Amethyst

Amethyst is a popular stone and often worn by healers. Healers themselves are known to wear several pieces of amethyst, and interestingly, while one is being healed for whatever reason it is common practice to have the person being healed hold an amethyst piece with the place in need of healing having another piece of amethyst placed upon it.

Amethyst is also associated with the Chakras (the Third Eye and Crown Chakras), a number of the zodiac (Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces) and the planet Jupiter. Due to the amethysts association of psychic awareness and how easy it is to get, it is common to see an amethyst used in divination,

Amethyst itself is used for problems within blood and with breathing, but also for overcoming fears and cravings plus to help relieve headaches. As a meditation focus the amethyst increases positive spiritual feelings. Amethyst can also help with alcohol addiction, happiness, contentment, emotional stability, inner strength, enhance flexibility and cooperation, plus creative thinking.

A stone that is protective and wearing it as jewellery or carrying in a pocket is for protection of psychic attack specifically. Having a piece of amethyst by the side of one’s bed during sleep can protect against nightmares.

Keeping multiple pieces of amethyst together is called a cluster and people will keep clusters of this crystal in one’s house to keep the air and chi clean. Amethyst clusters when kept by a window that receives sunlight most of the day also has its benefits, namely healing negativity in the home. Clusters of amethyst is also kept in moonlight to help the family feel calmer.

Amethyst is also known as the Sobriety Stone probably because the Ancient Romans used crushed amethyst as a way to ward of intoxication. Then again, the very word amethyst comes from a Greek word amethystus which translate to ‘not drunken or intoxicated’.

A Greek legend tells of why the amethyst is purple in colour. It goes that Dionysis (god of wine) was annoyed by Artemis (goddess of virgins) that Dionysis sent his sacred tigers onto a maiden attending Artemis’ shrine. This maiden, funnily enough called Amethyst, was petrified by Artemis into sparkling quartz and had Dionysis pour his cup of wine over the petrified maiden, infusing the purple of the wine.