays.” Because pearls (both natural and cultivated) can run a bit pricey, Leavy tells mbg that more affordable mother-of-pearl is a good option to substitute as well. Things like hair spray or other cosmetics can tarnish them, so keep that in mind too. And if you do want to give your pearls a cleaning, simply wiping them with a cotton cloth will do the trick. Alexandrite is a color-changing variety of chrysoberyl, achieving its optical phenomenon thanks to “pleochroism.” (Pleochroism basically happens when something changes color, depending on the light and angles.) “Because of its ability to totally change color, it can go from a reddish purple to a greenish color,” Leavy tells mbg. Further, “If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation that you’re not a fan of, it allows you to make the best of things in the meantime,” she says. Then, as you’re creating time and space to sort things out or come up with a backup plan, alexandrite can even bring clarity and messages through to you about how to deal with the situation. “It helps you take those emotions and direct them in a really useful and productive way by taking action,” Leavy notes. And because of this, in modern crystal healing, alexandrite is also associated with promoting positive change and transformation. Because this is a pricier stone, Leavy says you could substitute it with another variety of chrysoberyl, such as cat’s eye chrysoberyl, to achieve a similar spiritual effect. In Eastern cultures, it’s been thought of as a symbol of good luck for generations and was used in jewelry in ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It was also closely tied to lunar spirituality and deities, feminine energy, and even fertility. Not only that, but when emotions get turbulent, moonstone can help you “ride the waves,” so to speak. “It really helps you step into your own tenderness and become really nurturing of yourself and of others, and it helps you open up to your intuition and be guided by your own inner guidance,” Leavy adds. If you’re into any sort of moon rituals or water rituals, she also notes this is the stone to incorporate. “It’s great for actually facilitating and enhancing a connection with the energies of the moon,” she notes, adding it can “open you up to the influences of the water element, which is deeply connected with emotions, intuition, and cleansing.” And you can work with this stone the entire month of June, not just Cancer season, because according to Leavy, moonstone is also associated with Gemini (and Gemini season runs through the beginning of June), as well as Scorpio. Nevertheless, go for whatever technique you most prefer, and of course, be sure to store it somewhere safe when you’re not using it to avoid any tarnishing.
