Introduction
Amethyst is considered to be the ultimate stone for beginners when it comes to crystal healing. More than that, amethyst is essential to any comprehensive crystal collection, and knowing how they work is key to unlocking their magic.
In this article we discuss the following:
- Amethyst Properties
- Amethyst Color
- What Makes Amethyst Purple?
- Amethyst Metaphysical Properties
- Amethyst Healing Properties
- Amethyst and Chakra
- Amethyst Meaning
- What Does Amethyst Represent?
- Amethyst Birthstone
- Amethyst Jewelry
- Amethyst Ring
- Amethyst Necklace
- Amethyst Earrings
- Amethyst Bracelet
- Amethyst Pendant
- Amethyst Price
- Where are Amethysts Found?
- Amethyst Geodes
- Amethyst Trees
- Conclusion
Amethyst Properties
There are a multitude of different amethyst uses, and we intend to cover them all. When working with amethyst crystal, it’s important to know all of the avenues of possibility, because then you’ll know exactly how to direct your intentions in order to achieve your deepest desires.
The crystalline structure of amethyst makes it a highly programmable and influenceable stone. This is why it’s so popular amongst beginners to this kind of work, as the crystal is sensitive to even compromised energies.
To keep the properties of your amethyst in full effect, it’s important that you take time out, at least once a month, to properly cleanse and recharge the stone.
Amethyst Color
What color is amethyst? 99% of the time, amethyst appears in some sort of shade of purple. It may be so dark it looks black in some lights, or so pale that it refracts pink, but most amethyst exists within the purple ray energies.
Purple amethyst may be known by the following sub-categorized names: cape, mossy or pink. Less common is the ametrine crystal, which is a fusion between amethyst and citrine stones. These are a beautiful blend of purple, orange and green hues.
Prasiolite is another type of well known form of this stone, also called green amethyst. Almost all forms of this stone come from a singular mine in Brazil, with recent deposits also having been discovered in Poland.
Cape amethyst is probably the most sought after form of the purple stones, as they tend to hold interesting patterns made by dark and light layers of crystal. Since most generic amethyst stones look very much alike, the cape forms are unique and make for great jewelry.
What Makes Amethyst Purple?
The violet hues that appear in amethyst crystal are all thanks to a fascinating process of irradiation, as well as a number of impurities and contaminant metals that interject themselves into the formation process.
Amethyst is a form of quartz, so the purple occurs when the color centers within this specific stone become influenced by external entities. For example, there are trace amounts of iron that are irradiated due to natural radiation that occurs within these rocks.
Iron that is irradiated has the ability to absorb certain wavelengths of light that regular rock would not. This specific wavelength happens to be on par with the color purple, causing the respective refraction to occur in the amethyst stone.
When other transition metals are present in the Earth they, too, will become irradiated over time, leading to different shades of light and thus different hued crystals.
Amethyst Metaphysical Properties
The amethyst magical properties that you need to know about are centered around spirituality and psychic ability. There are amethyst powers available to all who use this stone, but its effects are very much dependent on one’s level of open mindedness.
Amethyst works to enhance spiritual awareness by making the user more intuitive to the more subtle languages of the universe. As you can imagine, this requires a certain level of surrender, as any interjection by the ego will only hold you out of vibrational reach from these experiences.
If you possess any psychic abilities, they are likely to be amplified by working with amethyst stones. Your aura will also be purified by the crystal, with any lingering negative energies expelled with immediate effect.
You’re likely to learn a lot about your own personality when working with this particular crystal. Amethyst will never present you with findings that your mental state cannot handle. There is a very delicate balance of mutual understanding that is adhered to with amethyst.
Amethyst Healing Properties
The healing properties of amethyst are concerned with both the mind and physical body. Amethyst is known as a natural tranquilizer, and can bring a user into a full state of euphoric bliss even when stress is ripping through each of their cells.
Amethyst can help to stabilize mood swings and ease irritability, making one less inclined to fall into pits of rage when things start going south. Anxiety is also something that can be managed with amethyst crystal work.
If one is struggling with sadness and grief, amethyst can help a user in making the triggers of these emotions a thing of the past. Any tension headaches that arise because of this kind of strain will be brought back into balance for long term attainment of serenity.
Furthermore, amethyst is said to facilitate the balancing of hormones, and the prospect of weight loss in certain users. There is a detoxification that occurs throughout the entire body when amethyst stone is kept close by.
Amethyst and Chakra
Within the human structure there exist 7 energy hubs known as the chakras. The high vibrating crystals found on Earth usually correlate to one or more specific chakra, and it is here that they are able to do their most profound work.
They do this by connecting to the ray energies, also known as the color spectrum. The crown chakra, or 7th chakra, sits on the top of your head and is associated with the violet ray energy. It is here that amethyst stones tend to send their focus.
The crown chakra is our center for spirituality, and our doorway to the higher realms. All wisdom and universal consciousness is thought to enter and exit through the crown, and this is where we gain our sense of unity and connectedness to the world around us.
