Ina’s Crystal Corner: Selenite
Selenite is a variety of gypsum and a sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. Contrary to what you might think, it does not contain much (if any) Selenium despite the similarities in name (both of which come from the Greek word for “moon”). Most selenite is colorless or white in appearance and transparent, allowing some or most light to pass through the crystal. It forms in a monoclinic crystal system, meaning that it takes on a parallelogram prism-like shape. Selenite is INCREDIBLE for both gardening and metaphysical/spiritual purposes!
In terms of indoor gardening, selenite has easily become one of my favorite crystals to use thanks to how much it’s helped stimulate plant growth. There’s a growing number of studies that point to selenite being a good source of fertilizer for plant soil for a multitude of reasons. One reason is that selenite helps increase chlorophyll and soluble sugar content, promoting better photosynthesis and growth in plants. Some studies also point to selenium being helpful in protecting plants from various pathogens and promoting stress resistance. As a fertilizer, selenite is a great source of redistributing calcium and sulfur back into the soil. You can find selenite occurring naturally in evaporated seas, salt flats, caves, and former alkaline lake muds.
Selenite is thought to assist with calming one’s mind and environment by improving mental clarity. It also encourages users to be honest with themselves about their actions and what they might want. This crystal is frequently used as a form of protection from negativity. Due to its high vibrational energy, selenite is often used to cleanse/charge other crystals and amplify their energies as well. While most crystal tend to charge in the sun, selenite works well with both the sun and the moon. This makes it great for charging other crystals associated with the night or moon. While selenite comes from the Greek word for moonstone, it should not be confused with the feldspar mineral Moonstone, although they do sometimes look similar when tumbled. As a Cancer sun, it’s no surprise to me that I have such an affinity for these moon related crystals. Overall, selenite gets my stamp of approval for both gardening and spiritual uses!
