Amethyst: The Stone of Twilight

In legend it is said that once, when the god Bacchus was having a bad day he decided that the first person to meet himself and his entourage of tigers should be devoured by the animals. That unfortunate individual turned out to be the maiden Amethyst, who was going to worship at the shrine of Diana, the moon goddess. When the tigers leapt at her she called out the Goddess' name and was turned into a pure white stone. The miracle pulled Bacchus out of his mood. In repentance he poured wine over the stone, giving it a violet hue.

This tale may be the origin of the idea that amethyst helps to cure drunkenness. Certainly it would be an ideal stone to carry or wear for recovering alcoholics who wish to make amends to those they've wronged, but the popularity of this stone for people who wish to heal themselves from addiction more likely stems from its calming qualities.

We once recommended amethyst for a little girl who had frequent nightmares. A few weeks later her aunt (who had consulted us) brought in a note from the child which read: "I put the purple stone under my pillow and I dont have the bad dreams any more."

Stone of Spirit

On special evenings violet fills the evening sky. As evening represents the transition between day and night so amethyst reflects a shift from one reality to another.

It is one of the most effective stones to use for meditation because its calming attributes relax the mind so that it can release its attachment to the daily concerns of life and slip into a more expansive reality. If you'd like to meditate with this stone place it on your forehead between your eyes.

Amethyst also helps to ease the transition between life and death. During the last two weeks of her life our elderly cat, Angel, spent most of her time leaning against a large amethyst cluster. That cluster now lives in the Beyond the Rainbow office, in commemoration of a memorable cat.

Amethyst and Astrology

As popular as this stone is, it's unsurprising that the holders of many sun signs claim it for their own, and its properties are universal enough that most people can benefit from it. Traditionally, it is assigned most frequently to Aquarius, because for all of the humanitarian and advanced qualities of this sign, one of its keywords is "I know," and amethyst is here to teach us that what we know is but a fraction of what we can experience when we surrender the limitations of knowledge.

Amethyst is also frequently assigned to Pisces, and although we prefer aquamarine for this sign, the Piscean tendency to swing from high to low without transition can be eased by amethyst's gentle qualities.

See our article on Water Violet, a Bach Flower Remedy related to Aquarius.

Also see StarStones for a description of the Aquarian astrological kit.

Amethyst is available in tumbled stones, hearts, clusters, runestones, pyramids, spheres, candleholders, and jewelry, such as the pendants to the right.

Return to Crystal Description Page

Return to Main Crystal Menu