====== Staurolite ======
<div #singlebox>
---- dataentry gem----
latin_names: 
folk_names: Fairy cross, fairy tears, staurotide, cross stone
energy_tags: 
gender_tags: 
planet_tags: 
element_tags: Earth, air, fire and water
deity_tags: 
effect_tags: Protection, health, money, elemental powers
----
</div>
<ifauth @user>
===== Magical Uses =====
Staurolite specimens vary in appearance. When the twin crystals intersect each other at right angles, they produce perfect crosses with arms of equal length. These are the stones favored in magic. More frequently, however, they cross at varying angles.

Staurolite is worn or carried for protection against negativity, disease, and accidents. One can be empowered and placed in the car for this purpose.

This stone is also worn to draw wealth and to energize the sexual drive.

To gain control over the elemental forces, wear a staurolite set in any electrum fashioned as a ring or pendant.

*An elemental spell:* Place a staurolite flat on the altar with one point upward. Next, empower a small green candle with earth energies: wealth, stability, foundation, and fertility. Enchant a yellow candle with air energies: communication, movement, thought, freedom, wisdom, and spirituality. Then empower two more candles: a red one (fire), visualizing will power, energy, sexuality, and strength; and a blue candle, charging it with water energies such as love, pleasure, psychism, purification, fluidity, and healing.

Place all candles in small holders. Set the green candle near the top-most point of the staurolite, the yellow candle near the eastern point, the red to the south, and the blue to the west.

If desired, ring each candle with stones related to that particular element (see part four for elemental stones).

Now light the green candle, visualizing its powers. Do this with each candle in turn-air, fire, and water. See yourself as having control over these energies. Vow to work on balancing the elemental forces within your being. Blend them within you.

Repeat once a day for a week.
===== Ritual Lore =====
Staurolite (from the Greek word *stauros,* "cross") has many legends surrounding it, most quite recent and related to Christianity.

These stones are twinned crystals that form into equal-armed crosses, or *X* shapes. At least three presidents of the United States-Roosevelt, Wilson, and Harding-carried staurolite as luck charms.

It is often stated that they are found only in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. In fact, they also occur in North Carolina, New Mexico, France, and Scotland, and perhaps in many other localities.

In Brittany they were said to have fallen from the skies and were worn as charms.

Though the cross is usually associated with Christianity in the Western world, it was used in religion and magic centuries before this relatively "new" religion was formed.

Equal-armed crosses symbolize the interpenetration of the physical and spiritual planes, the combination of projective and receptive energies within our bodies and souls, and also sexual intercourse.

In magic, staurolite represents the four elements.</ifauth>