"The Febrary born shall find

Sincerity and peace of mind,

Freedom from passion and from care,

If they an Amethyst shall wear"

Gregarian birthstone rhyme

 

When the tigers sprang, Dianna took pity on the young woman and changed her into a stone to save her, though she would be a stone forever. At that time, the transformed Amethyst was a crystal, clear and colourless. When Bacchus saw what he had caused through his drunken ire, he poured his wine out in remorse over the Amethyst stone, thus giving it the beautiful purple colour it is known for today. This too began the tradition of using Amethyst to protect from drunkenness and, eventually, from any continued and destructive habits.

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and the most valued member of the quartz family. It must be purple to be amethyst, but it can display a range of shades including deep purple, light lilac, lavender and mauve. Top quality amethyst is a deep medium purple with rose-colored flashes. It has been prized as far back as Neolithic Europe. Ancient Egypt has left us Amethyst artifacts in the form of beads and amulets. Early Greece and Rome also prized Amethyst highly and its purple color has made it a stone of royalty for several thousand years. This is due mostly to a certain rarity, up until quite recently in history, of the purple hue in mankind's posessions. Without modern methods, purple is a very difficult pigment to obtain and produce in any type of dye. Due to the rarity of such transferrable pigments and the difficulty in obtaining them, purple has been a colour associated with royalty for as long as man has cared to make such associations, as royalty were often the only ones with who could afford such a luxury. Therefore it is natural that Amethyst in its rich purple glory should also be considered a royal stone, found on sceptres, crowns, royal garments and even the rings of bishops. It is said to have been the ninth stone on the breastplate of the High Priest.

Amethyst is an excellent almost all-round stone. If somebody is buying a stone for the first time, they cannot go wrong with an amethyst. Not only is it beautiful and yet widely avalailable in many price ranges, but energetically it is cleansing, calming and protective. Any space, be it office, home, or workshop can benefit from a piece of amethyst. It is associated with th crown chakra and is good for helping one listen to one's own intuition. It is also excellent for facilitating meditation. It has been used for hearing disorders, insomnia, headaches and other pain.

And so, all of you born in February, wear your amethyst with pride! Remember its regal history and remember all those before you who have so prized this lovely stone. While you are doing so, however, don't forget to enjoy the cleansing, unburdening, uplifting energy that comes with it and all that is purely Amethyst.

Note: While Amethyst is the stone most commonly associated with February, all months have more than one birthstone, due to varying traditions around the world.  Also, as the zodiac signs begin and end mid-month, a person's zodiac birthstone will not necessarily match the birthstone from the month in which they are born. In February Aquarius, with Amethyst as its birthstone, is the sign until the 18th. Then Pisces takes over with the birthstone Aquamarine, so February Pisceans have both Amethyst and Aquamarine as legitimate birthstones.