Amethyst has long been thought of as a "stone of spirituality and contentment," helping to clear the aura and balance the energies of the physical, mental and emotional bodies.

It opens and activates the crown chakra and facilitates one in achieving and maintaining a calm and peaceful state.

The stone was thought to help avoid evil thoughts, heighten intelligence, be good for a business mind, preserve soldiers from battle injuries, help the warrior to victory, aid the hunter in search of his game, protect the wearer from contagious diseases, and banish demons if the figure of a bear is inscribed on the jewel.

Crystalline quartz in shades of purple, lilac or mauve is called amethyst, a stone traditionally worn to guard against drunkenness and to instil a sober mind. The word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness" and amethyst is believed to protect one from poison. It is found in geodes and alluvial deposits around the world and occurs in crystalline or massive form. It is the presence of manganese in clear quartz which produces amethyst and additional iron which varies the purple coloration.

Its purple coloration has made it a stone of royalty for thousands of years.

It is a spiritual stone, with no negative side effects or associations with violence, anger or passion. It calms fears, raises hopes, lifts the spirits, and promotes thoughts of the spiritual reality behind our lives. It wards off guilt and self deception, curbs overindulgence, and bestows good judgment. It brings peace, stability and strength to the wearer.

Amethyst was known as a gem that would bring the highest, purest aspirations of humankind. It is thought the amethyst is the perfect stone to symbolize The Age of Aquarius; it is a stone of peace.

Attributes of Amethyst

• Increases nobility
• Spiritual awareness
• Psychic abilities
• Inner peace and healing
• Healing of body, mind & soul
• Positive transformation
• Meditation
• Balance
• Relieves stress
• Communication

Physical Healing Properties

Amethyst has a positive effect on many of the body’s nervous systems. In order to benefit directly from the healing effects of amethyst, it can be taken as an elixir, or placed directly on the body. The ancients knew this, and they fashioned jewelry so that the stone, when worn, made contact with the skin. This is why amethyst gems in necklaces, pendants and rings were placed in settings that were open at the back.

Central Nervous System - The central nervous system co-ordinates and controls the voluntary functions of our brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Amethyst is used in the treatment of convulsions and neuralgia, and is a tonic for headaches, mental illness, anxiety, concussions and depression. Amethyst not only alleviates a headache, but helps to enhance the thinking process, allowing the mind to process information more efficiently and with improved clarity, and helps those that suffer from a faulty memory. Rub a piece of amethyst across your forehead to offer relief from a headache.When worn against the skin, amethyst helps to alleviate migraines. Elixir water made with amethyst has been used to restore and improve brain blood circulation.

Autonomic Nervous System - The autonomic nervous system controls the involuntary systems of the body, and is divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system (our ‘fight or flight’ response) and the parasympathetic system (rest and repair). These two systems function one at a time, so if the body is in a constant state of tension and anxiety, the process of rest and repair cannot occur. Amethyst aids both of these systems. To the sympathetic nervous system, it acts as a natural tranquilizer, relieves stress and strain, soothes irritability and balances mood swings. It stimulates the parasympathetic system and brings about a sense of calm, enabling the body to reach a state of relaxation and rest. To relieve insomnia, try placing an amethyst crystal under your pillow when you go to bed. The calming qualities of amethyst have made this a preferred healing stone for those who suffer from addictions.

Endocrine System - This system is made up of ductless glands that secrete their hormones directly into the bloodstream. Amethyst works to balance the endocrine system by strengthening the immune system and boosting hormone production. Amethyst is believed to target the pituitary gland, which directs the endocrine system, and the pineal gland, where altered states of consciousness and psychic skills are thought to be triggered.

