Sunstone: meaning, uses and care

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

Sunstone holds a sunset inside: warm orange, peach or red feldspar scattered with glittering flecks that flash when you turn it. It is the daylight partner of moonstone, and modern witches use it for joy, energy, confidence and the courage to be seen.

At a glance

How witches use sunstone today

Modern Sunstone is a stone for days when you need to shine.

Confidence. Wear or carry sunstone to presentations, performances or interviews. It pairs naturally with my confidence spell.

Joy in dark months. In northern winters, when the sun barely rises, a sunstone on the windowsill or worn close to the skin is a small promise of returning light.

Sun and moon. Cunningham links sunstone symbolically with moonstone. Witches place one on each side of the altar to balance active and receptive energies.

Energy. Cunningham lists energy and health. Hold sunstone in the morning while you plan the day.

Midsummer. Sunstone belongs on a Litha altar with sunflowers, oranges and gold candles.

Tarot pairing. I pair sunstone with The Sun: warmth, visibility and uncomplicated joy.

Journal prompt. Where am I hiding my light because I am afraid of being seen?

Try this: a morning sun ritual

1. At sunrise, or whenever you wake, stand by a window with your sunstone.
2. Tilt the stone in the light until it flashes.
3. Name one thing you will do today that is a little brave.
4. Say: “I let myself be seen.”
5. Carry the stone through the day and note in the evening how the brave thing went.

Folklore and history

Historical Cunningham notes that the sunstone of older magic was a feldspar imported from India, which glittered like an orange opal.

Later tradition In the Renaissance, according to Cunningham, sunstone was set in gold and worn to bring the Sun’s influence to the magician.

Modern Oregon sunstone, a transparent feldspar with glittering copper inclusions, has become one of the best-known modern sunstones. The GIA notes its colours do not result from treatment. Some writers also link sunstone with the “sunstones” of Viking navigation, but those were probably a different, clear mineral, so I keep that story separate.

Care and safety

Sunstone is fairly hard but has cleavage, so avoid hard knocks. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush; avoid ultrasonic cleaners. Keep small stones away from children and pets. Sunstone is a reminder to seek light, not a therapy.

Ethics and buying

Sunstone-like glass, often sold as “goldstone,” is man-made and glitters with copper flakes. It is lovely but not sunstone. Some red feldspar on the market has been treated with copper diffusion. Ask the seller what the stone is and where it came from.

What next

Pair sunstone with moonstone for balance, or carnelian for courage. See my beginner’s guide to crystals.