The geologically unique island of Staffa (near Iona,composed of rare crystalized basalt is a very powerful energetic site. Note Fingals cave on the right side of the photo.

Yet, more than just it's history, Iona is a sacred portal that channels a stream of radiant, divine energy. It is one of the most serene and beautiful places in the world, a harmonic blend of sea and earth. Vibrant with an energetic presence of positive elementals, Iona is a powerful third eye center, intimately linked to the geologically renowned island of Staffa.

Called the "Holy Island", Iona is the site of the first Christian monastery on the British Isles, founded by St. Columba in 563 AD Saint Columba recognized its sacred aura and reported that God led him to Iona through visions. He told his followers that he had found in Iona the promised holy land from which he would begin his life's mission."This Island God has set apart, a refuge of his divine heart whose understanding and peace is yielded freely to those who truly seek God on earth."

Under the leadership of Saint Columba, the Iona Abbey became a thriving training center of Christianity, and a pilgrimage site for seekers of the early Christian faith. The Abbey remained active for three centuries. Invading Vikings ravaged the island in the late 800's murdering seventy-seven monks at Martyrs Bay. The remaining monks escaped to Ireland. A Benedictine Order reestablished the Monastery a few years later, and it remained active until the reformation in 1560. Subsequently it was abandoned and fell into ruin.

A spirit-led group under the tutelage of Lord McLeod reconstructed the Iona Abbey with the original stones on the site some three decades ago. This led to the resettling of a spiritual, religious community on the island, fulfilling a prophecy by founding patron, St. Columba. Affiliated with the Church of Scotland, the group is simply called "The Iona Community". Christian services are held in the Abbey nightly at 9:00 p.m.

Iona is reached by ferry from the highland city of Oban on the western coast of Scotland. The ferry ride is a pleasant one-hour trip to the Island of Mull. From Mull bus or car takes you some thirty-seven miles to the small port of Fionnphort where one boards a smaller ferry for the fifteen minute crossing to Iona. Cars are not permitted on Iona. The few vehicles allowed are restricted to permanent residents.

Celtic Priest long held Iona sacred before Christianity appeared on the island with the arrival of Saint Columba. In fact, Iona's Gaelic name, 'Innisnam Druidbneach' means 'Island of Druids'. The Druids occupied Iona and used nearby Staffa Island (known for its massive crystallized pillars of hexagonal basalt) as a point of mystical initiation rites for high priests.

Staffa Island is in itself a unique and very powerful energy center. Staffa is a temple, a pulsing generator of white crystalline energy, charging all around it. Staffa energizes and protects Iona, and is a key benefactor of Iona's vibrational quality. The varying lengths of hexagonal crystalline basalt pillars are like musically tuned windpipes on a massive organ creating a pure symphonic frequency, (in concert with all 7 chakras). Its generated energy is musical, crystalline, and penetrating. It energizes and effects the area like an enormous Tibetan bell. It charges and vitalizes the sea. A visit to Iona, by any seeker, requires a visit to Staffa, and especially Fingals cave.

I had the marvelous opportunity to spend 6 hours alone on Staffa Island, half of which was in Fingals cave. Fingals Cave on Staffa was the inspiration for German composer Mendelsson's ' Hebrides Overture-Fingals Cave'. It is appropriate that honour was paid to the generator island in musical homage. Sir Walter Scott referred to the crystalline cave as " A naturally adorned cathedral where one touches the spirit of God". Jules Verne visited the island and was equally inspired to write of Fingals Cave in his book "The Green Ray".

Fingals is a pillared sea cave on Staffa, running 227 feet in length, approximately 75 feet wide with a tapered roof, and curved pipe pillars extending 100 feet high. Its symmetry is stunning, and remarkably shaped liked inside of a great cathedral, complete with buttresses. The Druids only entered Fingals Cave for initiate rites of the highest order.

Fingals Cave has a fissured bottom of green sea for its entire length. The synergistic relationship of the caves crystal matrix and the perpetual wave motion inside create a virtual piston of compressed energy. The gentle frolic and splash of sea against the sides releases ionic energy that charges the cave, and the tiny island itself. This is further amplified by the potent electromagnetic field of the crystallized basalt.

