This Month’s Edit: October 2026

The October birthstone, the Hunter’s Moon, Samhain and the first quiet Christmas lists

Welcome to This Month’s Edit, your guide to the weeks ahead at Mystic Grove. October brings the October birthstone, a New Moon in Libra, the Hunter’s Moon, the clocks going back and Samhain at the turn of the month. Here is what is coming, the stones that suit it, and what to have ready before each date arrives.

The October birthstone: opal and tourmaline

October is one of only a few months with two birthstones. Opal is the traditional October birthstone, and tourmaline is the modern alternative. The birthstone lists most of us use today are surprisingly recent: American jewellers agreed a standard list in 1912, giving October both opal and tourmaline, and British goldsmiths published their own list in 1937. The idea behind them is far older, going back to the twelve stones of the high priest’s breastplate in the Book of Exodus, which the first century historian Josephus linked to the twelve months and the twelve signs of the zodiac.

Opal

Opal is silica that holds water inside its structure, and the flashes of colour come from light bending through tiny ordered spheres within the stone. It has long been linked with hope, imagination and emotional honesty. Precious opal is a fine jewellery stone, which is why we name it here as the traditional October birthstone rather than as a shop piece.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline comes in more colours than almost any other mineral, often several in a single crystal. Pink tourmaline is the October favourite, associated with gentleness and an open heart, while black tourmaline is one of the best known protection stones of all. For an October birthday, a pink tourmaline tower makes a special gift, and a tourmaline in quartz bracelet is an everyday way to carry the October birthstone. Rough black tourmaline rounds off the set for the protection lovers.

New Moon in Libra: Saturday 10 October

The first new moon of the month falls in Libra at 4.50pm. Libra is the sign of balance, partnership and fairness, so this is a gentle moment to set intentions about relationships, harmony at home and the give and take in your own life. Good stones to sit with are rose quartz for kindness and rhodonite for mending what has frayed. The Libra crystal zodiac set gathers the sign’s stones together, and the Libra zodiac candle with bracelet is a lovely gift for a Libra birthday.

A simple new moon practice: hold one stone in each hand, ring a bell once, and in the quiet after the sound say aloud one thing you want more balance in. Write it in your journal and keep the stones by your bed until the full moon.

Scorpio season and the clocks going back

On 23 October the Sun moves into Scorpio, the sign of depth, transformation and things beneath the surface. Two days later, on 25 October, the clocks go back and the dark evenings arrive in earnest. It is a natural time to turn inward: longer candlelit evenings, journalling and slower rituals.

For Scorpio birthdays, the Scorpio crystal zodiac set, the Scorpio set with selenite and the Scorpio zodiac candle with gemstone bracelet are all ready to wrap.

The Hunter’s Moon in Taurus: Monday 26 October

The Hunter’s Moon is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, and its name comes from the old idea of hunting by moonlight once the fields were cleared. This year it is full at 4.12am in Taurus, the morning after the clocks change, so the best views are on the evenings of Sunday 25 and Monday 26 October.

Taurus is an earth sign that loves comfort, the senses and what we value. A Taurus full moon is a time to give thanks for what you have, and to notice what you are holding on to out of habit. Leave your stones out on the windowsill overnight if you like to moon charge them, and keep amethyst and rose quartz out of strong daytime sun afterwards, since they can fade.

Samhain: Saturday 31 October

The month closes with Samhain, the old turning point into the dark half of the year, kept today by people of many paths. Our full Samhain guide covers the honest history, how to say the word, the stones for the season and a gentle home ritual of candlelight and spoken names: Samhain meaning, history and a home ritual.

For the altar, the season’s stones are black obsidian, Whitby jet and smoky quartz, with our raven skull carvings as quiet guardians. Or take the whole altar in one: the Samhain crystal set holds seven stones and a grid card, ready to lay out on the night. Order by around 21 October to have everything in good time.

Bonfire Night: Thursday 5 November

The fires of early November have a long history in these islands, from the Samhain bonfires lit on hilltops in Ireland and Scotland to the bonfires of Guy Fawkes Night, kept since the early 1600s. If you mark the night quietly at home, a candle and a warm, fiery stone such as carnelian or red jasper carry the spirit of the evening. For pets who dislike the fireworks, a calm corner with a soft blanket helps far more than anything on a shelf.

Starting the Christmas list, quietly

It is early, but the most thoughtful gifts are the ones chosen without a rush. A few favourites for stockings and small presents:

• Angel number crystal balls, each number with its own meaning
• Crystal angel figurines in a choice of stones
• The Magic Spell Candle Jar Gift Set
• A brass singing bowl gift set, a gift you can hear
• Zodiac candles with bracelets for every sign

Next month’s edit will be all about Christmas, from the Christmas table to stones for every person on your list, so this is a good moment to start a note of who loves what.

Watch it live on TikTok

Every piece in this edit can be seen up close on our TikTok lives at @trace.mysticgroveuk, every Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 11am. Bring your questions about the October birthstone, the moon or anything on your altar, and they may end up answered here in Ask the Grove.

Moon times in this edit are from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, given in UK clock time.