More Information About Iolite:
Iolite is sometimes called “water sapphire,” but that’s a little misleading, since it isn’t really a type of sapphire at all. It’s actually the gemstone variety of cordierite.
Iolite Lore:
Iolite is known as the “viking’s compass,” because it can be used to determine the position of the sun on a cloudy day. It has an optical property called pleochroism, meaning the stone takes on a completely different color depending on the direction of whatever light is illuminating it. Even on a cloudy day, light always comes from the actual direction of the sun. So the sailor could find the sun’s position by positioning the stone at various angles until the right color appeared, and by knowing where the sun was, he could figure out his own position and direction. On a viking ship, the crystal would be set within a marked frame to help the navigator interpret this information.
One Way to Work with Iolite:
If you have an important choice to make, you can use iolite for divination. Write each of your options on a piece of paper, then hold the iolite crystal over each one in turn. The intensity of the crystal’s color can give you guidance in making a choice.
Crystal Healing is not meant to replace conventional medicine, but rather to complement and enhance it. Information within this site is metaphysical in nature and is by no means medical. Crystals should only be used with the understanding that they are not an independent therapy, but rather are just part of a holistic healing approach to wellness.
