Amethyst

 Amethyst

Sources: Enhancing Your Mind Body Spirit

http://www.realmagi ck.com/articles/ 89/1989.html

http://accessnewage .com/articles/ stones/stones1. htm

Encyclopedia of Crystal , Gem & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham

 

Astrological: Aquarius, Gemini

Chakra: Brow, Crown

Energy: Receptive

Element: Water

Deities: Bacchus, Dionysus, Diana

Number: 7

Planets: Jupiter, Neptune

Powers: Dreams, overcoming alcoholism, healing, psychism, peace, love, protection against thieves, courage, happiness

 

Amethyst is a member of the crystal quartz or silica group, the most common mineral on our planet. Its crystal structure consists of corkscrewing chains of silicon tetrahedrons that often terminate in a six sided pyramid. The quartz’s corkscrew can be either left handed or right handed and in some very rare instances, it will turn both ways. A purple quartz, amethyst is steeped in ancient magic and lore. It is still just as popular today as it was thousands of years ago.

 

Amethyst was formed under a variety of conditions. In Brazil and Uruguay it formed in the gas cavities of lava flows (geodes). Agate geodes containing Amethyst can reach up to five feet in length and four feet wide.

 

In Canada , Russia and the US , Amethyst formed in pegmatites or in metamorphic rocks. In fact each locale where Amethyst is found, seems to produce a slightly different crystal. In Thunder Bay Canada , Port Arthur Amethyst forms in a flat hexagon with alternating purple and clear Quartz sections. In Vera Cruz Mexico Amethyst forms over clear Quartz phantoms, often in double terminations.

 

Heat treating Amethyst will change it from purple to brown or yellow, and many Citrines on the market are created this way. Amethyst from one particular mine in Brazil will turn green when heated. It is marked under the name of prasiolite. (Although this is actually the name of an entirely different mineral.

 

The history of Amethyst is as ancient and dusty as the burial crypts of early Egypt and Babylon . Archeologists have recovered documents that were sealed and the dead adorned with Amethyst.

 

There is a Native American legend surrounding Thunder Bay 's Amethyst. Chief Nanibijou showed man the secret location of Mother's precious gems and crystals within the Mountains. The punishment for his indiscretion is to lay forever, a sleeping giant in the middle of the bay.

 

Early in Amethyst's history, its purple color and rarity made it an instant favorite among monarchs. At one time, quality Amethyst was more valuable than Diamonds. The oldest of England ’s crown jewels is a cut Amethyst worn by Edward the Confessor. Catherine the Great treasured it as her favorite gem.

 

Catholics believe Amethyst represents piety and celibacy and it has long been the stone of choice for Popes, Cardinals and Bishops. Crusaders attached them to their rosaries and wore the crystal into battle for protection.

 

Amethyst is a fairly versatile crystal for use around the home, jewelry, healings and meditation. It stimulates the energy centers of the body, mind and spirit. The power of amethyst can be channeled by carrying a small crystal in your pocket. Hold amethyst while meditating to help enhance mental clarity, improve intuition and open-mindedness.

 

The magical and spiritual qualities of amethyst have been valued and known for centuries. Among Spiritualists, they believe that this stone aids bringing the divine into the more mundane aspects of life, helping the soul feel more grounded. The amethyst is set in the Fisherman's ring worn by the Pope. It is mentioned in Exodus as one of the twelve sacred stones worn on the High Priest Aaron's breastplate in the bible.

 

In Ancient Egypt, Ambassadors carried amethyst scarabs with them when traveling abroad. It was believed that the scarabs would help them see past illusions and protect from treachery. The Persians believed that amethyst had the power to keep locusts away. In fortune-telling, amethyst foretells changes or transitions. Or it can suggest that such changes are the answer to a problem.

 

Amethyst is the birthstone for February:

 

"The February-born shall find

Sincerity, and peace of mind,

Freedom from passion and from care,

If they the Amethyst will wear."

 

Sleep

 

Place an amethyst beneath your pillow or wear it to bed, it drives off insomnia and nightmares. It promotes peaceful sleep and pleasant, healing, even prophetic dreams. It also helps ensure that the wearer doesn’t oversleep.

