Amethyst, a distinguished gemstone with a unique lilac hue, belongs to the Quartz mineral family and is celebrated for its considerable benefits and personality-enhancing properties when embedded in jewelry. In astrology, the amethyst is highly regarded as a potent substitute for the blue sapphire, also known as the neelam stone, due to its shared characteristics with this fast-acting Corundum gemstone. Known in Indian Vedic astrology as Jamunia or Katela, the amethyst is connected with Saturn (Shani), offering tranquillity and composure to its wearers. The origin of the name 'amethyst' traces back to the Greek words 'A', meaning 'not', and 'Methustos' meaning 'intoxicated', highlighting its historical association with sobriety.
Often faceted as opposed to being cut en-cabochon, the amethyst stone is perhaps the most popular of all semi-precious gemstones and healing crystals. In this blog, we uncover everything you need to know about the astrological benefits of wearing an amethyst gemstone.
An Amethyst Geode
Amethysts (Jamunia) in Astrology
1. Historical Context
The regal amethyst gem, part of the Quartz mineral family, has captivated humanity across various civilizations with its alluring beauty and mystical properties. In ancient Greek and Roman lore, it was believed to prevent intoxication and keep the wearer alert and wise. Oftentimes, glasses and drinking vessels were made out of amethyst in order to prevent intoxication and drunkenness. During the Middle Ages, English royalty decorated their crowns and sceptres with amethysts as a symbol of imperial dignity.
Africa's largest amethyst mine located in Zambia's Kariba region is one of the foremost producers of top-grade amethyst globally. The African gemstones like citrines and ametrines, sourced from here are distinguished by their richly saturated hues and premium quality. In the United States, a renowned native source of amethyst geodes lies just 46 miles outside Phoenix, Arizona aptly named the Four Peaks Mine. The iconic polymath, Leonardo da Vinci himself praised the contemplative virtues of amethyst, believing it could "quicken intelligence and rid evil thoughts." Today, this birthstone continues to be cherished for its regal magnetism, infusing warmth into both cool and warm color palettes with aristocratic flair.
Amethysts in Astrology
2. Birthstone Month
Individuals born in February can take pride in having the exquisite amethyst as their designated birthstone. This striking purple color gemstone is more than just a piece of jewelry; it carries with it a rich history and cultural significance. It is believed that for those who celebrate their birthdays in this month, adorning themselves with amethyst can enhance qualities such as inner strength and personal empowerment. The gemstone's deep violet hues are not only captivating to the eye but are also associated with qualities of calmness and clarity, making the amethyst a symbol of tranquillity and strength for its wearers.
3. Planetary Association
In Vedic astrology, amethysts channel cosmic energy from the karmic planet Saturn (Shani), amplifying traits like wisdom, intuition, and personal growth. With its royal mystique and anchoring yet expansive Saturnian influence, it comes as no surprise this meditative jewel has dazzled spiritual seekers and ritualists across civilizations.
4. Zodiac Signs
Throughout history, amethyst gemstones have shared profound astrological connections, especially with the zodiac signs of Pisces, Aquarius, Gemini, and Virgo. Today healing practitioners continue harnessing the stone's stabilizing and awakening virtues through chakra therapies, energy work, and crystal prescriptions based on zodiac alignments. As the official birthstone for February, amethyst stones make meaningful talismans for those born in this month.
Astrological Benefits of Wearing an Amethyst
Astrological Benefits of Wearing an Amethyst
Modern crystal healing therapies recognize the outstanding benefits of amethyst for uplifting destiny across multiple dimensions - wealth, relationships, health, and spiritual growth. Let's delve deeper into what makes this purple quartz stone such a hot favourite in New Age healing circles.
- Pacifying Planet Saturn (Shani): According to Vedic astrology, wearing amethyst with Quartz pacifies the negativity and obstacles inflicted by the malefic planet Saturn (Shani). By harmonizing this feared Hindu deity, amethyst paves the way for fortunes related to career, business, marriage, and family to unfold smoothly. Saturn governs time which amethyst reconciles in your favour.
- Boost for Professional Success: Being aligned with the auspicious planet Jupiter (Brihaspati), amethyst energizes destiny for professionals in knowledge-based fields. If you are a scientist, physician, researcher, academic, inventor, or philosopher - an amethyst birthstone promises recognition, original insights, and abundant wealth.