By working with the crown, amethyst stones are able to both purify and amplify all entering and exiting energies in this zone. Frequencies coming from higher planes will enter at the crown, and move down into the lower chakras, so it’s important that this hub be in prime functioning condition at all times.
Those with interest in the amethyst heart chakra should merely use their mind’s eye to set an intention for work in this particular energy center. There is no limit to the abilities of this stone, so sending the frequency from the crown to the heart is as easy as a simple thought.
Amethyst Meaning
The amethyst crystal meaning is difficult to pin down. These are some of the most versatile stones in existence, with histories dating back to times that we, as humans, don’t even have a record of.
The best way to derive the amethyst stone meaning is to trace it back to early origins, such as the time when these crystals were given their most current name. The word amethyst was derived from the ancient Greek word ‘amethustos’, which means sober. It was once believed that keeping amethyst nearby whilst drinking could prevent the user from becoming overly intoxicated, maintaining their sober and serious mind in spite of the alcohol. Sometimes, they would even carve goblets out of the stone itself, simply to achieve this objective.
The stone was also said to have gained its rich, purple hue thanks to the tears of Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry.
What Does Amethyst Represent?
To the ancient Egyptians, amethyst represented more than just a paradox of wine and sobriety. They had a far more spiritual meaning of amethyst, one that they associated with the zodiac sign of the goat.
Indirectly, however, the Egyptians and Greeks had similar meanings for this crystal, as in Ancient Egypt the goat was the biggest threat to their vineyards, which put their abundance of wine at risk.
Through the ages, amethyst’s representations shifted and evolved with the people. During the middle ages, for example, amethyst represented piety and celibacy, and was adorned by members of the Catholic Churches in the form of cross-shaped pendants.
The monarchs throughout the renaissance era wore amethyst to represent royalty, and the stone was even used in the making of the British crown jewels. The renaissance magicians, however, would engrave a symbol of a bear into amethyst stones, and use them as amulets against evil.
Amethyst Birthstone
Amethyst is the birthstone for the entire month of February. Those born during this time of year can receive great benefit in wearing an amethyst stone on their person, as the frequencies of both the time period and the user are fuzed into the crystalline structure of the stone.
That being said, amethyst stones are said to be powerful objects for women to wear year round, even if they were not necessarily born in February. This is due to the crystal’s hormone balancing abilities, which can help cis-gendered females ease their way through their monthly cycle.
Amethyst may also be gifted as a wedding stone to anyone who becomes married on the 6th or 17th of the month of February.
Amethyst Jewelry
Many of the best amethyst benefits are attained when the stone itself is kept as close to the user as possible; think about how the Greeks fashioned actual goblets out of amethyst just to have it in their hand throughout their drunken nights.
Wearing amethyst as jewelry is a great way to incorporate the stone into your everyday life in a convenient, and attractive manner. This is one of the most widely used gemstones in the world of crystal jewelry, so you can look forward to a wide variety of styles and pieces to choose from.
The following are the most popular forms of amethyst jewelry. We recommend shopping online, unless you happen to have stores or markets nearby that retail metaphysical goods.
Amethyst Ring
An amethyst ring is a wonderful token to gift to someone special, or just to yourself. Its wonder lies in its versatility; amethyst can represent everything from mild endearment to permanent engagement. Amethyst engagement rings are becoming a more frequent occurrence every day.
When you wear a ring made of amethyst, you have invited the frequency of the stone to be part of your aura so long as it is present on your finger. This brings opportunity for work to occur between you and the stone, even when you are not physically focused on it. Subconsciously, there is a constant energetic exchange taking place.
Amethyst is one of the more durable crystals, and thus makes a better stone for rings when compared to softer ones such as rose quartz or jade. Your fingers are constantly moving, putting any adornments at risk of contact with harsh surfaces. Most crystal rings crack or break within the first few weeks of wear, simply due to the very delicate crystalline structure of most stones. Amethyst tends to be longer lasting in this regard.
Amethyst Necklace
Not all are partial to wearing jewelry on fingers, so an amethyst necklace makes for a wonderful alternative way to use this stone daily. When amethyst sits near the chest, it makes direct contact with the heart chakra, as though you had specifically placed it here whilst laying down with the intention to do work.
Stimulating the heart chakra with amethyst day in, and day out, is going to be one of the most beneficial things you ever do for your frequency. The heart is an energetic hub that thrives under consistent periods of work, and retains a kind of muscle memory that continues that work even when the stone has disappeared.
Gifting an amethyst necklace to babies born in the month of February used to be a popular gesture throughout the 1900s. Amethyst is particularly amplified when accompanied by the frequency of gold, so gold plated jewelry is usually recommended.
Amethyst Earrings
Because amethyst is all about balance, this stone loves being divided into two, and worn as earrings. The act of placing a piece on either side of the head is not only incredibly fashionable, but also extremely powerful in encasing your aura on both sides.
With amethyst working from the head area, it is able to make greater communication with the crown chakra, as well as the third eye chakra.