 

Preventing Drunkenness

 

Amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" meaning "not drunken." In Greek myth, Amethyst was a pure young girl who refused to get drunk. This angered Dionysus, the god of joviality. To protect her from harm, the goddess Diana turned her into quartz. Later regretting his actions, Dionysus knocked over his wine goblet in despair, staining the quartz to a purple color.

 

*Ease your head in the morning after by soaking an amethyst in water. Sip the water while breathing in the soothing aroma of lavender.

 

*The Greeks believed that amethyst offered protection from the effects of overindulgence in alcohol, allowing a person to drink without becoming intoxicated. And that it also protected from falling victim to addictions. They often drank from amethyst goblets or dropped amethyst into their wine glasses for protection.

 

*Carry amethyst in your pocket during a night on the town to protect from drinking too much. You'll need to carry the stone for two weeks beforehand to attune it to you.

 

Heighten Psychic Awareness and Intuition

 

Being a purple stone, Amethyst is connected to the sixth or "third-eye" chakra. This is the center that controls higher intuitions and spiritual awareness.

 

*Placing an amethyst on your brow stimulates the pineal gland. Some traditions hold that this gland is the place where the soul enters and leaves the body. Stimulating it enables you to see through lies and illusions, groundless fears/depression, and the false happiness of addiction.

 

*The Third-Eye chakra regulates the energy flow throughout the body, stimulating it helps to rebalance extremes, setting moods and enhancing general well-being. Many people keep a crystal with their I Ching, Tarot, Runes or other divination tools.

 

*Amethyst promotes spiritual development and aids divine connections and mental clarity. It also encourages bravery and wisdom and helps to initiate astral travel. Hold your amethyst loosely during meditation to improve divine connection.

 

*Wear amethyst in a pendant on a short chain to benefit from its stimulating effects all day long. Let its soothing, de-stressing, calming, peaceful vibrations sink into you.

 

Amethyst Elixer - Facilitates the opening of the third eye to build confidence and understanding of ones part in the creational process. Take 15 drops once a week prior to bed time. Also can be used to attain higher states of meditation. Take fifteen drops a half hour prior to meditation. An elixir of the Siberian Amethyst helps circulation and blood flow throughout the body.

 

Enhance Healing

 

A good all-purpose healing stone, especially when you're not sure of the problem. You can enhance your crystal's healing properties by rubbing it with lavender oil which also stimulates the Third Eye Chakra.

 

Headaches, banishes pimples and rough skin, and treatment of arthritis. Amethyst can help strengthen the skeletal structure to improve posture. It will promote healing on a cellular level, aid the digestive tract and help with stomach and heart disorders.

 

*On your bedside table or under your pillow, amethyst's soothing qualities will ease your worries and aid sleep.

 

*Gently rub your forehead with an amethyst to banish tension headaches. Start with small circular movements in the center of the temple and gradually work your way outward.

 

*To banish pimples, moisten the amethyst with saliva and rub it on the face over pimples and rough skin for a clear complexion.

 

Protection

 

Wear amethyst to protect against thieves, harm, sickness and danger or while traveling.

 

Keep in pet's water to reduce fleas.

 

Love

 

Considered a stone of chastity, this notion dates back to past centuries when the ideal love was “platonic.” Today when more people view sex as a natural aspect of a healthy, monogamous relationship, this idea is slowly fading from commonly used folk lore.

 

As a stone of pure, true, emotional love, Amethyst is sometimes exchanged between lovers to strengthen their commitment to each other. An amethyst carved in the shape of a heart and set is silver was presented by a woman to a man to ensure their love.

 

For men, the amethyst is used for attracting “good women” to him.

 

Lawsuits, Justice, Prosperity

 

Use amethyst in spells for lawsuits to ensure that justice/right is done. Also use amethyst in prosperity and success spells for businesses.

 

Amethyst Spell

 

When you’re emotionally upset, been jilted by a lover, ending a relationship, stressed out or in any kind of an unstable condition, taken an amethyst with you outside to a place that you can be alone. Hold the amethyst in your left hand (or right if left-handed) and pour out all of your feelings into the stone.

 

Feel every bit of pain, emotional low, every piece of hurt, send it all flowing into the stone. When the stone is nearly bursting with negativity, throw it with as much force as you can, making sure to scream, howl, choke out a shout as you throw the stone. As your hand releases the stone, you release the hurt as well. Know that the hurt is contained in the stone and now outside of you.