- Spiritual Connectivity & Intuition: If you are on the path to higher awakening and self-realization, introducing an amethyst crystal into your meditation altar and environment fosters intuition, psychic vision, and connectivity with the Divine. It balances the crown and third eye chakras to unleash inner genius.
- Emotional Healing & Stress Relief: For anyone suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, or despair over painful life events and traumas - an amethyst elixir provides immense comfort. Its serene high vibrations fill you with positivity, hope, and motivation to reconcile your wounds.
- Spiritual Connectivity & Intuition: Often referred to as the lover's gemstone, Jamunia embodies the essence of true love and devotion. This makes it an ideal gift for celebrating the 4th or 6th wedding anniversary, symbolizing a commitment to fostering a nurturing and faithful relationship. Presenting Jamunia on these significant milestones can help strengthen the bond between partners, ensuring the continuation of a harmonious and healthy relationship.
Wearing Guidelines
To fully harness the astrological potential of your amethyst stone, meticulous attention to wearing guidelines is imperative. In general, you should keep the following checklist in mind while considering an amethyst for astrological purposes:
- Metal Choice: For amethyst jewelry, it is recommended to choose silver metal as it resonates harmoniously with the gemstone's energies, and can easily be set in various types of jewelry items such as rings, pendants, bracelets, etc. This stone can also be used as a healing crystal in its raw geode form.
- Timing Considerations: Amethyst should be worn on Saturday evening during the descending moon (Krishna Paksha) when Saturn's influence is strongest for maximum beneficial effects.
- Origin: Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil is a highly prized source of amethysts – known for their deeply saturated purple colors and superior gemstone deposits. Other sources of amethysts include Uruguay, Zambia, and Bolivia.
- Finger Placement: Wearing an amethyst ring on the middle finger of your right hand is considered highly auspicious according to ancient gemological texts.
- Regular Cleansing: To maintain the gem's positive energy, periodic cleansing is advised using mild soapy water and a soft brush.
- Chanting: Regularly chanting “Om Sham Shanishcharaye Namah” while wearing or meditating with amethyst activates and energizes the stone.
- Carat Weight: When evaluating amethyst quality, carat weight is an important factor. In a general sense, one should wear an amethyst of at least 1/10th of your body weight in kilos. For example, if you weigh 60 kgs, then wearing a 6-carat amethyst is recommended. Amethysts weighing 8 - 12 carats are regarded as standard, while those exceeding 12 carats may garner premiums for their majestic proportions.
- Lab Certificates: Ensuring amethyst is accompanied by a respected gemological lab's certification verifies quality and authenticity.
Caring for Your Amethyst Stone
Proper care and maintenance are essential to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of your amethyst gemstone.
- Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Amethyst is a relatively soft gemstone that can be damaged by harsh chemicals. Avoid using household cleaners, hairspray, makeup, perfume, and other cosmetic products while wearing amethyst jewelry as the chemicals can dull and pit the stone over time.
- Periodic Inspection: Have your amethyst jewelry professionally inspected annually to check for any loosening of stones in the settings. Catch any issues early before gemstones potentially fall out.
- Storage: Store amethyst pieces separately from other gemstones in a fabric-lined box or pouch to prevent scratches. The ideal storage environment is cool and dry away from direct sunlight.
Conclusive Reflections
While reasonably durable for everyday adornment, amethyst requires more care than ultra-tough diamonds or sapphires. But a bit of maintenance is a small price for harnessing the mystical power of these sublime purple gems! So whether you seek relief from Saturn's challenges or wish to amplify Jupiter's benevolence - the presence of an amethyst birthstone in your life helps unlock every blessing the universe has in store.
If you’re looking to buy amethyst online, either for astrological purposes or for jewelry, we invite you to browse through our curated selection of these purple gemstones. Precious Earth's online platform offers an array of other precious and semi-precious stones, including yellow sapphire (pukhraj), aquamarines (beruj), hessonite garnets (gomed), blue sapphires (neelam), turquoise, ametrine, emeralds (panna), and opal among others – in a variety of carat weights, shapes, colors, and cuts. Each of our gemstones further comes with a lab-certified guarantee of authenticity, as well as a lifetime returns policy, so that you can rest assured of a genuine purchase at our web store.
