The Birthstones:
June has many different birthstones with a wide variety of origins and properties. Which birthstone you honor depends on your point of view in life :) .
Agate:
The origin of Agate as a birthstone for June dates back to Gregorian times, and is the most traditional birthstone for this month. On a Gregorian Calendar, one will find the poem below touting Agate's properties for those born in June.
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.
Agate is a variant of quartz, comes in a wide variety of colors, with or without stripes, can be found all over the world, and has a wide range of uses, from jewelry to pottery.
Agate is said to imbue its bearer with protection, strength, and harmony. Ancient cultures often used Agate to support a good harvest. Agate has also been associated w/magic in ancient societies, used to render the bearer invisible or to remove curses and spells.
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Vintage Antique Akro Agate Pot
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Modern times, however, dictate that Pearl, Moonstone, and Alexandrite are the birthstones for June.
Moonstone: |
| The Moonstone is the Mystical birthstone for June and can trace it's origins as a birthstone back to ancient Tibet. Ancient Tibetans believed that the birthstone can help the bearer overcome the hardships of their birth month (personality traits that may not be, shall we say, the most productive), and Moonstone is said to bring a sense of calm and harmony to its wearer.
In ancient folklore, Moonstone is thought to bring fortune, happiness to lovers, and is often associated w/the moon goddesses.
Moonstone is a pearly, opalescent feldspar that can range in color from white to pink to blue. Commonly used in jewelry, Moonstone can also be found as a part of the decoration on a wide variety of products.
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Pearl:
The Ayurvedic birthstone for June is the pearl and hails from an ancient Indian practice of natural medicine. This philosophy believes that the birthstones have natural healing powers and can counter the effects of bad karma. Pearls are said to bring modesty, chastity, and loyalty to the wearer.
Ancient Chinese Folklore tells us that when dragons fight, Pearls will fall from the sky. Pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods, particularly that of Aphrodite, by the Ancient Greeks.
Pearl, made of calcium carbonate, is a mass produced w/in an oyster or clam as a response to what the organism perceives as an internal irritant and/or foreign, dangerous substance. Pearls are most commonly used in jewelry, but can be also found as part of an inlaid decoration. The term is also often used to describe a color.
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Both Moonstone & Pearl are Modern birthstones, as dictated by the organization, the Jewelers of American. |
Alexandrite:
Deriving its name from the Russian Tsar, Alexander II, Alexandrite was discovered in 1834 and symbolizes good fortune, success, and happiness. Because Alexandrite is extremely rare, it is most often found as a simulated, or lab grown, specimen. Alexandrite is a prized gemstone for the use in jewelry because it changes color from reds to greens. |
The Signs:
The two astrological signs for June are Gemini (May 21st- June 20th) and Cancer (June 21st-July 22nd). People born under Gemini, the Twins, are said to be intellectual and very communicative. People born under Cancer, the Crab, are said to be emotional and protective.
7 comments:
fun post.
This is a facinating post! Thank you for putting this together.
Thanks for the great post!
...wow...I loved this post, and I appreciate being a small part of it! I didn't know about half of what you discovered and found it very interesting...Kathryn
cherrylippedroses
Great info here! Thanks!
Interesting AND informative. Thanks for such a GREAT post, Kim!
What a neat way to search for goodies!
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