Amethyst has also been used as an elixir to:

• treat toothaches, skeletal discomforts, posture and other bone and joint-related illnesses (like arthritis).
• treat problems within the stomach and digestive tract, the heart and hearing disorders.
• treat various types of blood disease (as a blood purifier)and balancing blood sugar.
• reduce bruising and swelling from injuries
• help detoxify the body and cleanse the chest and lungs
• help to cure catarrhal illnesses,
• cleanse the capillaries, liver and kidneys.
• remove radiation stored in your head from electronics, etc (geodes of amethyst are particularly good for this - just place your head next to it, you will then feel the radiation being drawn out.)
• in traditional Chinese medicine, amethyst is prescribed for stomach pains and bad dreams.
• throughout history Amethyst has been used to guard against inebriation.
• hundreds of years ago, the amethyst was moistened with saliva and rubbed on the face to banish pimples and rough skin - Today it is used in spells designed to magnify beauty.

Emotional Healing Properties

The virtues of amethyst include beauty, calm, fulfillment, humility, a loving demeanour, perfection, piety, sincerity, spiritual balance, tranquility and wisdom. You can use amethyst to calm down consciousness and awaken sub consciousness to guard yourself from daily stresses.

Amethyst is a natural tranquilizer; it relieves stress and strain, soothes irritability, balances mood swings, and dispels anger, rage, fear and anxiety. Alleviates sadness and grief, and dissolves negativity.

It promotes internal balance and harmony and brings stability to the individual. Amethysts are capable of raising ones spirits, promoting self assurance and confidence. They brighten the outlook on life and enhance the sense of humour. Polished amethyst spheres, amethyst geodes or large pieces of natural amethyst will fill a building with calming vibrations.

Mental Healing Properties

Amethyst is especially helpful for people that are engaged in constant rigorous mental activity, and who deal with high levels of stress on an ongoing basis. Amethyst is known for its ability to bring about a mental sense of calm, allowing the mind to achieve a state of tranquility and repose. This ability serves to stimulate the mind in a more focused manner, and as a result, there is an improvement in memory and motivation, thereby enhancing mental strength, stability, and vigour.

Amethyst is used to help people who are prone to depression and an overall melancholy feeling. It is believed that amethyst can avert the mind from self-directed psychic attacks, and transform the negative energy and thoughts into that of positive and tranquil tenacity.

Amethyst is also used to bring understanding of all that is transitional, especially death and rebirth. It can provide security and peace of mind (along with understanding) when a loved one is lost or reborn. It is said to have a relieving effect on stress, grief, depression, emotional despair and ineffective communication.

Many also believe that amethysts are useful for those working to transcend chemical dependence. The stones may work as talismans to provide inner strength when battling dependency.

It is used as a dream stone and to help insomnia caused by an over-active mind.

Spiritual Healing Properties

Amethyst has been widely used in meditation because of its ability to help its carrier maintain a peaceful serenity. It calms the mind and spiritually awakens those who seek enlightenment.

Amethyst increases the activity in the right brain, and as a result, the energies focused upon the reality we know to be physically visible begin to switch over to those which are visible through intellect.

Because the stone has high vibration, amethyst stabilizes the connection to the ethereal and helps to open gateways into intense and transforming spiritual experiences. It breaks up old emotional thought processes and assists psychic opening in a grounding manner. It strengthens and develops intuition, inspiration, healing, and channelling as well as raising thoughts and aspirations to a higher spiritual level.

Amethyst and Dreaming

The violet color of amethyst is reminiscent of the sky at dusk, and has come to represent the transition from sleep to awake, the passage of one reality to another. Amethyst soothes the process of slipping into a dream state, and eases the passage from the physically conscious mind to the unconscious. The calming, supporting properties of amethyst protect the dreamer from nightmares and disturbed sleep.

Place an amethyst on your third eye chakra, and visualize and breathe in the violet colour of this stone to bring about a sense of mental and emotional peace.

Amethyst and Transition

As a bridging stone, amethyst helps ease difficulties in transitions of any kind. It aides those who have lost a loved one in accepting the passage and healing that death and rebirth bring.

Amethyst transforms energies from a lower vibration to a higher vibration; it acts as a protector with its ability to reverse negative energy, and during meditation it can bring one from an ordinary to a deeper level of consciousness. Healers have found that amethyst works to not only aide a journeying soul but also helps those whose soul yearns to achieve higher levels of spirituality.

