Amethyst

Metaphysical & Spiritual Properties

Amethyst emits a high frequency ray of healing violet light. Carrying this sweet, high energy, it encourages spiritual expansion while clearing & strengthening the auric fields. Working in the energy field this way it is said to protect & ward off lower frequency vibrations.

Amethyst facilitates connections to higher realms, opening one up to psychic abilities, dream states and intuitive work while offering a vibration of spiritual contentment. It is an excellent stone for meditation and may be used for purification and regeneration on all levels of consciousness.

Amethyst crystal clusters are used to keep the air and life force in the home clean and positive. They can be placed around your home, office or meditation space to create a bubble of light and protection. Try putting an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache.

As this stone can help one tap into their own powerful intuitive self, it is an excellent stone for those on the path of self-discovery.

History & Folklore

Neolithic people in Europe used Amethyst as early as 25,000 BC, and in ancient Egypt it was made into beads. Long viewed as a stone of royalty, it was used in crowns, rings, scepters and is still used by the Catholic bishops. It received its name from the Greek word “not drunken”. Its nickname, The Sobriety Stone, comes from a story based on the Greek god Bacchus.

In his poem “L’Amethyste, ou les Amours de Bacchus et d’Amethyste” (Amethyst or the loves of Bacchus and Amethyste), the French poet Remy Belleau (1528-1577) invented one such myth. The wine god Bacchus was angry with mortals and vowed to unleash his fury by releasing tigers to attack them. A young maiden named Amethyst, who was on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana, was caught in the middle of this divine feud. As the tigers closed in on her, she called upon Diana for help. The goddess turned Amethyst into a crystal statue to protect her from harm. Bacchus, after seeing the beautiful statue, felt remorse and poured his wine over the statue, turning it purple and creating the gemstone we know today as Amethyst.

Variations of the story include that Dionysus had been insulted by a mortal and had sworn to slay the next mortal who crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his wrath. The mortal turned out to be a beautiful young woman, Amethystos, who was on her way to pay tribute to Artemis. Her life was spared by Artemis, who transformed the maiden into a statue of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god’s tears then stained the quartz purple.

Geological Information

Amethyst will give its color back to the sun if left in its direct light for an extended period of time.

Amethyst is a member of the quartz family with a trigonal crystal system. Its varied purple color comes from the combination of trace amounts of iron and aluminum, plus natural and sometimes applied irradiation. Amethyst is produced in abundance from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil where it occurs in large geodes within volcanic rocks. Many of the hollow agates of southwestern Brazil and Uruguay contain a crop of amethyst crystals in the interior.

One of the largest global amethyst producers is Zambia in southern Africa with an annual production of about 1000 tons. Uruguay, South America, produces the darkest known amethyst on earth.

Works Well With...

Amethyst is a calming stone that works well with other stones that promote relaxation and tranquility, such as Lepidolite or Selenite. It can also be paired with Clear Quartz to enhance its spiritual properties and promote clarity.