Fingals Cave faces the rising sun, and is dancing with energy in morning hours. Angled beams of sunlight illuminate the entire cave through the high triangular entrance. The rays are rhythmically reflected across the walls and ceiling in a hypnotic strobe-light effect. Even as the sun moves overhead, and the cave becomes shadowed, it somehow retains brightness. There is an unmistakable presence that exudes joy and well being. Angelic. Inspiring.

Basalt columns thankfully form a relatively safe 10-foot wide walkway on all sides, some 25 feet above the water level. Including Fingals, there are 6 major sea caves on Staffa. Staffa is less than a mile in length, and a half-mile wide. Its surface area is less than 80 acres.

The basalt cystals vary in diameter from six inches to three feet, and vary in length from two feet to 100 feet. This size variance allows Staffa's crystals to ecstatically sing in every key and octave. The powerful crescendo is an omniscient chant. Empowering all around it. Fear cannot exist in such a pure energy. I was lofted to my higher self almost immediately. The sensation was one of deep joyous belonging. I was made clearly aware that Staffa is intimately part of the Iona vibration. An energy line connects the two.

Staffa is a revered temple. It is kundalini. We are allowed to visit, but not to stay. Staffa is protected by an angelic host to carry out its generator role, charging and clearing all that is around, channeling pure energy to Iona.

While there are no standing stones or stone circles on Iona, evidence of ancient fortresses remain, and standing stones across the Iona Sound at the Ross of Mull are aligned to Iona as if to guide pilgrims to the departure point to the island.

Iona has a striking panorama. The beauty is astounding. It shines like a polished jewel, literally emitting a visible indigo energy. I felt an immediate spirit-tug signifying deep recognition of the home vibration and the rare sacredness of this living church-island overwhelmed me. I could physically see the energy waves blurring parts of the island, like summer heat rising off asphalt. The air sparkled and would occasionally burst with small pinpoints of light. Phenomena I have seen only in very high-energy points.

The island is 3.4 miles long and 1.7 miles wide. Iona is rugged, with jagged rock outcroppings and rounded mounds of granitic Gneiss. The glens are a magic fairyland of lush grass. One can feel the fairies happily attending the flora. Green fields are painted with yellow and lilac bouquets of flowers. The fragrance of sweet grass, lavender and sea are an intoxicating aromatic cocktail. Groves of purple heather line the highlands, and frame the stone mounds. One easily lapses into a meditative alpha state entranced by the visual beauty and natural perfumes of Iona.

There is a remarkable geological difference on Iona from the Island of Mull, a mere two miles across the Iona Sound. I was astonished to learn that the Island of Iona is a rare upthrust of one of the oldest rock formation on earth. The 2900 million year old Lewisian granitic Gneiss dominates three quarters of the island.(The earth is approximated at 4,400 million years old). Interestingly it does not appear on the Island of Mull, which is dominated by a relatively young, 300 million-year-old pink granite formation. This is in part an explanation for the differentiating vibration that led both Druids and St Columba to recognize Iona (and not Mull), as a sacred place for worship.

This surfacing of the ancient deeply bedded Lewisian Gneiss rock strata on Iona, is geologically a feat. Ancient imbedded strata is metamorphicly altered, compacted. The enormous pressure transforms the composition of the rock to a more ordered, crystalline structure. All crystalline structures have an electromagnetic field. The greater the density, the stronger the field. The aura of balance and peace that blankets Iona is in part due to the unique qualities of this ancient metamorphic stone, the granitic Lewisian Gneiss! In addition, the strata upthrust and sharp hairpin fold of earth layer that peels the Lewisian Gneiss onto the surface also results in a magnetic energy release that 'thins the veil' between planes. Science has documented the relationship between magnetic anomalies and psychic phenomena and experiences. The French scientist Mesmer used magnets to put subjects into deep clairvoyant states. The term 'mesmerized' originated from his work.

