-photo by Johanna
Amethyst is a hard quartz crystal that comes in various shades, from light lavender to deep purple and is mainly used within the jewellery industry.
It is said that the colour comes from the tears of Dionysus the Greek god of winemaking and growing grape vines (vigneron).
In folklore, it states that Dionysus became intoxicated and this led to disastrous events with a young virgin Amethyst. Amethyst cried for help from goddess Diana, who turned Amethyst into a white crystal. On realizing the error of his ways Dionysus cried purple tears into the cup where Amethyst was lying, turning the white crystal into the violet one we all know as Amethyst.
It is found in abundance throughout Brazil in large geodes of volcanic rock. The largest amethyst crystal was found in Uruguay in 2007, which stands at a height of 3.27 meters and weighs 2.5 tons, named Empress of Uruguay.
This beautiful violet crystal’s name comes from the Ancient Greek ‘methustos’ meaning ‘intoxicate’ as it was believed that amethyst prevented its wearer from being drunk. The ancient Greeks therefore carved out amethyst wine goblets in the hope it would prevent them from intoxication. The medieval Europeans thought that the crystal would give them protection and heal them during battle, hence crafted amulets.
Amethyst is and was also worn by Anglican Bishops (episcopal ring) as a reference to the Apostles as not being intoxicated at Pentecost in Acts 2: 15.
The stone of Peace, amethyst is believed to calm and soothe the wearer, reducing the day-to-day anxieties and providing tranquillity. Spiritually the stone is said to assist the mind to flow freely, allowing intuition, clarity, and unconscious reasoning to decide, and is closely associated with the third eye and crown chakra.
When the third eye chakra is blocked, we may have feelings of anxiety and depression, unable to connect, and all the physical ailments that go along with it. Amethyst frees up our ability to open our minds, allowing free flow spiritually… intuition, and clarity. This wonderful stone will help remove the brain fog and allow for free flow once again.
Protection is another valuable quality of amethyst, which is also known as the ‘All Purpose Stone’. As it soothes and calms you mentally it reduces the physical symptoms of stress – headaches/migraines, tension, and fatigue.
With this reduction of stress/anxiety, there is a reduction of the stress hormone cortisol. Hence better quality sleep and your blood sugar levels should decrease to your normal levels. Cortisol is released for a fight or flight situation, high levels are not necessary or good to have as the norm.
Amethyst is the birthstone of the water-bearing Aquarians and is also connected to Pisces. Both visionary and forward-thinking signs. Amethyst gives clarity and calmness to these signs that occasionally ‘jump in with both feet’ a little too enthusiastic occasionally.
Relating to Feng Sui, place Amethyst within the office/workspace to promote creativity, the family room to create a relaxed homely environment, and the bedroom a sense of serenity to assist in a good night’s sleep.
To cleanse your stone, smudge it with sage and place it under the moonlight to charge. Do not leave in sunlight or extreme temperatures for any length of time as it degrades the colour.
Overall, the Amethyst is a stone everyone should have in their collection, an allrounder crystal.
If interested in the Healing Powers of Crystals follow the link to obtain Crystals for Beginners I am enjoying this easy-to-read and extremely informative book at present. With simple guidance, you’ll learn to curate your own crystal collection, and the detailed crystal profiles will help you choose the crystal that works best for your healing.
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