In fact, they even appear in the book of Exodus (28:17-20), where it’s written that 12 gemstones were fixed on the prophet Aaron’s breastplate. “There were 12 stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the 12 tribes,” the Bible reads. Birthstones also have roots in Western astrology and Ayurveda, according to founder and educational director of the Love and Light School of Crystal Therapy Ashley Leavy. She previously explained to mbg the National Association of Jewelers actually standardized the official birthstones in 1912 because there were so many birthstone options across various traditions. Nowadays, birthstones are a popular gift for everything from birthdays to holidays to anniversaries and more. This precious gemstone is well known for its fantastic display of color, with a mesmerizing ability to flash all shades of the rainbow. It can also come in a variety of colors, from blue to white to pink and more, and it contains high water content, which makes it a particularly fragile stone. In terms of how this stone relates to October, Van Doren also explains opal makes a great companion crystal for Libras and Scorpios born in October. “Opal helps balance Libra’s natural inclination toward order and aesthetic beauty so that they don’t get stuck in surface-level superficiality,” she explains. And for Scorpios, she adds, opal’s multifaceted energy complements their multilayered personality. Whether you’re wearing it as jewelry, have some in your purse, or keep a piece on your altar, opal in any color can help amplify any intention you’re working with. It’s also great for chakra work, as it comes in so many different colors, so you could use a different piece of opal for each chakra. The heart chakra, for example, would be well served by pink or green opal, while white opal would be great for the crown chakra.
