This month's birthstone is Amethyst

Amethyst is a great stone for meditation it is often used for Tibetan prayer beads. It is a third eye and crown chakra stone. It is known as a stone of spirituality and contentment, balance and courage. Because of their grape-like color, the Greeks associated these gems with the wine god, Dionysus also known as Bacchus. They believed that wearing an amethyst could protect you from drunkenness—in fact the word amethystos meant “not drunk” in ancient Greek. According to gemstone lore, amethyst jewelry keeps its wearer clear-headed and clever. Artist Leonardo da Vinci wrote that amethysts enhance intelligence and protect against evil thoughts.