When both of these energy zones are stimulated and in harmony, there is a major benefit that will come to the overall state of wellbeing for the individual in question. As we know, there are spiritual hubs, so having crystals on the ears will work to open them up throughout the day, as opposed to just during sessions of targeted crystal work.
Again, gifting amethyst earrings to babies born during February is a great idea. Because of the small amount of amethyst that is required to make this kind of jewelry, amethyst earrings are usually wonderfully affordable.
Amethyst Bracelet
There are few things as beautiful as a piece of raw amethyst clinging to the wrist of a person. Amethyst bracelets aren’t as easy to find as the aforementioned types of jewelry, so, if you happen to come by one that you like, consider it a gift from the universe.
How does an amethyst bracelet affect the body? Well, our wrist zones are particularly concerned with circulation, and offer a very direct link between the outside world and the bloodstream. Similar to how copper bracelets bring benefit to the body when worn on the wrist, so too can amethyst bracelets affect the toxicity levels in the blood.
If your intent for working with amethyst is physically focused, then wearing the stone on your wrist may bring a detoxifying benefit to the body at large. This is a great way of reaping the healing rewards that amethyst offers to all users.
Amethyst Pendant
If you’re unsure about committing to an amethyst necklace full time, then investing in a detachable pendant containing amethyst stone is recommended by enthusiasts everywhere.
By doing so, you’ll have the opportunity to wear your crystal as a necklace whenever you like, but it can also be used in different instances where a necklace is not permitted.
Hanging an amethyst pendant in your car is a wonderful means of inviting the frequency of the stone into your surrounding environment. One could also use an amethyst pendant to make a pendulum, as this is one of few stones with a frequency suited to these tools.
Pendulums can be used to read the energy of an object or environment, and are really fun ways of coming into direct communication with your physical crystal.
Amethyst Price
Amethyst is one of the most abundant stones known to the Earth, and the seemingly never-ending deposits are what help maintain a very low amethyst crystal price within the retail market.
Of course, it depends on where in the world you are situated, and what the process of getting crystals to your location entails, but generally speaking you should never be paying more than $10 or so for a decent piece of amethyst.
Jewelry may retail at a slightly higher price, considering there is much labor that goes into creating these pieces. But with regards to how much is amethyst worth, these are relatively inexpensive stones.
Fortunately, the low cost of real amethyst means there are not many counterfeit operations going on in terms of producing imitation stones. Amethyst is also quite difficult to make out of glass as there is a natural haze to this kind of crystal, and making fake stones out of resin is a sure giveaway as they are far too light.
Where are Amethysts Found?
Nearly every country in the world has a deposit of amethyst rock somewhere beneath the crust of the land. This is quite remarkable, and incredibly rare when it comes to gemstones. This abundant nature of the stone is what contributes to its overall affordability; most countries can supply their own demands for this specific stone.
The largest deposits of amethyst are currently mined in South America, North America and Africa. Globally, Brazil provides the most amethyst to the international market with an annual production rate of between two and three thousand tons.
Following close behind are the Zambian amethyst cavities, which is able to produce just under one thousand tons of rock per year. At present, the largest open cast amethyst vein in the world is actually situated in a lower region of Austria.
Amethyst Geodes
A recent cake decorating fad saw the spotlight being shone on natural forms of amethyst, namely amethyst geodes.
Natural amethyst forms within hollow rocks, known as a cavity. These cavities are formed first and require lava to do so, and then the amethyst crystal begins to form on the inner walls of the rock, which makes the geode.
Obviously, geodes can only be appreciated when they are broken open, revealing the mystical wonder living within. It’s become quite trendy to display open geodes in one’s home, and the magnitude of these stones have a powerful enough frequency to bring benefit to the space. Office spaces and therapy centers do well to have these geodes against their walls, offering a potent sense of relaxation to any energies that enter the room.
Amethyst Trees
Crystal trees have been sought after ornaments for over a hundred years. People realized that they could use smaller pieces of crystals to create one big cluster in the form of a tree, using nothing more than wire to do so (usually).
The amethyst gemstone is a commonly used crystal when it comes to the making of crystal trees. Usually in the style of a bonsai, these trees make for beautiful additions to any shelf or mantle piece, and it will help your space receive the full benefit of the stone’s unique properties.
Conclusion
Amethyst, as we know, is one of the most versatile of all crystals available for home and personal use. Crystal enthusiasts and healers will be the first people to tell you that no collection is complete until it contains at least one amethyst stone.
In addition to the myriad of benefits that amethyst can bring both physically and metaphysically, the affordability of these stones makes them incredibly appealing, and we always recommend having at least a few forms of amethyst on hand so that you are covered no matter what scenario arises.
Behold the power of the purple!
If you are interested in incorporating amethyst into your life, you should consider a mindful breathing necklace made of amethyst. Mindful breathing jewelry made of crystals not only help provide the benefits of the crystal you choose to wear, but they can also be used to help slow your breath, leading to a greater sense of calm and serenity. Also, if you are interested in reading more about anxiety and crystals, check out our comprehensive blog post on the 15 Best Crystals for Anxiety!