Agate

(ag - it)
Main Origins:
Mexico, Canada, the USA, India, Poland, Romania, Mozambique, China, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Bolivia, Argentina, the UK, Madagascar, Italy, Namibia, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Russia, Botswana, Chile, Morocco, Afghanistan, Slovakia, Austria, and Portugal.

What is Agate?

irregular red fire agate crystals

Agate is a microcrystalline form of Quartz that is classified as a type of Chalcedony. Agates vary in degree of translucent and can display intricate banding, plumage, dendritic, fort-like, or moss-like patterning.

They form within cavities of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock. Silica-rich fluid fills the space and deposits layers of Chalcedony. Different shaped cavities, mineral inclusions, and liquid flow rates lead to the formation of various fascinating and unique Agate specimens.

Agates have been appreciated for their beauty since ancient times and are excellent stones for daily support. This is a stone of grounding and alignment. It will enhance your life in many ways, bringing energy flow and balance.

Agate Metaphysical Properties and Benefits

There are numerous types of Agates, and the base energy benefits of all Agates are the same, but each variety does have nuanced benefits depending on factors, such as coloration, formation, and other mineral inclusions. 

Agates are associated with all seven chakras, but as a base, it has a strong connection and impact on the Root Chakra. This contributes to the innately grounding and earthly energy of this crystal. 

All of the main four natural elements are energetically linked to Agate. This reflects the holistic balance and connection with Earth, natural cycles, and the life-giving or energizing effects of each of the elements of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

The numerical vibration of Agate is 7. According to numerology, this indicates inner wisdom and fulfilling or prosperous inner reality. It is a number of introspection, natural healing, divine recognition, encouragement, and support.

The ruling deities of this crystal also interlink and contribute to the metaphysical and physical benefit of a deep connection to Mother Earth and our true inner nature. 

Agates’ deities include Gaia, a Nature Goddess imbuing Agate with the powers of increasing fertility, creativity, healing, and abundance. Brahma, the Hindu God of Creation, Celtic Goddess Cerridwen offers inspiration, and Anubis of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon contributes preservation and protection.

Agate Healing Properties and Benefits

Harmony

  • Agate harmonizes us on all levels. It is both grounding and spiritually connective. It encourages inner harmony and harmony of the inner with the outer world.
  • One way to activate and connect to the harmonizing benefit of Agate is to hold your crystal and practice at least 7 minutes of alternating nostril pranayama breathwork.

Fertility, Energy, and Vitality

  • Agate increases and directs life force energy in a way that improves overall well-being, leading to a state of vitality, increased flowing energy, and even fertility. It positively affects fertility as it is associated with nature, the Water element, and fertility deities.
  • Create a gem elixir with your Agate crystal by intentionally infusing or imprinting its energy in pure water for up to 7 minutes. Drink or anoint yourself with the water.

Courage and Confidence

  • Agate increases strength on all levels. It helps us to face and dissolve fears courageously. It activates all chakras, including the Sacral and Heart, which leads to the benefit of increased confidence. 
  • Place or hold your Agate on or near your Solar Plexus Chakra area and repeat affirmations for courage and confidence. For example,  I am confident in my strength.

Creativity and Mind Power

  • Mental clarity, focus, concentration, and wisdom, along with inspiration and creativity, are benefits of Agate. This increased mind power helps us to channel and manifest creative ideas.
  • Meditate with Agate daily, as the best way to attune these benefits is through prolonged or consistent presence and connection.

Emotional Balance

  • Agate has a stable and soothing vibration that supports and calms emotional stages. This crystal’s grounding and nurturing energy helps us stay peaceful and emotionally balanced.
  • Wear Agate jewelry that sits at the level of your Heart Chakra. Set an intention to wear this crystal for the benefit of maintaining a balanced emotional state,

Agate Spiritual Properties and Benefits

A man kneeling on top of the mountain

Inner Peace

  • Agate encourages introspection. It clarifies and guides us within, to a state of inner wisdom and peace. It has many effects that contribute to the state of peace. Agate clears the mind, aligns all energy centers, balances all elements, and improves physical health.
  • An effective way to work with Agate for inner peace is by meditating with it often. You can also practice this enjoyable visualization. Vision the energy of Agate stone flowing into you in layers, filling you with peace from the outer layer to the innermost crystal core.

Deep Meditation

  • Work with Agate to deepen your meditation. This crystal allows us to go within and attune to the most refined version of ourselves, the powerful energy of the Earth, and a high level of spiritual wisdom and awareness.
  • Hold or wear an Agate during your usual meditation practice to energize into a deeply presence, peaceful, and aligned state with greater ease.

