Amethyst
After talking about Citrine last week, we thought it’s a great time to look at its sister, Amethyst. Amethyst is another crystal that is considered an old-world stone. Geologically speaking, Amethyst forms in the same way as citrine and the differences between them is small enough to be covered in one post so we’re not going to dig deep into it separately. However, if you would like to dig more into the geology, you can find that blog post here.
The geology of Amethyst is just as fascinating as Citrine. Amethyst is in the quartz family and because of this it holds the same hardness and other properties of both citrine, smoky quartz, and clear/white/ “regular” quartz. Where amethyst is different from its’ quartz siblings is its presence of trace amounts of the metal iron.
Amethyst can be found in many shades, from lilac to deep purple. The variations in color is actually referred to geologically as “Color Zoning”( Geology.com) with the deepest colors usually appearing at or near the termination ( pointy end) of the crystal point.
Like most forms of quartz, Amethyst can be found in all types of rocks on our planet making it relatively abundant as a source for the open market but not enough in one pocket for continuous mining so it’s necessary to seek multiple locations to meet demand. Amethyst is mined in Brazil and Uruguay, but other deposits are in the United States, Canada, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Mexico to name a few.
There are several “types” of Amethyst: Traditional purple amethyst, chevron amethyst (banded), Ametrine (Amethyst and Citrine), Pink Amethyst, Mossy Amethyst ( has rutile like inclusions), and Prasiolite (green).
Let’s get Metaphysical!
Amethyst was first discovered around 3000 B.C. and during those times it had a variety of uses and meanings just like it’s sister, citrine. Amethyst resonates with the purple ray which is associated with the chakra Ajna also known as the 3rd eye or brow chakra. Because of this, amethyst is a stone that seekers commonly look to when they are developing their intuitive gifts or have an active intention to balance the 3rd eye chakra.
Amethyst from certain areas of the world are believed to be stronger for healing or spiritual abilities than others, for example, The latest batch of Vera Cruz amethyst we checked-in is believed to offer to offer a direct connection to the divine because of the paleness of the color, whereas it’s darker counterparts are believed to be better specifically for healing.
The word Amethyst stems from the word ‘Amethystos’ which is the Greek word for sober. It’s believed that the god of wine, Dionysus (or Bacchus in the Roman pantheon) enchanted the amethyst crystal so that it would protect the wearer from drunkenness. This long history of help in remaining sober makes it an incredible stone for those that are in a recovery program such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous since it promotes calmness, mental clarity, and support. It is the crystal listed for the first of the twelve steps and one of the most common crystals we recommend here at Crystal Spirit Spiritual Center for those who are seeking help for themselves or loved ones on the road to recovery.
Amethyst has a history that also touches the Egyptian pantheon too! The Egyptians believed that it helped with courage, protection, and could prevent a person from being poisoned. Before the 19th century, Amethyst was too expensive for the average person and was associated with royalty and those of a high economic class.
The uses for Amethyst haven’t changed much over the last 3000 years. Just like in medieval times, it is still used to help treat insomnia, deflecting anger, and promoting prophetic dreams and wisdom from the divine.
This crystal is great as a center piece in any room to help shift the energy to a higher vibration and is also the birthstone for those born in February. At Crystal Spirit we have a lot of different forms of Amethyst to choose from, we literally just checked in the most amazing Pink Amethyst so make sure you stop by this week to check out our collection.
It is the season for gifts and giving, parties, and lots of food and alcohol. For those in recovery, this can be a particularly tough time of year. We have a huge selection of coins for those in recovery, both AA and NA and grabbing an amethyst while grabbing a coin for your friend, mentor, or sponsor can be a beautiful way to show your support for their choice to walk the path of sobriety.
