Tourmaline Myths and Legends: The Stone of Rainbows, Protection, and Insight
Tourmaline, with its astonishing spectrum of colours has dazzled imaginations for centuries. No other gemstone quite captures the feeling of magic and mystery like tourmaline.
Believed to hold the power of the rainbow, this captivating stone has long been revered as a symbol of creativity, protection, and spiritual insight. Across cultures and continents, tourmaline was cherished not only for its beauty but for its supposed ability to protect, illuminate, and inspire.
Let’s explore the myths and legends that have shaped tourmaline’s place in the world of folklore and ancient wisdom.
Ancient Egyptian: The Stone that Travelled Through the Rainbow
One of the most poetic origin stories comes from ancient Egypt, where tourmaline was believed to have travelled up from the centre of the Earth and passed through a rainbow on its journey to the surface. This magical voyage was said to explain the stone’s dazzling range of colours.
Each hue was thought to hold a different kind of power, green for courage, pink for love, blue for wisdom, and so on, making tourmaline a gem of many gifts. To the Egyptians, this stone represented unity in diversity: a singular gem that contained all the colours and energies of the natural world.
Indian and Vedic Lore: A Gem of Enlightenment and Energy
In Indian traditions, tourmaline, particularly the vibrant green and pink varieties, was associated with the heart chakra, believed to foster compassion, emotional healing, and balance. Black tourmaline (schorl), on the other hand, was seen as a powerful shield against negativity.
Vedic astrologers sometimes used tourmaline as a substitute for more precious stones when prescribing planetary remedies.
Its grounding yet vibrant energy was considered especially useful for calming the mind and cleansing the aura, helping seekers of enlightenment stay on their spiritual path.
African Mythology: The Divine Stone of the Ancestors
Some African tribes believed tourmaline was a spiritual conduit, capable of connecting the living with ancestral wisdom.
Black tourmaline, in particular, was revered in protective rituals and buried near homes to ward off evil spirits or malevolent forces. It was believed to hold the Earth’s oldest wisdom and to create an energetic boundary that nothing impure could cross.
In these traditions, tourmaline wasn’t just a talisman, it was a living force that could help maintain harmony between the seen and unseen worlds.
Chinese Legend: The Empress’s Favourite
During the Qing Dynasty, tourmaline became a symbol of luxury and spiritual strength in imperial China. Empress Dowager Cixi of the late 19th century famously adored pink tourmaline, importing tons of it from California to be carved into jewellery and ornaments.
It was believed that the stone could strengthen the wearer’s qi (life force) and offer protection from bad luck and emotional instability. Carved tourmalines were also used in funerary rites to ensure a peaceful journey into the afterlife.
This blend of beauty, status, and spiritual potency made tourmaline a beloved gem of China’s elite.
European Superstitions: A Stone of Insight and Illumination
Tourmaline wasn't introduced to Europe until around the 1700s, when Dutch traders brought it back from Sri Lanka. Because it could attract ash and dust when heated (thanks to its pyroelectric properties), some early Europeans nicknamed it “the ash puller” and used it to clean pipes.
This curious property also sparked beliefs that the stone had “drawing” powers, pulling truth out of lies, love out of loneliness, and insight out of confusion. It was sometimes worn by writers, philosophers, and artists as a muse-stone, thought to stimulate creativity and inner vision.
Tourmaline's multicoloured nature further fed ideas that it could balance conflicting energies, bring harmony to dual natures, and act as a bridge between the physical and the metaphysical.
Indigenous South American Lore: The Stone of the Jungle Spirits
In regions of Brazil and surrounding parts of South America, where some of the world’s finest tourmalines are found, indigenous groups believed that the brightly coloured stones were gifts from jungle spirits or lightning.
Pink and green tourmalines were thought to bring blessings of health and fertility, while blue and indigo stones were used by shamans to aid in vision quests and dream work.
When placed under a pillow or near the head, these stones were believed to bring vivid, meaningful dreams from the spirit world.
A Stone of Story and Spectrum
From Egyptian rainbows to jungle spirits, and sacred carvings in China, tourmaline has travelled a long and colourful road through human history.
Its legends remind us that beauty can be multi-faceted, that strength can come in many forms, and that magic often lives in the colourful in-between places.
Whether worn for protection, inspiration, or simple joy, tourmaline continues to be a gemstone of rainbow power and ancient mystery, forever shifting, and forever shining.