Grounding

  • Agate has a solid connection to the element of Earth, the planet Earth, and the Root Chakra, making it a fully grounding stone. Agate will bring your energy to Earth in an aligned, energized, and spiritual manner
  • Charge your Agate by placing it under soil or on the earth and taking a few moments to hold it can consciously acknowledge the Earth and its elements that sustain us.

Connection to Nature

  • Agate strengthens our connection to Earth and can bring our focus to the magic and power of the natural world within and outside. It naturally forms in patterns that bring our awareness to the magic, abundance, and power of nature.
  • Regularly meditate in a wild or natural space with your Agate to receive the energy and insights from immersing and being connected with nature.

Energetic Cleansing

  • Agate also includes the ruling elements of Water, Earth, and Fire, each imbuing this crystal with a cleansing effect. You can use it for auric cleansing, which will manifest as a level of physical cleansing.
  • Direct and integrate Agate energy with a visualization. Visualize and feel a radiant and pure light emanating from your Agate. Imagine this energy entering your being, cleansing what you are ready to release to this supportive stone.

Side Effects of Agate

  • Emotional Purging: The emotionally balancing, energetically cleansing, and inner work that Agate effects can lead to moments of facing your deepest emotions to release them.
  • Overstimulation: As this is a high vibrational stone that will tangibly increase your energy levels and affect rapid growth when working with it consistently, you may experience periods of overstimulation as you integrate the changes and increased energy.

Agate Meaning: What Does Agate Symbolize?

woman meditating in an outdoor setting and surrounded by yellow flowers

The meaning of Agate is Natural Harmony. 

The origin of the name Agate is attributed to the Greek philosopher and naturalist Theophrastus. It is named after the Achates River in Sicily, where Theophrastus first discovered this crystal.

This stone is known to have been used by people of the ancient Indus civilization and Ancient Greeks. Agates were processed in Ancient Roman lapidaries, and they were said to have used most Agates as a grinding stone for remedies to charge them with divine power.

Agates have continued to be appreciated throughout history until today. In modern times, we still value Agates for their spiritual, aesthetic, and geological beauties and powers.