Amethyst aides its carrier (stone, crystal, power jewelry) find a common ground in unsure decisions, and protects against manipulative situations by helping provide a more in depth perspective, opening the spirit's eye to higher connectivity with that outside of concrete reason.

Amethyst has been used as a calming agent to enable sleep and rest in times of physical and spiritual exhaustion. As a healing crystal and in elixir and healing jewelry form, it acts as a balancing and aligning agent for disrupted spiritual energies.

Metaphysical Properties

Amethyst is a powerful and protective stone. Amethyst has the ability to transform lower energies into higher and acts as a healer at all levels of mind, body and spirit. Being a stone of wisdom, it allows the information received through the psychic mind to be appropriately utilized. It guards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into love and protecting the wearer from all types of harm, including geopathic or electromagnetic stress and ill wishes from others.

Amethyst is used as a symbol of devotion and as a stone strengthening the will. It encourages selflessness and spiritual wisdom; it activates spiritual awareness, opens intuition and enhances psychic abilities. The stone also helps sharpen the conscious mind and enhances the mental powers. It is used to improve memory and keeps thoughts in line with life goals.

Magical Uses:

• Store a small piece of amethyst with your tarot cards or runes to keep the power of the divination tools high.
• Place an amethyst under your pillow to bring about a good dream
• Wear amethyst to guard against infections
• Wear amethyst to attract justice and protect against burglars and thieves
• Meditate while holding an amethyst crystal in each hand to enhance the flow of chi energy through your body
• Amethyst in Romance:
• Amethyst is a stone of pure, true, emotional love.
• It is often exchanged between two lovers to strengthen their commitment.
• It is one of the few stones specifically prescribed for men to use for attracting women; it supposedly draws “good women” to love him.
• Amethyst in the form of a heart, mounted into a silver frame is considered to be the best gift for your fiancée. Such a talisman will bring newlyweds blessings, happiness and tranquility for many years.

Amethyst Associations:

• Energy: Receptive
• Element: Water
• Deities: Bacchus, Dionysus, Diana
• Chakras: Third Eye Chakra, Crown Chakra
• Birthstone: February
• Zodiac: Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
• Planet: Jupiter
• Element: Air
• Typical colours: light slightly-pinkish violet to a deep grape purple
• Vibration Numbers: #3, #6, #33
• Amethyst is a 6th Anniversary gemstone.

Vedic Astrological Information:

• Chakra: Crown, 7th.
• Ruling Planet: Saturn
• Gemstones: Blue sapphire, amethyst, blue spinel
• Metal to be used: Gold
• Number: 8
• Ring Hand: Right (men), left (women)
• Affected Chakra: Heart, anahata
• Day for Invocation: Saturday
• Time for Invocation: 2 hours 40 minutes before sunset
• Mantra of Invocation: “Om sham shanaiscaraya namah” Repeat 16 times
• Pronunciation: “Owm sharm shan-ice-chara-ya nama-ha”

Amethyst and the Chakras

Amethyst is associated with the 6th and 7th Chakras, which are the Third Eye or Brow (6th) and the Crown (7th).

The 6th Chakra or Third Eye is the energy center for all levels of consciousness. Amethyst is considered a helpful aide in meditation and in the facilitation of psychic visual enhancement. It helps heighten perspective, allowing the development of strong introspection (inner-self view).

The 7th Chakra or Crown controls the energies used in any mental activity. Placed on the Crown Chakra during meditation, amethyst increases concentration and confidence in life. Amethyst is also used on the Crown to allow past life recall to emerge.

Many people keep an Amethyst with their other stones to increase their effectiveness.

Amethyst is a good touchstone, a stone to keep in your pocket and rub several times a day for its uplifting energy, or you can wear it on a chain around your neck, against your skin.

Chinese Horoscope

Animal: Dragon

Amethyst is associated with strong intuition, the brain, wealth, peace, protection and spirituality.

