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Sunstone cabochons from India.
Sunstone
is a sodium calcium aluminum
silicate by chemical
composition. It has a hardness
of 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale.
Sunstone is found in many places
in the world, including Canada,
Madagascar, India, Russia,
Norway and the USA.
The
optical effect appears to be due
to reflections from inclusions
of red copper,
in the form of minute scales, which are hexagonal, rhombic,
or irregular in shape, and are
disposed parallel to the
principal cleavage-plane.
These inclusions give the stone
an appearance something like
that of
aventurine,
hence sunstone is known also as
"aventurine-feldspar." The
optical effect called shriller
and the color in Oregon Sunstone
is due to copper. The middle
part of this crystal sparkles,
and usually the color is darkest
in the middle and becomes
lighter toward the outer edges.
The
feldspar which usually displays
the aventurine appearance is plagioclases
Plagioclases, though the effect
is sometimes seen in orthoclase:
hence two kinds of sunstone are
distinguished as "Plagioclases
sunstone" and "orthoclase
sunstone
Metaphysically, Sunstone is
known for its powerful
connection to the light and
power of the sun. Sunstone
brings light to all situations,
and carrying a piece around with
you can help your personal power
to "shine." Once known as a
stone of good luck, Sunstone has
a bright, joyful energy that
increases vitality and lightens
dark moods.
Sunstone helps empower those who
feel persecuted or abandoned by
others instilling confidence,
optimism, encouraging
motivation, and positive action.
Sunstone is also useful in
removing energy-draining ties to
you or "hooks" into your energy
by other people.
Sunstone is a great stone for
the Solar Plexus Chakra, but can
clear and energize all chakras.
Sunstone was used by the
Canadian Indians in medicine
wheel rituals, by the ancient
Greeks to represent the Sun
Gods, and in ancient India for
protection from dark forces from
other realms |