 

Calm down, taking deep breathes and meditate for a few moments. Thank the earth for its help and then turn around, leaving your problems behind you. The earth will absorb the hurt, leaving the stone free, but never bring that stone into your life again.

 

Other Varieties of Amethyst

 

Amethyst Herkermer - This mineral provides for good spiritual cleansing and development, helping the mind to calm and dwell on higher thoughts. Used for healing and is also known for protection from psychic attacks, an excellent stone for activating the crown chakra. This can also help to attune one to the higher realms, and is conductive to opening the channels to telepathy.

This stone is light purple in color.

 

Chevron Amethyst - This mineral provides for good spiritual cleansing and development, helping the mind to calm and dwell on higher thoughts. Used also extensively for healing in the healing arts. It is also known for protection from psychic attacks, an excellent stone for activating the crown chakra. If you place a chevron amethyst on a chakra which is closed or closing, this particular amethyst will reverse the negative energy flow to facilitate the re-opening of the chakra. This stone is purple in color with white stripes.

 

Elestial Amethyst - These stones are rare. Usually they are found in larger sizes because most fractionated during their growth period. These stones are as old as fifty million years old. They access past life wisdom and the wisdom of the ages. They can actually tell the story of creation. The quality unique to amethyst elestial is it's ability to bring a strong sense of universal intellect. In meditation, it dispels negative thoughts and mind wandering ( chita ). It also assists in the removal of confusion. Most elestial amethyst has smokey quartz in it. See smokey quartz and Elestials for additional qualities.

 

Guierro Amethyst - (smokey) This mineral provides for good spiritual cleansing and development, helping the mind to calm and dwell on higher thoughts. Used also extensively for healing in the healing arts. It is also known for protection from psychic attacks, an excellent stone for activating the crown chakra, and clearing negativity from all the chakras. Excellent for Astral travelling protection.

This stone is grayish purple in color.

 

Siberian Amethyst - There are not many of these powerful stones available at this time. These are found in the mountains of Siberia in Russia where the average temperature is minus thirty degreee Celsius to a low of minus one hundred and fifty degree Celcius. There are found at a depth of three to four hundred feet.They are formed as a mass rather than crystal points. The Siberian amethyst only work on the physical, both as blood purifier and liver detoxifier. Point the narrowest part of the your piece of Siberian amethyst upward and place on the throat chakra. This will break up any blockages of blood in the brain. Point the narrowest portion downward to work with the extremities and other organs of the body. This would work for blood clots and blood poisoning and viruses in the blood as well.

 

Geographic Index of Amethyst Variations:

 

Africa - Large, unattractive crystals that are cut and polished into some highly prized gemstones.

 

Brazil - Most formed in volcanic vugs or gas bubbles (geodes); some vugs form from trees that were engulfed in the flow then withered away; light to medium violet, with color only showing in the tops of the crystals.

 

Canada - Clusters grew in druzy crusts along the fissures of ancient metamorphic rocks; some contain a unique Hematite inclusion causing a reddish tint.

 

Thunder Bay Canada - Port Arthur Amethyst, a natural hexagon with alternating sections of Quartz and Amethyst, believed to be caused by numerous crystals twinning in planes.

 

Germany - found with colorful agates that formed in druzy crusts.

 

Italy - similar to the crystals found in Guerrero and Vera Cruz ( Mexico ) with parallel growth clusters and evenly distributed color.

 

Mexico

 

Guerrero - dark purple prismatic crystals radiating from a common attachment point, often with phantoms and double terminated.

 

Vera Cruz - similar to Guerrero crystals, except for their color – the interior is a pale purple with a clear Quartz interior (Amethyst phantoms), some of the most valuable Amethyst in the world.

 

Russia - a clear, dark variety used primarily for fine cut gemstones – uncut specimens are rarely available on the market.

 

United States - mostly found in druzy clusters filling the fractures of metamorphic rocks or in pegmatites, ranging in color from a bluish/violet to a brownish purple.

 

(Colorado) - These druzes formed in the fissures of sandstone, often on top of a green fluorite crust, crystals are dark and small.

 

Bolivia - The home of Ametrine, first found in the early 1970's, this unique zoned crystal is part Amethyst and part Citrine. Because of mining restrictions in the area where this unusual crystal is found, the stone has only been available for about the last 20 years.