The metamorphic nature of the granitic Lewisian Gneiss, combined with earth fold magnetic fields creates a crystalline lattice energy that is very dense, and acts as a receptor to the charged harmonic projections emitted from Staffa. These energy frequencies that bombard Iona segregate in certain pockets into like pristine frequencies that correlate to pure musical notes, and accordingly to the chakras.

The points on Iona that resonate with pure notes are chakra centers. These have not to my knowledge been previously published. The denoted hills and land areas mentioned below can be found by purchasing a topographic map of Iona in one of the three shops. All hills and sections are named, and can be easily found.

These are:

" Dun I Mound (Cairn on Top) - Crown (Seventh) Chakra
" Gneiss Slab ( 12 ' x 6 foot) ( In field on immediate north side of Abbey) - Third Eye (Sixth) Chakra
" Signal Hill - Throat (Fifth) Chakra
" Angel Hill - Heart ( Fourth) Chakra
" Hill of Lambs - Emotional (Third) Chakra
" Back to Ireland Cairn - Creative (Second) Chakra
" Columba Bay (Standing Rock just before the beach) - Base (Root) Chakra

The crown vortex is centered on the stone cairn atop Dun I, the highest point on the island, just behind the and to the north of the Abbey. The Dun I Mound is absolutely the strongest energy point on Iona. It takes a fifteen-minute hike to reach the top, up somewhat slippery trails. The reward is immediate. An angelic being hovers atop the mound and anchors the portal that radiates joyous love energy into the site. The Dun I Mound itself spirals sacred earth energy in a fountaining cascade atop the mound. There are several powerful places to set and meditate or pray near the cairn. I found my chakras literally tingling in the presence of the angelic energy. My emotions were purged, and tears flowed in joyous release. Prayers here are quickened and quickly manifested. Dun I is a place of emergence, clearing and vision. All seven chakras are tuned and healed in this area. It is beneficial to have visited the other vortex sites before making the trip atop Dun I, but it isn't required. Depending on ones time on the island, Dun I, Back to Ireland Cairn, Columba Bay and Angel Hill are the principal sites I rate respectively in order of strength.

Beyond the seven centers I mention above, the entire island is full of lovely moors, rocky hills and glens that are all magic in their own right. In a true sense, Iona is one large batholithe stone, aware of itself, complete with seven chakras. Its overriding frequency is the third eye, sixth chakra, but it heals and enhances the whole being. The connection of Staffa to Iona has the resonance of six. Iona as a third eye, or sixth chakra center. Staffa composed of crystalline hexagonal, 6 sided basalt, six miles from Iona.

In closing Iona comments, Britain is an ancient living land, teeming with powerful sacred energies. Glastonbury, dear to my heart, is one of the most wonderful and spiritual centers in the world, and is a radiant of the heart energy. Yet Glastonbury, like most mega power centers I have visited, holds the presence of the duality. The dark side also exists there and is tangible in certain areas. The balance of many power centers allows for, and magnetically requires the presence of both negative and positive, in achieving its balanced electrical integrity.

Iona is one of the few power spots that do not contain the duality. It is purely positive. The dark presence cannot find a pocket to dwell. That is unique, that is an analomy. Iona, by its remote position, sparse population and connection to Staffa is kept to the purest frequency.

In traveling to Iona, there are several websites that offer information on hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. You will need rain gear and waterproof hiking boots or wellies. The abundance of rain makes for muddy trekking. The best times to visit are between May and October, but book in advance. It is prudent to advise that whilst the Iona Community are kind, open-minded spiritual people, they are not 'New Age' aligned. While they acknowledge the sacredness of the island and that the 'veil' is thin, the residents tend to follow more traditional Christian dogma and belief. There are no New Age shops, no readings available, and no maps of power sites.

Late spring or early summer, when wild flowers are abundant, is one of the best times to visit Iona. When flying into London, the easiest route to Iona is to fly onward (or take a train) to Glasgow. From Glasgow take a bus or train onward from to Oban. The ride is under two hours. I do not recommend renting a car, as cars are not allowed onto Iona.

And so it is….
Tyberonn © 2001

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