Aristotle was already seduced by its numerous virtues over 2000 years ago. Agate is still used today for its soothing benefits. Agate is a protective stone with a magnificent colour. Discover its history and all its powers throughout this article.
The name agate comes from the river Achates, now Dirillo, in Sicily. It was here that it was first discovered in great abundance. During the ancient period, several civilisations (such as the Celts, the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, etc.) used this stone not only for its virtues, but also for its natural beauty.
Before the Christian era, between 2500 and 1500 B.C., agate stone was mainly mined and appreciated by the Greeks and Romans who traded in its deposits. Thus, it was not uncommon to see jewels such as agate necklaces, agate bracelets, etc., as well as objects or vases made of this stone. It was in great demand because of its variety of colours and shapes.
Throughout various civilizations, agate stone was used to make vases, ornaments, receptacles and many other decorative objects. Rich in legends and symbols, it was often associated with gods and goddesses. Indeed, men attributed miraculous powers to it and devoted a sincere cult to it.
For example, the Celts associated it with Ceridwen, the Welsh goddess of death and fertility. The Egyptians used it to make sacred objects. Among the Greeks, a legend tells that the king Mithridate the Great had in his possession nearly 4000 containers made of agate.
In Greek mythology, agate represents Gaia, the goddess of primordial matter, of the wild earth and of nature. For the Romans, agate was linked to Aurora, the goddess of the dawn.
Over time, agate stone began to be used for its protective properties. The Persians used to burn this stone to ward off storms and thus protect the crops.
The Romans ground it into powder to make an elixir that was used to treat snake bites. Today, agate is mainly used in jewelry for its richness in color, but also in crystals healing for its multiple benefits on the physical, mental and spiritual levels.
In reality, agate stone has its origins in several countries of the world, particularly in volcanic regions. Its deposits can be found in Germany, Australia (a variety of agate with green, yellow, pink or red stripes) and the United States. If one continues to travel the planet, it is very easy to find other varieties and deposits of agate, in particular in Brazil, Canada, Morocco, Mexico, Uruguay, Madagascar or China.
From its composition, the agate stone belongs to the family of quartz of Chalcedony and is constituted mainly of silica being formed through volcanic lava. This stone can be constituted, in complement or not, of molecules of water. After eruption, the lava is transformed into drops that are called drops of melaphyre, which solidify to become a mass of quartz.
The stones are composed of several layers, themselves formed by different varieties of quartz and inclusions of other minerals. This is why agate comes in so many shapes, colors and patterns. On the Mohs scale, agate stone has a hardness of between 6.5 and 7 and a density of between 2.58 and 2.64.
In crystal healing, the agate stone's main property is to be a stone of luck and an anchoring stone. Its properties and virtues revolve around a contribution to physical, emotional and intellectual balance. It allows those who wear it to overcome any type of energy blockage. The agate stone allows to stabilize the aura or the energy of the physical body.
The agate stone is a stone which alleviates anxieties. It soothes and harmonizes the yin and the yang. It helps each being to take confidence in oneself and to accept oneself as he is. It brings courage in the difficult moments to the one who wears it. In crystal healing, the agate stone offers virtues of self-psychoanalysis and extra-sensory perceptions of hidden elements. It is not uncommon to see people wearing an agate pendant so that its virtues can be exercised throughout the day.
The agate stone allows to bring more sincerity and incites to express the essence of one's thoughts. This natural stone develops concentration and favors memories. It is also a stone that enhances insight, the recording of different experiences and contemplation. Always in this optics of calm and plenitude, the agate stone allows to disarm the interior anger.
Its role is to dissipate all disturbing inner elements and emotional shocks to create a sense of security. Considered as a protective stone, agate neutralizes the surrounding negative energies. It is an ideal stone to protect oneself from harmful people and bad influences. Its protective powers are increased tenfold when worn as a protective talisman around the neck or wrist.
The agate stone helps to reduce stress, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. It brings order to your mind, which helps to regain confidence and assert yourself. If you have trouble falling asleep or often have nightmares, you can keep an agate in your room. Placed under your pillow or on your bedside table, it promotes deep and restful sleep.
