You’ve probably heard of amethyst, and most likely seen one. It’s a very popular stone.
You most likely know that its beautifully colored quartz, the February birthstone, and a delicate stone that looks wonderful set in almost any kind of jewelry: earrings, necklaces, or rings.
What you don’t know about amethyst, however, is that the gemstone has a history that goes back over 27,000 years, and has been historically considered valuable for a range of spiritual and emotional benefits.
In ancient Greece, it was considered to prevent drunkenness. Renaissance Europeans believed it calmed lovers overrun by passion, with Camillo Leonardi an Italian astronomer and astrologer, writing that amethyst sharpened intelligence and rid one of evil thoughts. According to Christian lore, amethyst was used to aid in healing wounds.
Here’s what you didn’t know about amethyst, and all the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits it is considered to offer.
At a technical level, Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz that often can range from a pinkish-purple to shades of intense violet or a delicate lilac.
It is a semi-precious stone with a glassy luster and is part of the hexagonal crystal system. With a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, it’s a great option for jewelry pieces.
Amethyst is a gemstone that has been celebrated since 25,000 BC for its healing and restorative powers by various civilizations, from the Greeks to the Romans and the Egyptians.
The name for the amethyst in fact originates from the ancient Greek word “Amethystos”, which means not intoxicated. The Greeks also have a quite interesting story about the origin of the amethyst, which is ascribed to its healing properties: especially against intoxication and for the prevention of drunkenness.
As per the story, Amethyst was actually a young girl who roused the anger of the god of wine, Dionysus, when he was drunk To seek protection, Amethyst appealed to the Goddess Diana for help. The Goddess then turned her into a shimmering white stone. When an eventually sobered up Dionysus realized what he had done, he overturned his goblet in anger at his own drunkenness.
The spilled wine covered the white stone, and to Dionysus’ surprise, he found that the white stone soaked up the wine until it began to glow and shimmer with a purple tint.
This is the origin of the legend that the amethyst helps balance the consciousness, ensuring the mind and soul remain cleansed and detoxified and imparting spiritual healing and awareness.
Drawing on the legendary stone-origin story, amethyst is also thought to cool rages, replacing anger with a calming serenity and bringing a sense of clarity to chaos.
In line with its soothing properties, amethyst is also considered useful in bringing about restful and plentiful sleep.
Speaking of sleep, keep a note of any amethysts you see in your sleep. A dream of receiving an amethyst as a gift brings good luck, while a dream of giving an amethyst means you forgive the person you are gifting the amethyst to.
On a physical level, it is believed that amethyst helps balance the endocrine system, balancing hormones like endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine that regulate calmness and happiness and regulate cortisol production to harmonize stress and tension in the body.
Overall, amethyst benefits are ideal for those who need to feel comforted, grounded, and soothed as they center their emotions. It can be a particularly ideal gemstone for those who are suffering from overwhelming emotions such as depression, anxiety, grief, or loss.
Amethyst is also ideal for those born in February, as it is the birthstone for the month. The reason for this association comes from another legend, that St. Valentine wore an amethyst ring carved with Cupid’s portrait.
Amethyst is also a great gift for a sixth wedding anniversary, as the gem is traditionally given on this anniversary.
Amethyst is also perfect for when you want to feel like a real queen: at one time, amethyst was reserved exclusively for royalty, due to its purple color.
