Howlite was first identified in 1868 by Canadian chemist and geologist Henry How, who encountered the unfamiliar white mineral in a gypsum quarry near Windsor, Nova Scotia. Mineralogist James Dwight Dana later named the stone in his honor. Because Howlite's porous, chalky-white surface takes dye exceptionally well, it has long been colored to imitate costlier stones — most often dyed blue and sold under trade names like Turquenite as a stand-in for turquoise, or dyed red to mimic coral.

Howlite is a calcium borosilicate hydroxide mineral that forms as nodular, cauliflower-like masses within sedimentary borate and gypsum evaporite deposits. It is opaque and relatively soft at 3.5 on the Mohs scale, and is easily recognized by the fine, grey-to-black web-like veining that runs through its chalky white body, a pattern created by trace mineral impurities during formation.

Because Howlite was only identified in the 19th century, it carries no classical mythology of its own; modern crystal lore adopted it instead as a stone of patience and emotional restraint., A widespread modern practice holds that a piece of Howlite placed beneath the pillow draws out a racing mind and eases the way toward sleep., and Its ivory-white body and gentle nature led early crystal healers to associate Howlite with the Moon's calming, reflective qualities.

I release the noise I have been carrying and let my mind settle into stillness. When frustration rises, I choose patience. When my thoughts race, I return to a slow and steady calm. I rest well, I think clearly, and I meet each moment with a quiet, unhurried mind.