Iolite Gemstone Symbolism Facts & Meaning: Zodiac, Superstitions, Dreams, and Legends
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Iolite Gemstone Facts and History
The Iolite Gemstone is the transparent variety of the mineral cordierite, a magnesium iron aluminium cyclosilicate. Iolites have magnificent sapphire blue, light blue, blue-violet, and yellowish-gray colors and display strong pleochroism. This means the gemstone displays different colors when viewed from different angles.
Because of its intense blue-violet color, Iolite is often mistaken for sapphires, and similarly, the gemstone tanzanite was first mistaken for Iolite when it was first discovered in Tanzania. The gem displays strong pleochroism and trichroism. This earned the gem the nickname water sapphire.
The beauty of the Iolite Gemstone was not lost since ancient civilizations. The mineral cordierite was first classified only in 1813 when it was rediscovered in Nijar, Almeria, Spain. It was named after the French geologist Louis Cordier. However, the Iolite Gemstone has already been in use for centuries by many civilizations.
An older Greek name for Iolite is dichroite which translates to two colored rock. Its modern name, Iolite, came from the Greek word ios, meaning violet, and lithos, meaning stone.
Historians and gemologists theorized that Iolite Gemstones had already been discovered before their classification in 1813 in Spain. There are findings of the gems being mined in Sri Lanka for centuries. Likewise, the gems being used as sunstones by Vikings are suspected to be Iolites.
Iolite Gemstones are not rare, they can be found all over the world. Commercial Iolites today are found in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Burma, Namibia, Madagascar, and India. However, finding Iolite gems that are over 5 carats is rare.
In the Mohs hardness scale, Iolites rate 7 to 7.5, making them hardy gems, ideal to use in jewelry. However, because of its distinct cleavage, it is not an ideal gem for rings or daily wear. Despite its gorgeous color and pleochroism properties, the Iolite Gemstone is still remarkably unknown.
The largest Iolite crystal in the world was found in Wyoming, weighing more than 24,000 carats.
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Iolite Gemstone Uses
During the Viking Age, it is theorized that the sunstones the Vikings used to navigate the seas without modern technology were Iolites. Its pleochroism helped the Vikings determine the location of the sun during cloudy days at sea.
Today, the Iolite Gemstone is used to make jewelry and it is also a good and more affordable alternative to sapphire. Jewelers typically recommend having Iolite Gemstones for necklaces or earrings rather than rings or bracelets because they can break upon impact.
Iolite Gemstones were used as talismans for centuries to protect the wearer against evil spirits or bad luck, especially on the seas.
Iolites are also used for crystal healing. It is said to help with migraines, anxieties, as well as dealing with the side effects of withdrawals. It also helps with pain, indigestion, and restless sleep.
Iolite’s mineral form, cordierite, is used for industrial purposes including the making of ceramic parts for catalytic converters as well as other electronic insulators and heating implements.
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Iolite Gemstone Spiritual Meaning and Symbolism
The Iolite Gemstone is traditionally given as a gift for a married couple’s 21st wedding anniversary.
It is used by seafarers as a talisman to help them navigate safely back home which came to symbolize safe voyages for sailors.
The Iolite Gemstone is connected to the third eye chakra, making it a stone that represents intuition, insight, and inner wisdom. This spiritually helps with a deeper understanding of the self, the future, relationships, and our surroundings.
Additionally, Iolite gems are said to be connected to the throat chakra which helps people to have clear speech in expressing their honest inner desires from within their psyche.
Iolite is also believed to provide a clearer vision. This enhances manifestation, achievement of goals, visualization of inspirations, and transforming them into reality. The gemstone is said to help with opening an access to hidden memories of our past lives.
This fascinating gemstone is also believed to help guide the people we lost back home, spiritually connecting the living with the dead. It can also strengthen relationships, fix co-dependent tendencies, and promote self-acceptance.
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Iolite Gemstone Symbolism of Different Shapes and Forms
Other varieties of Iolite are limited due to its lack of popularity compared to other gems, but this mesmerizing gemstone still has some varieties of note.
Blue Iolites are beautiful Iolite gems that display a deep blue color almost identical to sapphire. Blue Iolites are sometimes referred to as steinheilite, named after Fabian Steinheil who served as the Russian military governor of Finland. He was the first to observe that Iolite was a different gem from quartz.
Iolite Gemstones are rarely heated for treatment because of their naturally occurring deep intense colors. When treated with heat, they are referred to as praseolite, which is often confused with prasiolite, or green quartz.
Tumbled Iolites are used in alternative and crystal healing. Along with other tumbled crystals, these smooth form of Iolites are placed on the different chakra points of the body to heal ailments.
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Iolite Gemstone Symbolism in Different Cultures
In the age of the Vikings, explorers used gems like Iolite as sunstones to navigate the seas. It earned the Iolite Gemstone the nickname Viking compass.
For centuries, shamans and spiritual healers from different cultures around the world used Iolite Gemstones in their rituals to communicate with the spiritual realms.
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Iolite Gemstone in Combination with other Gems
When an Iolite Gemstone is paired with other gemstones like garnet, peridot, and aventurine, monetary luck and decisions involving money improve.
When an Iolite Gemstone is paired with other protection stones like agate, turquoise, and onyx, spiritual protection will increase exponentially.
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Iolite Gemstone Birthstone and Zodiac Sign
Although the Iolite Gemstone is not an official birthstone to any zodiac sign, it is particularly helpful to the zodiac signs Taurus, Libra, and Sagittarius. The Iolite can help these signs achieve a more balanced approach in life and serve as a protective talisman in their journey.
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Iolite Gemstone in Dreams
The Iolite Gemstone is an ideal stone for dreams when one wants to explore lucid dreaming. It also helps improve dream recall and accurate dream interpretation.
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Iolite Gemstone Omens and Superstitions
According to superstitious belief, wearing Iolite Gemstones will help increase eyesight.
Sailor superstition also dictates that Iolite Gemstone is a sailor’s stone. Carrying the gem during a voyage will guarantee a smooth journey and returning home safely.
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Iolite Gemstone Mythology and Folklore
In the Viking legends, it is said that the legendary Viking explorer, Leif Erikson, used an Iolite Gemstone to cross the Atlantic, setting foot in the New World long before Christopher Columbus.
