SELENITE.
The Cosmic Cleanser
Selenite channels the cosmic magick of the lunar Goddess Selene, unblocking pathways, creating positivity and space for healing. Selenite is the crystal for purification and cleansing, one of the rare crystals that is self-cleansing with the ability to cleanse other crystals too. It can help remove and release the build-up of negative energies, and be used to refresh your Aura. Connected to the Crown Chakra, Selenite is all about helping you find your path to a state of higher consciousness. So grab some Selenite and go dance under the next Full Moon.
The name Selenite comes from the Greek word for ‘moon’ - selḗnē. In ancient Greek mythology, Selene was the Goddess of the Moon, the personification of the celestial body. This is why Selenite is so closely associated with the Moon and Moon-based rituals and ceremonies. It was believed that Selenites’ power ebbed and flowed with the waxing and waning cycles of the moon.
Selene (1880), by impressionist artist Albert Aublet.
Personification of the Moon on her chariot (1633), engraving by Claude Mellan, Pietro da Cortona and Stefano Paulini.
© The Rijksmuseum
Selenite is a variety of the mineral gypsum. There are various crystalline varieties of gypsum, including Selenite (generally colourless and transparent but can be opaque in a massive or prismatic/tabular cluster), Satin Spar (fibrous and often confused with Selenite), Gypsum Flower (rosettes or curling strands of fibrous crystals), and Desert Rose (bladed/lenticular rosettes with a sandy colour and grainy surface).
Satin Spar with a peach coloured top ‘crust’ caused by Iron impurities.
Desert Rose var. Selenite, Morocco.
Selenite Prismatic ‘Floater’ Cluster, Templeuve Quarry, Templeuve-en-Pévèle, France.
Selenite Tabular Cluster, Germany.
Selenite and the Gypsum varieties can come in a range of colours, usually peach, orange, brown, and grey, depending on the impurities and their quantity in the crystal. For example, Peach Selenite gets its colour from Iron impurities.
Selenite occurs around the world, with interesting specimens coming from Germany, Morocco, the US, Mexico, Canada, and Peru. The most famous Selenite crystals are the giants that grew over 500,000 years ago in the hot and mineral-rich environment of the Naica Mine caves, Chihuahua, Mexico. The longest of which has been measured at 11 meters.
Cave of the Crystals, in Nacia, Mexico. Image taken by Alexander Van Driessche.
Buyer’s Guide to Selenite
Private Buyers
I have broken the buyers’ guide down into two groups, spiritual buyers and mineral collectors:
Spiritual Buyers: If you would like some Selenite for its metaphysical properties, I would recommend two options to get you started.
1. Polished Selenite Wand - This is an extremely versatile tool. You can use it to cleanse your aura, unblock Chakras, activate crystal grids, and cleanse the energy of a space. When you aren’t actively using it, you can place it on a windowsill to draw in lunar magick, or place it in a bowl of crystals to cleanse them en masse.
2. Large Selenite Sphere - These make for the most amazing Keystones for moon ritual crystal grids or where you want to call in the power of the Goddess Selene. They look fabulous on altars, attracting moon energy and blessings. They work great in your home for emitting 360-degree purification energy fields. And they look fucking cool. Look for a high-shine polish and try to find one that displays a cat’s eye effect known as chatoyancy.
If you would like to take things a little further, then a raw stick of Selenite placed on a windowsill works continuously to rid the space of negative energy and invite in lunar magick. Selenite tea lights (image below in retail buyers guide section) make for a very boujee and delightful glowy ambience in a home or on an altar. A Selenite bowl makes for a superb jewellery dish, which will cleanse your jewellery of negative energy build-up after every wear.
Crystal Connoisseurs & Mineral Collectors: Selenite can be relatively cheap in its massive habit, either raw or polished, but if you want a special piece for your cabinet of curiosities, you will have to stretch your budget a little further. My top three recommendations for Selenite specimens would be:
1. Selenite Cluster - try to get one with large, transparent prismatic crystals. They usually form in a ‘floater’ with crystals radiating out from the centre. There is a picture of these at the top of the page. ($$-$$$)
2. High-grade, fully transparent Selenite crystal from Mexico. ($$$$)
3. ‘Rams’ Horn’ Gypsum Flower (it may also be sold as a Selenite Flower). These are long strips of curled crystals. You can often buy them as single crystals, or if you are very lucky, as a little cluster of them. ($$-$$$$ depending on size)
Retail Buyers
Generally, Selenite sells well. It is a relatively cheap crystal to stock, so you can offer your clients good value. The beautiful white sheen and moon connection make it a popular crystal.