Amethyst Attributes: Chinese use it for many purposes. For example it is common to wear amethyst jewelry if you are about to drink a lot. Amethyst will protect you from drunkenness and will keep you sober. It is also used in many parts of China, against all kinds of addictions like smoking, alcohol or drugs. This magical purple gem stone is also used for spiritual purposes like meditation or divination. Chinese believe that Amethyst will increase your psychic powers and your invocation skills. Many Chinese Mediums and Astrologers always carry a piece of Amethyst with them as a divination tool. Last but not least, Amethyst is used in China as a natural medicine against insomnia and bad dreams.

Amethyst History

Greek Mythology

The word "amethyst" is of Greek origin and is translated from "amethystus" meaning not drunken or intoxicated. It is attributed to a Greek myth involving the god Dionysus:

Dionysus, the god of wine, celebration, intoxication and joviality, found insult in a mortal who had refused him acknowledgement. Enraged with anger Dionysus vowed to unleash his fury upon all mortals who did not partake in his gifts of wine and drunkenness. He immediately spotted a young maiden named Amethyst who was pure and unfamiliar with being intoxicated. The unsuspecting young virgin, who was on her way to pay homage to the goddess Diana, was detained by the wrathful god. Dionysus summoned two fiercely voracious tigers to devour the young maiden and sat back with his wine to watch. Amethyst cried out to Diana. When Diana saw what was about to transpire she quickly transformed the young mortal into a crystalline quartz statue to protect her. Moved with pity, Dionysus realized the ruthlessness of his actions and began to weep with sorrow. As the tears dripped into his goblet Dionysus collapsed and the tear-tainted wine ran out onto the stone from the tipped cup. The white stone then absorbed the color from the wine creating the stone now called amethyst.

Ancient Greeks maintained that amethyst held many beneficial powers. Among the most important of these is its ability to protect one from drunkenness.

The Gem of Royalty

Purple color has long been associated with royalty. Because of its purple color and beauty, amethyst has been favoured by the royals for centuries.

• Amethyst necklaces and jewelry were found buried in the tombs of Ancient Egyptians.
• The Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent an army of miners into the Urals to look for it.
• Rare amethysts decorate the British Crown Jewels.

A Biblical Stone

Amethyst is mentioned in the Old Testament and the Bible, and is thought to encourage celibacy and symbolize holiness. In the Old Testament twelve stones were chosen to be representative of the twelve tribes of Israel. (Exodus 28: 17-21) Amethyst was chosen as the gem representing the tribe of Dan, one of the sons of Joseph.

Amethyst is also mentioned as one of the twelve stones adorning the breastplate of the high priest Aaron. (Exodus 39). Amethyst became the symbol of theological ideas and icons. In Christian faith amethyst was a stone of the Apostle Matthew. Cardinals and Bishops in the Catholic Church wear rings with a large amethyst as a part of their office.

Amethyst Throughout History

• Amethyst necklaces and jewelry were found buried in the tombs of Ancient Egyptians.
• In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, instructions are given for placing heart shaped amethyst on the body of the deceased.
• In ancient Greece and Rome amethyst was used to cut gems and signets.
• Later amethyst became the symbol of theological ideas and icons. In Christian faith amethyst was a stone of the Apostle Matthew.
• In Tibet, amethyst is a sacred gem to Buddha.
• The Chaldean Magi believed this stone protected against evil sorcery and brought success and good luck. Amethyst was also said to grant an understanding of hidden knowledge.
• During the Middle Ages, the stone symbolized piety and celibacy for clergy and therefore adorned the rings and other jewelry of Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests of the Catholic Church.
• During the Renaissance amethyst became a symbol of great humility and modesty. The color represented unification to influences.
• Saint Valentine was said to wear a ring set with an antique Amethyst carved in the image of Cupid.
• At one time in China, pieces of amethyst were rented to people involved in lawsuits, as the stone was said to give one a more positive outlook, thus attracting a favourable outcome.

