Cleansing a stone in moonlight: a gentle method, facts and traditions

Why this method is the gentlest

The Moon produces no light of its own: it reflects a small part of the Sun's light. Its surface reflects on average about 12% of the light it receives (this is its albedo). As a result, a full moon lights a clear night with roughly a quarter of a lux, while direct sunlight delivers about 100,000 lux. The difference is on the order of 400,000 times (this is an order-of-magnitude estimate, derived from the difference in brightness between the Sun and the full Moon).

In practice, under moonlight a stone receives practically no ultraviolet rays and no heat. It therefore does not fade, unlike what happens in sunlight. If you have a stone that dislikes light, such as amethyst, rose quartz or kunzite, or a fragile stone, the moon is an option that carries no risk of discoloration.

Lunar traditions

In the modern stone tradition, the moon is associated with water, cycles, night and intuition. A gesture of “rest” and “purification” for stones is therefore often linked to it. Practices vary from one author to another:

• Full moon: the most cited for purification. See the full moon.
• New moon: preferred by some, to start afresh. See the new moon.
• Waxing or waning moon: sometimes associated with “charging” or “discharging.”

These associations are symbolic, not scientific, and they differ from one source to another. To understand the phases themselves, see the moon guide: the full cycle lasts about 29.5 days (synodic month).

How to do it, step by step

1. Check the phase with a lunar calendar or an astronomy app.
2. Choose the spot: an indoor windowsill is safest. Outdoors, place the stones on a tray, under a shelter.
3. Place the stones on a cloth or a small tray, without stacking them.
4. Leave them overnight (from nightfall until morning).
5. Take them back in the morning, before the sun rises over the window, and wipe them.

A variation: place only one stone, hold it for a moment before setting it down, and state an intention. See simple moon rituals.

Risks of spending the night outdoors

• Humidity and dew: in the morning, droplets can settle on the stones. Selenite, angelite, howlite and porous stones fear water: keep them indoors.
• Rain and frost: water that freezes in a crack can split a stone. Do not leave stones outside in sub-zero temperatures.
• Wind, animals, falls: a bird, a cat, a gust of wind or a child can knock over or carry off a stone. Secure them or bring them under cover.
• Loss and theft: do not leave a valuable stone on a balcony or in an open garden.
• Transparent spheres: a sphere placed near a window in the morning can focus the first rays of the sun. Take it back before sunrise.

What science says about the moon

The Moon does cause tides, but its supposed effects on the human body are much less certain. In 2013, a Swiss study led by Christian Cajochen and colleagues, published in Current Biology, reported that around the full moon, 33 volunteers sleeping in a laboratory without windows took longer to fall asleep and slept about twenty minutes less. The authors themselves noted that the interpretation still needed confirmation, and other work has found no link between the moon and human behaviour. Nothing therefore allows us to claim that the moon affects your sleep, your mood or your stones.

A ten-minute lunar ritual

1. Late in the evening, place your stones on the tray, near the window.
2. Open a notebook and write down what you want to leave behind and what you wish to welcome.
3. Look at the moon through the window if the sky is clear, for a few minutes, breathing slowly.
4. Turn off the light and let the stones spend the night.
5. In the morning, reread your notes before putting the stones away.

This ritual mainly helps you settle at the end of the day. It is the same whether or not the moon is visible.

Choosing this method

Moonlight suits fragile stones (opal, turquoise, amber) and those that fade (amethyst, rose quartz), provided they stay away from humidity. To compare with other methods, see the purification table; if you would rather use water, salt or smoke, see water, salt and smoke.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Care and safety for stones.