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Birthstone Month:
Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February.
History & Lore:
The name Amethyst is derived from the Greek word amethystos which translates as “not drunken”. This word in turn is believed to originate in the Greek legend of Dionysus, the god of wine and mischief, who was angered by an insult from a mere
mortal. As a result of this insult, he swore revenge against the next mortal who crossed his path.
The next unfortunate mortal to cross the path of Dionysus was a beautiful young lady named Amethyst who was on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. The goddess Diana saw Amethyst's plight, and seeing that she was in danger, Diana transformed Amethyst into a pure, clear crystalline quartz statue in order to protect her. Upon seeing the beautiful clear quartz statue Dionysus regretted his actions. He wept tears of wine over it in remorse. This wine, in the form of tears from a god, stained the clear quartz purple
creating the gemstone we know today as Amethyst. Throughout history Amethyst has been thought to protect against intoxication and to help maintain a sober and serious mind, which is perhaps, along with its
purple coloration, why Amethyst has a long association with royalty. Amethyst is in fact featured in jewels worn by Catherine the Great, Egyptian royalty and in the British Crown Jewels. Amethyst opens and activates the crown chakra, the third eye chakra, and can also open the heart chakra. Amethyst can be used to fight a number of disorders
including headaches, insomnia, hearing disorders, heart disorders, digestive system disorders, and has even been thought to help stabilize mental disorders. Amethyst also works emotionally and spiritually by providing patience, balance, calmness, and peace.
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