There is a lot of choice when it comes to stocking Selenite. Most of the Selenite, particularly in the European market, is from Morocco. You can usually find it at your local crystal wholesaler, or find a direct supplier in Morocco. Do be aware that if you are directly importing large quantities of Selenite, it is heavy and bulk shipping charges can be high. You will also suffer a certain percentage of breakage, which the seller may or may not reimburse. You need to factor this in if you plan to import it from Morocco yourself rather than shopping with a local wholesaler who has to take that risk themselves.
Choose which formats of Selenite to sell carefully, try to minimise delicate or very breakable pieces if you have an online store where you are shipping it to clients yourself or via a fulfilment centre. Package it well. Unless you are willing to drop kick the package across the floor, then you haven’t packed it well enough.
Large Selenite Spheres were our number one selling Selenite format in-store. They were approx. 8 cm, Selenite spheres, which can retail for around €20-25. These are perfect for moon rituals and altars, and our clients loved them. Beautiful and large, these were hot sellers. Try to buy spheres with a highly polished surface and avoid any damaged ones like the plague. These are probably the variety of satin spar as they often exhibit a cat’s eye effect known as chatoyancy.
Selenite Wands are another top seller online amongst all the crystals we used to sell. Clients can use them for cleansing their aura, activating a crystal grid, or cleansing a sacred space. Palm-length wands can easily retail for around €10-15 and will sell well.
Selenite Tea lights!! Square or rounded, they give off the most ethereal glow when you pop a tea light in them. They used to fly off the shelves in the Amsterdam store, I felt like I was constantly restocking these and the spheres more than any other crystal. Always check them for external damage and make sure that they have been drilled to the right size so that a tea light candle can easily be inserted AND removed.
Selenite Tea Light Cube from wholesaler, Brazilian Curiousa, Soest, The Netherlands.
If you would like smaller format Selenite, the price rises per gram a bit. Tumbles and palm stones can break when being shaped, so there is a lot of wastage when they are produced, increasing the wholesale price. If you would like to stock these, then look for high-grade with a great surface shine. You can also get palm stones with symbols laser cut into their surface, which are also very popular, but again, can be pricy. They can retail for the same as one of the large spheres, so they often don’t feel as good a value to customers.
Long, flat, Selenite Altars with moon phases and chakras laser cut into their surface are also popular. Raw Selenite sticks can make great alternatives to polished wands, as good value, au naturel wands.
XXL Selenite Pillar Lamps are becoming increasingly popular. These can be heavy, so factor that into your client shipping costs. If you do decide to sell these, make sure they have a lamp attachment that works for your region, that it comes with a bulb, and that there is an appropriate wire groove cut into the base of the Selenite lamp so that the whole thing stands straight.
Selenite disc plates or bowls are fabulous and make amazing little altars for cleansing other crystals and jewellery. Large or small, they are great for interior decoration. However, they can break; you will probably get the biggest breakage issues from these formats. As Selenite/Satin Spar is fibrous, it can snap/shear along these fibrous lines if it gets knocked or is exposed to too much pressure. This is especially true of the bowls.
In summary, stocking Selenite is a great option for most crystal or spiritual stores. It has a good margin and is a popular seller. Just handle it with care, especially if you have an online store and need to ship it to clients.
If you have a specialist mineral store, I would also carry the Selenite Spheres, but add some unusual habitats such as small prismatic Selenite floater clusters or ram's horn gypsum flowers.
Quick Guide | Selenite
Zodiac: Selenite is associated with the zodiac signs Taurus and Cancer.
Ruling Planet: The ruling planet or celestial body for Selenite is the Moon.
Chakra: Selenite is associated with the Crown (Sahastrara) Chakra.
Element: Selenite is aligned with the element of Water.
Crystal Charging: Selenite can be charged overnight under the light of a Full Moon. Selenite is one of the rare crystals that is self-cleansing and can, in fact, cleanse other crystals if they are placed in contact with it.
Crystal Elixir: Selenite is not water-safe. While it can withstand a quick clean, soaking Selenite will degrade the crystal quite quickly.
Crystal Care: Polished Selenite can be given a very quick clean with lukewarm soapy water; however, try to avoid getting it wet if you can. Never, ever soak it. Instead, clean Selenite with a soft, dry cloth or a soft makeup brush. Handle with care, as Selenite and Satin Spa can be flaky.
The chemical formula for Selenite: CaSO₄ · 2H₂O