AMETHYST

Creativity and spirituality
Quartz of a purple hue
Intuition and clarity
Balance for all you do

The birthstone for February is amethyst.  This quartz in beautiful purple hues has a Mohs hardness of 7 and the same chemical composition as clear quartz, silicon dioxide.  The purple tones come primarily from traces of iron in the matrix with possible additions of manganese or aluminum depending on the source of information.  Citrine and amethyst are closely related and are often found in the same deposit, the difference being the amount of irradiation that the stone is exposed to.  This relatively common form of quartz is found in many parts of the world, including Brazil, Canada, Bolivia, Mexico, India, Madagascar, and the US.

Amethyst has long been seen as a stone of the clergy and of royalty.  There is evidence of its use in jewelry and ceremonial items dating back at least 25,000 years.  The Greeks and 
Romans believed that it would protect from drunkenness, so they added amethyst to their wine goblets.  In some cases, they carved the wine goblet from amethyst.  The word 'amethyst' comes from the Greek word for not drunken.  This gem is associated with the god of wine, Dionysus for the Greeks and Bacchus for the Romans.

In today's world, amethyst is associated with passion, creativity and spirituality.  It is seen as a gem that can help calm passion into a focused and productive creativity.  This is the type of creativity that is found "in the zone".  This is the passionate pursuit that is associated with wealth, prosperity, and abundance.

Amethyst is seen as a stone of spiritual connection and protection.  It is a stone of peace of mind, calming the mind and the emotions.  This aids with meditation, mental discipline, and increased intuition.  Those seeking spiritual insight and wisdom often use amethyst as an aid.  It may also help you access your psychic gifts.

Amethyst is one of the gems that I love to work with.  I wear it as a part of my jewelry set to encourage creativity.  I also find that it encourages calmness during difficult times.  I have put a piece in the crown position of my chakra set to aid in connecting with universal energy and spiritual wisdom.  It could also be used as a gem for the third eye to encourage intuition and psychic gifts.  When I work with amethyst to create jewelry, I find that I am a little more focused and calm than I ordinarily would be.

No matter why you choose an amethyst, for beauty, for creativity, or for spirituality, this gem calms and balances.  It is a harmonious and gentle stone that most people find beneficial.