Amethyst, One of the Most Highly Valued Crystals

Amethyst

Amethyst is believed to be associated with the zodiac signs Aries, Pisces, Virgo, Aquarius and Capricorn and to be ruled by Jupiter. In Babylonian and Assyrian works on astrology, this planet, often associated with Amethyst, is connected with the Ninth House or Sagittarius. Today some authors attribute Amethyst to Jupiter, while others associate it with Neptune.

Chakra: crown

Hardness: 7.

Amethyst is perhaps one of the most highly valued quartz crystals.

Color: It occurs in shades of purple, violet and pale mauve with varying intensity. Bluish or reddish-purple nuances may appear when viewed from different angles.

Deposits: Amethyst is mined in the Urals (Russia), Canada, Sri Lanka, India, Uruguay, Brazil, Madagascar, the USA, Germany, Australia, Namibia, Zambia, South Africa, and in Bulgaria – in the Eastern Rhodopes, around Madzharovo – as well as in many other countries.

Chemical composition: silicon dioxide with iron ions in the crystal lattice. Impurities of aluminum, calcium, magnesium and sodium may also be present.

Actor Patrick Swayze owned an antique filigree silver wand set with gemstones and topped with Amethyst. This artifact is believed to be several centuries old. The actor reportedly used his wand only on very rare occasions, mainly for healing when unwell or injured.

Since ancient times, sailors have carried Amethysts to ensure safe journeys, while soldiers carried them for protection from injury.

History and legends: Amethyst seems always to have been valued as an ornament and amulet. It has a long history in religious practices.

In Ancient Egypt, Amethyst was held in special esteem. Egyptian soldiers wore Amethyst and engraved scarabs as amulets against wounds from weapons. One ancient custom has survived to this day: the groom gives the bride a heart-shaped Amethyst. It is believed that this uniquely shaped crystal, set in silver or gold, will bring great happiness and peace to the newlyweds for the rest of their lives. In Egypt, it is still believed that Amethyst protects the home from thieves and intruders.

Chaldean magicians believed that this crystal protected against black magic and brought good luck and success. It was also said to help reveal and understand secret knowledge.

The legend of the goddess Diana and Bacchus, the god of wine and merriment, tells of the origin of Amethyst: Bacchus was very angry with mortals for neglecting him. He therefore vowed that he would order his lions to tear apart the first human being who crossed his path. Then the maiden Amethyst appeared before him on her way to the temple of Diana. When the lions attacked her, her cries attracted the goddess’s attention, and Diana turned her into a column of transparent rock crystal. Bacchus bitterly regretted his reckless act and poured a cup of wine over the column. Thus, from transparent, it became violet.

In Ancient China, Amethyst was believed to have a positive influence on anyone involved in a court case. Wearing an Amethyst amulet was thought to bring favor and a positive outcome in legal proceedings.

In Medieval Europe, Amethyst, especially the violet variety, was more expensive than diamond. Many called it the “bishop’s stone” because it was worn mainly by cardinals and bishops. The Crusaders continued ancient traditions and hung it from their rosaries as a protective talisman.

In the Middle East, it was believed that all diseases of the body were caused by a sick soul. Along with prayers to particular angels, saints and powers, healers prescribed elixirs containing Amethyst. Some physicians used it for headaches, toothache, gout, insomnia and neuralgia, and as protection against poisons and plague.

Buddhist monks use it for meditation.

Amethyst became extremely popular in the 15th century, because it was believed to control and drive away evil spirits and protect against witches.

It is believed that whoever dreams of Amethyst will be protected from misfortune.

Healing energy: Amethyst is regarded as an almost indispensable tool for every healer.

Amethyst is believed to calm mental disturbances, purify the blood, strengthen the immune system, and balance and heal all chakras. It is said to help with physical pain, migraines and headaches of all kinds, insomnia, recovery around surgery, eye inflammation and mental illness. It is believed to have a positive effect on anxiety and to relieve tension and stress, as well as dispel boredom.

Amethyst is also used to correct and balance the emotional and spiritual bodies.

Qualities: Amethyst is associated with the third eye and is often called a “spiritual crystal.” Some authors connect it with the third eye or sixth chakra, while others associate it with the crown or seventh chakra.

Almost all authors agree that Amethyst stimulates the activity of the right cerebral hemisphere (creative activity), removes illusions and helps develop extrasensory abilities.

It is recommended as an excellent aid for meditation, as it is believed to strengthen and develop intuition, inspiration, healing and the flow of energy and information; it raises thoughts and aspirations to high spiritual levels. If an Amethyst bracelet is worn on the left wrist, it is said to help foresee the future. During meditation it is believed to increase extrasensory perception.