People going through a process of recovery can also place an agate in their room to ensure physical and mental recovery. Thanks to its soothing properties, agate stone helps to concentrate and meditate peacefully. You can place it in your living or working space to benefit from its good energies that promote calm and concentration.
On the physical level, agate stone is known for its healing properties. Its soft energy helps the body to relax. Thus, it reduces muscle, joint and nerve pain. Athletes can use it to protect their joints, especially the knees. The agate stone can also be used to combat skin disorders. Its healing properties improve the quality of the skin and combat irritation, redness and small blemishes.
In contact with the skin, its powers are all the more effective. According to some beliefs, it could relieve insect bites. Finally, agate stimulates the circulation of fluids and regulates breathing. In this way, it promotes relaxation and well-being throughout your body. When it acts on the sacral chakra, it contributes to the blooming of one's sexual life.
On the spiritual level, the effect of agate stone depends on the chakras on which it acts and therefore on its color. Indeed, agate is a stone that comes in almost all colors. Depending on the variety you choose, it can act on different chakras. For example, black, red, orange and yellow agates act on the lower chakras, also called the physical chakras.
From the bottom up, there is the root chakra, the sacral chakra and the solar plexus chakra. These chakras focus on grounding, vitality, creative force and sexuality. Green and pink agates, on the other hand, act on the heart chakra. When activated, the heart chakra promotes love, sincerity, kindness and tenderness. By healing your emotional wounds, this chakra helps you open your heart, let go and trust.
The blue and purple agates act on the throat and third eye chakras. These chakras represent spirituality, communication, openness, personality and intuition. They help you to be more spontaneous and intuitive in your daily life.
Finally, the white and beige agates act on the coronal chakra. Located at the top of the skull, the coronal chakra promotes wisdom, spiritual awakening, altruism and knowledge. As the seat of the soul and spirituality, this chakra provides a connection between the earth and the cosmos. Note that some agates have several colors and can therefore act on several chakras at the same time.
Just as on the psychological level, the agate stone in lithotherapy allows to calm your environment, by harmonizing the global energy. The simple fact of placing an agate in your home or workplace will bring you its two main virtues: calm and luck. If you place your agate in the room of someone who is suffering, the agate stone will give him positivity and courage.
Agate is a stone that comes in almost any color. As such, it is very popular in jewelry because it goes perfectly with all materials. Generally, warm colored agates are mounted on yellow gold, rose gold or vermeil jewelry, while cool colored agates are mounted on white gold, white gold or silver jewelry.
In terms of compatibility, agate cannot be mixed with just any stone. Stone associations must be made according to the desired effects. For example, if you are looking for a calming effect, you can wear a blue agate with fluorite, larimar, apatite, amazonite or aquamarine.
If you want a stimulating effect, you can combine a fire agate with carnelian, citrine, amber, red jasper or calcite. Of course, you must avoid combinations of contradictory energies. For example, you cannot mix a black agate with a rose quartz, nor a blue agate with an onyx. The idea is to always wear stones that emit similar energies or at least act on the same chakras.
Like all minerals, agate loses energy over time and use. To preserve its powers and natural beauty, you simply need to take the time to purify and recharge it regularly. Each stone must be purified and recharged in a specific way according to its components and energies.
All varieties of agate can be recharged with water, salt, earth or incense. The simplest method is to place your stone in a container of distilled or spring water with a little salt for a few hours. Then, you can wipe your jewelry with a soft, clean cloth to avoid scratching or tarnishing the materials surrounding the stone.
To recharge your agate stone, you can place it for a few hours in the sunlight. All varieties of agate can be exposed to the sun, except blue agate which prefers the softer light of the moon. To optimize this recharging ritual and to increase the powers of your agate tenfold, you can place it on a quartz cluster or on an amethyst geode.
You can perform these rituals of purification and recharging once a month or once a week depending on your feeling and the frequency at which you wear the stone. Do not hesitate to carry out these few gestures of maintenance as soon as you feel a small fall of energy.