Latin American History: The Psychic Phenomenon of the Amethyst Skull

The Amethyst Skull, as it has been named, was discovered in the early 1900's in Guatemala, Mexico and was brought to San Jose, California (U.S.A) in 1982 by a Mayan priest along with another skull called the Mayan Crystal Skull. Both skulls were taken to Hewlett Packard for research. The findings were astonishing. The skulls, sculpted from crystal quartz (amethyst and clear), was found to be carved and shaped against the natural axis (or "grain") of the crystal. Not only is this feat nearly impossible, it is completely unheard of for tools and skills developed in the time from which they are said to have come. A wrong cut could easily shatter amethyst and quartz of this type.

On a psychic level, the Amethyst and Crystal skull are said to possess many powers. Psychics or Sensitives (the name given to those who are able to feel and read emissions of psychic energy), have found the skulls to emit a very unusual vibration or energy. These Sensitives have reported that the skulls, when gazed upon, emit a video-like image of the ancient past. Amethyst and other crystals are known for being stones of great healing and ethereal awareness.

Explanation for this phenomenon is accredited to and can be explained by modern use of quartz today in electronics. Both computer and video industries have utilized the amplification and consistent resonance ability of quartz in the fabrication and upgrading of their products. It is believed that the same can occur with the human body's energy and the aide of amethyst and other power crystals. They explain that living things have emitted electromagnetic energy that has been recorded onto theses skulls. Although there is no specified method for dating artefacts constructed purely of quartz, they have been found among the remains of tombs and ruins dating as far back as ninth and tenth century.

Amethyst Deposits

Mexican Amethyst

Two main sources of amethyst from Mexico include mines located in Vera Cruz and Guerrero Mexico. Amethyst from Vera Cruz has a tendency to be of lighter shades and typically clear. The produced crystals are very commonly triagonally terminated on both ends. The stone in which they are found are also of light hue for their type. The crystals are usually "phantomed" having a transparent interior and a color saturated exterior.

The amethyst which comes from Guerrero is typically deep and highly saturated dark purple. The crystal has a single, visible termination with a color saturated interior and transparent exterior. Highly saturated crystal of this type of transparency are among the most elegant.

Brazilian Amethyst

The most notable sources of amethyst in Brazil come from Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Bahia and Maraba.

Brazilian amethysts are typically found in vugs, or small cavities in rocks lined with crystals. Among the rock containing amethyst crystal in Brazil are large pockets formed by volcanic material. Some vugs were formed from lava and magmatic flow over trees or gas bubbles created by heat convection. The crystals that are produced in these areas vary in color saturation from pale to medium lilac but never quite reach a deep true dark purple of high saturation. The color in the crystals of these vugs is highly concentrated in the tips of the visible termination of each crystal.

Canadian Amethyst

Thunder Bay (Canada) is one of the major Canadian hosts of amethyst mines. The crystal druses, or the cluster of small crystals on a rock's surface, is hosted by archaic metamorphic rock. The color unique to Canadian mines includes a reddish inclusion slightly under the surface of each crystal. Amethyst has also come to be known as the gemstone of Ontario.

Uruguayan Amethyst

Amethyst of this region vary in saturation from a medium saturated to a deep highly saturated purple. Like in Brazil, crystals here are also found in volcanic vugs. The vugs of Uruguay are host rocks with a gray or brownish exterior and the larger vugs contain stalactites and other formations on which amethyst druses form. The entire crystal of each amethyst contains the coloration typical of this region.

African Amethyst

Among the African countries that contain amethyst deposits are Zambia and Namibia. African. The amethyst druses of Africa contain small crystals of saturated color and outstanding clarity. As they occur naturally, the unrefined amethyst crystals are indistinct on the exterior and are commonly polished and carved.

