© Kathryn Tisdale and the Mandala Pattern, 2010

Amethyst is a beautiful stone that can be found around the globe.  It isn’t surprising, then, that it has become culturally important in many diverse traditions — but it is a little surprising, at least to me, that it is associated with magical protective powers in so many of them.

The word amethyst comes from the Greek for ‘not intoxicated’.   Ancient Greeks and Romans carved wine goblets from amethyst and wore it as amulets, believing it could protect them from drunkenness.  (I know a few people who would wonder why they’d want to, but that’s a different topic.)  Medieval European soldiers wore amethyst as protection in battle, believing it could heal people and keep them cool-headed.  It has been used for centuries as a Chinese Feng Shui tool to clear negative energy and to bring luck, health and wealth.

It has also believed to protect against snakebite, protect crops from locusts, quiet stomach acids and enhance the intellect and the purity of the wearer.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to think some of that magical protection can be captured in a mandala? Who can’t use a little extra protection from time to time?

Protective Mandala detail

Protective Mandala source photo