Amethyst has been highly esteemed throughout the ages for its stunning beauty and legendary powers to stimulate, and soothe the mind and emotions. It is a semi-precious stone in today’s classifications, but to the ancients it was a “Gem of Fire,” a Precious Stone worth, at times in history, as much as a Diamond. It has always been associated with February, the month the Romans dedicated to Neptune, their water-god, and it’s the traditional birthstone of that month. It is the stone of St. Valentine and faithful love, and signifies ecclesiastical dignity as the Bishop’s Stone. It carries the energy of fire and passion, creativity and spirituality, yet bears the logic of temperance and sobriety.
Whether its crystals are left natural, polished as tumblestones, or faceted into magnificent jewels, Amethyst is a gem whose beauty transcends its commonality. It is a variety of Quartz found in many locations around the world, and forms as transparent, terminated crystals of all sizes in geodes, clusters and as long single terminations. It is also found in vitreous masses and polished into wonderful specimens and personal talismans. The presence of manganese in clear Quartz produces Amethyst, while additional amounts of iron vary the purple coloration. Amethyst ranges in hue from pale red-violet to deep violet, and may be transparent or opaque. It is sometimes layered with white Quartz as Chevron Amethyst, found in combination with Cacoxenite, mixed with Citrine as Ametrine, or in rare cases, “rutilated” with Goethite.
In today’s world, Amethyst is still a remarkable stone of spirituality and contentment, known for its metaphysical abilities to still the mind and inspire an enhanced meditative state. Its inherent high frequency purifies the aura of any negative energy or attachments, and creates a protective shield of Light around the body, allowing one to remain clear and centered while opening to spiritual direction. Amethyst stimulates the Third Eye, Crown and Etheric Chakras enhancing cognitive perception as well as accelerating the development of intuitive and psychic ability. It initiates wisdom and greater understanding, and is a stone of comfort for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
In Egyptian mythology, the first couple are Isis and Osiris. They have emerged from the acacia tree of Iusaaset, which the Egyptians considered the tree of life. Egyptians considered the Tree of Life to be the tree in which life and death are enclosed. The direction East was associated with the direction of Life, the direction of the rising Sun, and the direction West was seen as the direction of death, of under-world, because Sun sets in the West.
Within the Nordic cultures we also find a Tree of Life called Yggdrasil. It is a massive holy ash tree where Gods assemble daily. the tree provides a magical springwater of knowledge. An eagle is on the top of the tree and a serpent is coiled around the roots of the tree. The eagle and the snake hate each other.
On the top of the above tree is the symbol of Thor, the eagle. The dogs guarding the Tree emulate the guardian lions depicted in Byzantine works.
The Celtic tree of Life is often drawn showing the branches reaching skyward and the roots spreading out into the earth below symbolising the Druid belief in the link between heaven and earth.
Trees were an important aspect of Celtic Culture. They provided shelter and food, and warmth through fire wood. They also acted as a home for other animals, birds and insects. The Druids would hold their classes and meetings under the trees and, when clearing a settlement, the ancient Celts would always leave a tree standing in the centre. Spiritually, the Celts believed that trees were the ancestors of man and had a connection to the other world. The most sacred of trees was the oak, or ‘daur’ in Celtic, which is where we get the modern word ‘door’. So the oak tree, literally would have been the door to the other world.
The Tree of Life exists in many cultures, religions and mythologies, including those of Ancient Egypt, China, the Kabbalah and the Mayans.
Embrace the magical energies of the tree of life with this handmade pendant! It’s made of sterling 925 silver and an intricate forest of branches has been hand crafted to create a truly unique tree. Two glistening Amethyst stones have been added to the piece.
The measurements are as follows:
3.5cm long
2.5cm wide
The piece will be sent with an adjustable black cotton strap but it also looks great with a silver chain.
It would make a beautiful addition to your jewelry collection 🙂
If you have any questions feel free to ask!
Happy buying 🙂