Amethyst Healing Properties

Contents 1. Meaning of Amethyst 2. Benefits of Amethyst 3. How to Care for Amethyst 4. Amethyst at a Glance 5. Article Pictures 6. Shop Amethyst

The Meaning of Amethyst

The meaning of amethyst goes far beyond its tantalising purple colour.

Amethyst is a popular crystal with a rich history and profound symbolism, which holds deep significance in cultures around the world.

At its core, the meaning of amethyst is closely related to its colour. Ranging from delicate lilac to deep violet, amethyst has long been associated with royalty, spirituality, and enlightenment.

In ancient times, amethyst symbolised wealth, power, wisdom, and divine connection.

Beyond its visual appeal, amethyst is revered for its healing properties and spiritual significance. As a stone of purification and protection, it's believed to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit of negative energy, promoting clarity, harmony, and inner peace.

The association of amethyst with the crown chakra, which is the centre of spiritual consciousness, enhances its ability to facilitate spiritual awakening and intuition.

Ancient Roman author and natural philosopher Pliny the Elder wrote about amethyst in his encyclopaedia Naturalis Historia (Natural History). This set of works is the largest reference to have survived from the Roman Empire.

Pliny wrote, “According to some authorities amethystos comes from Greek for 'not' and 'to intoxicate'. This stems from it being a supposed preservative against inebriety."

Benefits of Amethyst

Amethyst has been used for its healing properties for thousands of years. Its benefits are mostly associated with calmness and deep relaxation. Amethyst supports physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and combats stress and anxiety.

Amethyst soothes the mind and eases tension, so it's often used in meditation and other spiritual practices. It can benefit those who struggle with insomnia or find it difficult to switch off.

Crystal healers recommend placing amethyst around the home to absorb negative energy and fill the space with tranquillity.
Amethyst's healing properties are often associated with strength and power. This is likely because its most popular characteristic, which is its colour, comes from impurities of iron.

Amethyst is believed to be a natural tranquilliser that harmonises mind, body, and spirit. It calms negative thoughts and promotes mental clarity.

Its gentle and serene energy eases anxiety, melts away stress, and enables the mind to find lasting peace.

Amethyst is an ideal companion for meditation. When placed in the bedroom, amethyst promotes deep relaxation, restful sleep and soothing dreams. 

When used for its healing properties, it calms irritability, eases mood swings and controls anger.

Amethyst enhances spiritual awareness, calms an overactive mind and improves focus, memory, and concentration.

How to Care for Amethyst

The colour of an amethyst crystal is delicate, so will fade if exposed to excessive heat and/or UV light. Unless kept away from daylight completely, most amethyst will experience some fading.

Amethyst should never be charged in sunlight and should be kept well away from a sunny window or source of heat. 

Amethyst is one of the most popular healing crystals and there's an endless supply of crystal healing-related information online.  

One article I read in an influential online magazine recommends leaving amethyst in the sun for a few hours to recharge. It said as an alternative, it could be placed in a salt bath to remove negative energies that may have accumulated.

If you follow this guidance, your amethyst is unlikely to remain beautiful for very long.      

Amethyst is a variety of quartz, so it's reasonably tough. Although it's generally not recommended to soak any natural mineral in salt water because salt is corrosive, a small quantity shouldn't damage amethyst in the short term.

In geology, toughness is not the same as hardness.

Amethyst belongs to the mineral class of tectosilicates, a subgroup of silicate minerals. These materials have silicate tetrahedrons as their basic building blocks.  The silicates are reasonably resilient to chemical reactions.

Silicate minerals tend not to be affected by salt because they don't contain ions that can be replaced by sodium ions from salt solutions. The chemical bonds that hold the atoms in a silicate together are strong, so they are not easily broken by external factors such as salt.

However, this interaction may damage some silicates. The extent of the damage depends on the specific mineral's physical and chemical properties, such as its crystal structure, composition, and texture.

Crystal healing is an alternative therapy that believes the energy of a crystal can be used to promote holistic health.

While crystals can provide deep relaxation, stress relief and support for emotional well-being, healing with crystals is a complementary practice and not a replacement for medical treatment.

The healing properties of amethyst are highly personal and subjective. People may experience different benefits based on their beliefs, experiences and intentions.

Healing with crystals is most effective when approached with an open mind.

Amethyst Healing Properties at a Glance

• Stress Reduction: Amethyst calms the mind and alleviates stress, promoting relaxation and mental clarity.
• Emotional Balance: It helps dispel negative emotions while bringing emotional stability and inner peace.
• Spiritual Connection: Amethyst is associated with the crown chakra. It enhances spiritual awareness and intuition.
• Physical Healing: Amethyst is believed to relieve headaches, insomnia, and other physical ailments by promoting detoxification and relaxation.

To benefit from amethysts's healing properties, it can be used in different ways: 

• Carrying/Wearing: Amethysts can be worn in jewellery or carried in a handbag or pocket. Some women carry crystals in their bras.
• Meditation: Amethyst is a great crystal for meditation. It helps with focus, deepens the meditative state, and promotes emotional well-being.
• Positioning: Place amethyst crystals in the bedroom and wherever you spend the most time. Amethyst creates a calm and harmonious environment.

Article Pictures

The amethyst geodes in this article are from our collection.

The second photo of amethyst is courtesy of Stan Celestian. 

Photos are clickable and redirect to the original image.

Pop-up photo: Quartz - Courtesy of Stan Celestian.