Placed under the pillow, it is said to help eliminate nightmares.

If carved into the shape of a heart and given as a gift to a loved one, it is believed to bring luck and happiness. When two lovers exchange heart-shaped Amethysts, this is said to harmonize the vibrations between them and attract happiness and good fortune into their lives.

Amethyst is believed to bring insight in business, bring victory and protect soldiers from wounds; it is said to make the mind more agile and help control negative thoughts. It is considered an excellent aid for success and fame, for diviners, writers, poets and publishers. As Chinese sages are said to have taught, it helps obtain justice in court.

Amethyst is considered very useful for reaching altered states of consciousness or traveling through dimensions. It is said to encourage devotion to God and the Goddess and help achieve balance between the physical and the spiritual.

Because it is believed to possess transformative energies, Amethyst is said to open portals to intense and transforming spiritual experiences and to protect against black magic. Known as the “crystal of change,” it is believed to bring about many kinds of changes in life and consciousness.

The sobering and mind-clearing effect attributed to Amethyst has long been emphasized in many cultures.

Hold or wear Amethyst during meditation – it is believed to help strengthen channels of communication with your teachers or guides. Place a small piece of Amethyst with Tarot cards or runes to enhance their prophetic qualities.

It is good to place it periodically under warm running water. Both polished and unpolished crystals are used in therapeutic practices.

More about Amethyst:

Color: purple Chakra: crown

• Opens conscious access to the spiritual body, accelerates spiritual awareness and awakening, and teaches that Being does not end with the body.
• Inspires conscious awareness of the soul, the Goddess and infinity, and awareness of non-physical levels and worlds.
• Gives access to personal guides and angels, awareness of the Self as part of the universal plan and the Self as part of the Goddess.
• Enhances the sense of responsibility, dignity and inner peace.
• Helps with meditation; also with insomnia, headaches, sobering up and recovery after alcohol poisoning.
• Used for ailments of the head and brain; believed to relieve stress.

Color: purple and red Chakra: crown

• Stabilizes the connection between soul and body, and between the spiritual and physical levels.
• Brings spiritual awareness into everyday life, spirituality as a way of life and Being, and grounds spirituality in the body.
• Supports understanding of the wheel of life, death and rebirth.
• Helps us perceive ourselves as part of the universe and the universal whole.
• Develops an understanding of the unity of all life.
• Helps during recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, relieves headaches and migraines, reduces stress and inspires inner peace.

Amethyst – Celestial – Color: light violet Chakra: crown

• Opens all chakras above the crown and the kundalini line, opens the intergalactic chakras, as well as the connection with higher beings from the Pleiades.
• Calls upon extraterrestrial help, healing and light.
• Provides protection from negative extraterrestrial energy and purifies energy.
• Gives reassurance that “everything will be all right.”
• Calms and stabilizes.

Color: purple and gray Chakra: Earth

• Brings spiritual confidence into the physical levels and conscious knowledge.
• Protects against psychic attacks, negative entities and negative extraterrestrial energy.
• Acts as a guardian of the portal, preventing negative energy from entering while attracting positive energy and help from outside.
• Facilitates contact with spirit guides and angels, readiness for channeling, and grounding after channeling and psychic work.
• Supports conscious spiritual growth and meditation.

Color: pink Chakra: heart

• Opens the heart chakra to giving and receiving.
• Inspires positive self-esteem, self-image, self-respect, self-love and empowerment.
• Connects the heart and crown chakras to spiritualize life, emotions and our reactions to others.
• Encourages unconditional love and compassion, heals old and new traumas from this or a past life, and heals the emotional body and inner child.

Color: purple and metallic Chakra: crown

• Harmonizes and raises the energy of the kundalini channels, clears the energy flow and blockages in Ida, Pingala and Sushumna.
• Balances and clears the flow of qi energy to the brain and the central and autonomic nervous systems, and purifies lymphatic pathways and acupuncture meridians.
• Supports understanding and healing of personal karma, creating a sense of this life as one link in a chain of many incarnations.
• Supports awareness of the lessons and commitments of the present life and their place in the soul’s complete incarnational plan.

Sources used:

• Stein, Diane. Healing with Gemstones. Sofia: Aratron, 2005.
• Conway, D. J. Gemstones and Their Magical Properties. Sofia: Aratron, 2008.
• Kivrin, Vladimir. The Healing and Magical Properties of Crystals. Sofia: Paritet, 2014.
• Miteva, Gergana. Ivan Mitev. Encyclopedia of Healing Minerals: A-Z: Second Expanded Edition, Haskovo: IK Oponent, 2004.
• Barbara Ann Brennan, Hands of Light, Sofia: Kibea, 2000.