Typically formed as a secondary mineral; Vanadinite was discovered not once but twice roughly thirty years apart and in two different locations of the world. Upon discovery the first time, Andres Manuel Del Rio sent the specimen to be verified across the ocean. Unfortunately, one version of this story says the ship carrying the newly discovered mineral sank and with it all hopes of gaining credit for the discovery sank with it. To make matters worse, a fellow scientist discredited the finding by saying the mineral was nothing more than brown lead. As you might imagine, this would have been devastating to someone who spent their life searching for new elements. Thirty years later a doctor turned mineral researcher came upon this complex iron ore and it didn’t match anything he knew existed. He gave it the name vanadium after the Norse goddess Vanadis aka Freyja.

This particular goddess is known for ruling over love, beauty, earth, fertility, gold, war, death and a very special form of magic called seiðr – which she taught to both gods and men alike. A magic that was said to be able to foresee the future and weave new patterns to help control the outcomes of situations. She was said to wear the necklace of Brísingamen. A one of a kind item crafted by dwarves with a stone said to look like golden fire. This necklace held magical attributes that made it impossible for anyone to resist her will while she wore it. One of the important roles she played was that of a warrior and when she went to battle, she claimed the dead. Half went to Odin in Valhalla and half went with her. Both parties having specific jobs, with the Valhalla fallen destined to fight in Ragnarok, and Frejya’s fallen warriors set to protect the families of all warrior – both jobs with high honors. 

This all might seem like a large bit of random information but the energy of our mineral in question finds its meaning within these tales. A mineral of second chances, determination, will power, honor, and enduring strength; we see its energy in the scientific discovery. That first guy who discovered this mineral and did not receive the credit, (Andres Manuel Del Rio) , went on to do more. In the face of a failure that was out of his control, he didn’t crumble, he persisted and paved his own way developing new methods of mining, took part in social revolutions, and eventually came to be the president of the Geological Society of Philadelphia. Even this brief overview of his journey shows us that we are more than any one experience. Even though some experiences have the potential  to crush us, we always have more to offer if only we are willing to keep pushing forward. If only we can find that inner fire. The discovery of this mineral shows that determination is undeniable. Eventually the mineral was discovered by a man who was a doctor and then became something else entirely. Another testament to the idea that we don’t ever have just one path or one choice. We are in control and we weave the experiences we wish to have – if only we can harness the will to do so.

With this mineral finding its association with Freyja, we can draw a parallel to vanadinite’s strong grounding energy. Filled with the passion, magic, and strength of fire, yet also the stability, endurance and balance of earth; we feel an energy of honor and personal power that can’t be denied. Much like the necklace this goddess wore, when we can harness our own unyielding fire, we can create the life we wish to have. This crystal holds within it the ability to be grounded in reality, so we can see our actions and how they will unfold in the world around us, so that we can create the experiences we want in our own story. Vanadinite works so well to strengthen the connection we have to our own self so that we are not easily swayed by the world around us, but rather supports the knowing that we control our own experiences.

A few applications for this mineral are:

-Facilitates grounding

-Stabilizes and strengthens the auric field

-Inspires passion and zest for life

-Promotes creativity

-Enhances personal power

-Promotes clarity of mind

-Promotes emotional stability

-Facilitates circulation of life force energy

-Inspires optimism when faced life’s challenges

-Supports all healing efforts

-Aids manifesting efforts

-Promotes good decision making

-Aids energetic protection efforts

-Helps overcome negative behavioral patterns

-Promotes mental focus

-Helps release and heal trauma

-Promotes drive and determination

-Brings balance and strength to “psychic abilities”

-Promotes feelings of calm

-Strengthens the connection to the self

-Support stone for managing out of control clair senses such as those of the “empath”

-Promotes a balance between action and stillness – allowing one to know when to act and when to have patience