Gemstone Of The Day
Iolite
from the Greek ios, which means violet
(Color: shades of yellowish gray to blue to a blue violet )
Hardness: 7 – 7.5
Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.66
Chemistry: Mg2Al3O
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Class: Metamorphic
Crystallography: Orthorhombic
Cleavage: poor in one direction
Fracture: Uneven, conchoidal, brittle
Streak: white
Luster: greasy – vitreous
Healing: Iolite is used to help heal sore throats, fevers and malaria. It is also used in detoxification of both drugs and alcohol. It assists in healing varicose veins.
Workings: Use Iolite when meditating or pursuing a Dream Vision or other forms of psychic connection. Iolite is often called the “Shaman Stone.” It is used by shamans as a healing and vision stone. Use for astral projection.
Chakra Applications: Use Iolite to open the 3rd. Eye and Crown Chakras. Iolite is thought to open a channel from the Throat Chakra to the Crown Chakra, thus setting up spiritual communication with the Higher Self.
Foot Notes: Iolite is the gem variety of the mineral cordierite. Iolite is called water sapphire because it looks very much like a blue sapphire. When the vikings went sailing out on the ocean, they used thin pieces of iolite as the world’s first polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine the exact position of the sun, which allowed them to navigate safely.
The major sources of gem grade iolite come from Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar and Burma.
Reference
Author: Crick
Website: The Whispering Woods
Witches Of The Craft® 