Amethyst in the United States of America

The U.S.A has a great diversity of amethyst deposits from Maine, Pennsylvania and North Carolina to Montana and Colorado. The color range of American Amethyst is generally from medium to high in saturation and may include smoky or translucent versions of crystal. Amethyst of Maine and the Carolinas is usually dark with North Carolina amethyst having a bluish tint unique to that area. Amethyst has been named the state gemstone for South Carolina. Amethyst clusters in Pennsylvania have been formed within large breaks in metamorphic rock. Colorado is known for having clusters of amethyst that have formed in cavities within sandstone. Among the amethyst found in Colorado are smoky druses found in the Rockies. Other states amethyst can also be found in include Georgia, Arizona, Rhode Island and Virginia.

Amethyst in Europe

Two of Europe's most notable sites for amethyst are found in Italy and Germany. Italy's deposits contain amethyst crystals of evenly distributed coloration. Crystals of pale hue and prismatic character are often large in size and can occur parallel in formation. German amethyst is often pale in color and is found coupled with other forms of crystal such as agates.

Other Notable Occurrences

Amethyst deposits can also be found in other countries around the world such as: Bolivia, Argentina, Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka.

Tall, prismatic, well-shaped crystals are restricted to two Mexican localities: Piedras Parado and Las Vigas de Ramirez, Veracruz; and Amatitlan, Guerro. They occur in elongated crystals that are rarely faceted, since collectors pay well for these rarities, as most other Amethyst is in drusy,stubby,pyramidal clusters.

Enormous quantities of fine Amethyst come from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Also in Brazil is the famous Rio Grande do Sul, where the enormous crystal-lined Amethyst geodes are found, especially in Ametista do Sul. Another South American country, Uruguay, produces deeply colored crystals in large geodes and pipes in Artigas, near the Brazilian border. Another good South American locality, which is especially noted for Ametrine, is the Anahi Mine, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Very dark and clear material comes from the Ural Mountains and Siberia in Russia. Large amounts of Amethyst are found both Namibia and South Africa - these are often labelled in the jewelry industry as "African Amethyst. In Namibia a famous occurrence is the Goboboseb Mountains, near Brandberg, in the Erongo Mountains of Namibia. In South Africa, extensive deposits are in the Magaliesberg Mountains in Pretoria and in the Boekenhoutshoek area in the Mkobola district, South Africa.

There are two notable Canadian occurrences. One is Thunder Bay, Ontario, where specimens contain an internal coating of red Hematite. The other locality is the area of Digby, Nova Scotia, where naturally rounded, waterworn Amethyst pebbles are found on the beaches along the Bay of Fundy.

In the U.S., fine Amethyst crystals can be found in Four Peaks (in the Mazatzal Mountains), Gila Co., Arizona; in the Pohndorf Mine, Jefferson Co., Montana; in the Pennoyer Mine at Redfeather Lakes, Larimer Co., Colorado; Deer Hill, Maine; There are several good localities in the Carolinas, specifically Statesville, Iredell Co., North Carolina; the Reel Mine, Iron Station, Lincoln Co., North Carolina; and Abbeville Co., South Carolina (Diamond Hill Quartz Mine and the Ellis Jones Mine). A recently productive location producing deep purple crystals is Jacksons Crossroads, Wilkes Co., Georgia. Diamond Hill in Ashaway, Hopkinton, Washington Co., Rhode Island is famous for the rare sceptres that were found there. Good Amethyst is also found in the traprock quarries of Passaic Co., New Jersey, specifically at the Upper New Stree Quarry in Paterson and at Prospect Park.

Amethyst Uses

Amethyst is one of the most popular gems. It has a beautiful color and is rather common, making it an inexpensive, widely used gem. Most Amethyst is faceted into jewellery cuts, and some are cut as cabochons. Large, massive chunks of Amethyst banded with Quartz is sometimes carved into ornaments.

Amethyst is also popular among mineral collectors. Small geode sections and tumbled stones are sold to amateur collectors, while more experienced collectors go for the rare prismatic crystals and giant geode sections.

*Please note that all metaphysical or healing properties listed are collected from various sources. This information is offered as a service and not meant to treat medical conditions. Crystal Wind™ does not guarantee the validity of any of these statements.