Types of Agate

  • Botswana Agate: This variety is only found in Southern Africa. Botswana Agate displays bands of parallel lines in soft whites, grays, pinks, and browns. Botswana has a peaceful, present, and high vibrational energy
  • Moss Agate: A translucent crystal with mineral inclusions that visually replicate the presence of freshly preserved moss. Specimens are often colorless to white with dendritic green or brown inclusions in varied shades. It does not contain natural moss. Moss Agate brings us into the presence of the abundance of nature.
  • Crazy Lace Agate: An ornate crystal that displays intricate banding. It can be various combinations of white, light brown, black, and naturally bright orange, red, and ochres. Crazy Lace Agate helps with releasing fear and embracing freedom.
  • Blue Lace Agate: Blue Lace Agate is naturally light blue in various gradients until white. It has delicate banding that can appear to look lacey. Blue Lace Agate is a stone of calm, clear, and truthful communication.
  • Iris Agate or Rainbow Agate: It is iridescent in transmitted light. Iris Agates are cut into thin slices and have fine bands. This variety of Agate is useful for increased energy levels and vitality.
  • Laguna Agate: A vibrantly colored Agate with dense banding. It can include milky-white and dark and light shades of scarlet, red, yellow, gold, brown, gray, orange, and sometimes blue or purple. It is a crystal that encourages creativity and grounding manifestations into a physical experience.
  • Polka Dot Agate: Translucent to bluish-white or light beige Agate, polka-dotted with Hematite mineral inclusions in red, brown, orange, or black. Polka Dot Agate has a joyful energy that encourages playfulness
  • Snakeskin Agate: A beige, light yellow, gray, brown, orange, or white semi-translucent Agate with a snakeskin patterning. Snakeskin Agate is an excellent stone for activating kundalini energy.
  • Thunder Egg Agate: A nodule or geode-like formation that is solidly filled with Agate. They vary significantly in color and appearance, with the outer structure composed of rhyolite, light gray, pink, red, or black. The “egg” is filled with various colors of Chalcedony in a layered Agate formation. Thunder Egg Agate’s benefits include inner harmony and strength.
  • Plume Agate: Displays a stunning growth pattern that looks feathery or like smoke clouds. Translucent with plume inclusions that can be green, yellow, red, brown, white, or orange. Plume Agate increases energy and encourages emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.
  • Condor Agate: An Argentinian Agate is typically yellow, green, red, pink, purple, white, and orange. It is translucent and has detailed banding and plumes. Condor Agate is excellent for letting go of fear, and it will enhance your mind and creative abilities.
  • Fairburn Agate: A rare variety with sharply angled bands in formation that can be compared to the outline of a castle fort. Fairburn Agate can include different combinations and shades of brown, red, orange, blue, yellow, black, and white. It has the effect of sharpening the mind.
  • Lake Superior Agate: An Agate from the USA that is pigmented with iron. It includes white, yellow, red, brown, or black in various patterns, including banding, dendritic or moss, geode, or fortification. Lake Superior Agate boosts focus, courage, and confidence.
  • Holley Blue Agate: A rare variety of naturally Blue Agate. It is predominant in varying shades of blue, but lavender, pink, brown, and grays can also be seen in Holley Blue Agate. It is a crystal that enhances resilience in individuals.
  • Amethyst Sage Agate: A beautiful purple, gray, and golden translucent stone that exhibits Black Manganese impurity dendritic patterning. Amethyst Sage Agate is a stone that encourages physical and spiritual growth.
  • Brecciated Agate-Jasper: Translucent Agate contains sections of Brecciated Jasper in yellows, browns, oranges, or reds. Brecciated Agate Jasper is profoundly grounding and nurturing.
  • Enhydro Agate: A Geode Agate that has water or liquid hydrocarbons trapped within it. Enhydro Agates can be black, blue, red, gray, green, purple, brown, white, and yellow. This crystal is all about connecting to the life and power of Water, especially the physical and energetic health of water within your body.
  • Fortification Agate: Connected and angled banding that creates a shape reminiscent of Medieval fortresses, which feature a moat and walls. Fortification Agates form in a wide variety of colors, which can include yellow, red, brown, orange, white, and black. This variety of Agates is protective and strengthening.
  • Riband Agate: Another name for Banded or Striped Agate, which forms in a wide variety of colors, typically white, red, orange, brown, blue, purple, black, and gray. Riband Agate is used for grounding and balancing.
  • Turritella Agate: An Agate that is included with fossilized spiral shells of sea sand snails, it facilitates the exploration of past lives. Turritella Agate colors include deep brown to white, gray, and black.
  • Carnelian Agate: A banded variety of Carnelian. It is usually bright to dark orange, light orange, cream, and white. Carnelian Agate is intensely activating for the Sacral Chakra.
  • Fire Agate or Flame Agate: They display a unique fiery iridescence. Fire Agates are translucent and reddish-brown and, in the right light, show off flashes of gold, orange, red, teal, and green. It is a crystal that increases joy and passion.
  • Polyhedroid Agate: Agates formed as geometric or angular shapes with banding patterns following the geometric shape. Polyhedroid Agates are primarily white, gray, black, brown, yellow, and blue. These crystals help increase the power of the mind.
  • Tube Agate: An Agate that forms or displays tube-shaped inclusions. It is translucent with black, orange, red, yellow, green, brown, and white. Tube Agate is beneficial for grounding and lifting your energy toward the higher chakras.
  • Binghamite Agate: Technically, it is a combination of Jasper and Agate. It can be yellow, red, gold, black, or gray that are present as fibrous inclusions of Hematite and Goethite, as well as banding. Binghamite Agate is stimulating for the lower chakras.
  • Hollow Agate or Agate Geode: These form in all the colors of Agate. It has a hollow center, and the cavity is usually lined with crystalline Quartz. Hollow Agate is an excellent crystal to meditate with.
  • Coldwater Agate: A sedimentary marine Agate formed within weathered limestone. The colors found in Coldwater Agate are neutral tones: blue, gray, cream, or white. Coldwater Agate soothes and calms emotions.
  • Pigeon Blood Agate: Translucent to milky-white with splatters, drops, and clouds of blood-red to orange inclusions. Pigeon Blood Agate is grounding and protective.
  • Bird’s Eye Agate: A variety of Agate that forms in a way that looks like a bird’s eyes, it has circular inclusions surrounded by banding. It is usually black, white, red, orange, brown, cream, gray or pink. Bird’s Eye Agate increases focus and concentration.
  • Agatized Coral: A mineralized fossil that is made up of Fossilized Coral that is replaced by Chalcedony. It can be white, gray, brown, black, yellow, pink, and red. Agatized Coral is a stone of interconnection and unity.
  • Fossil Agate: A variety of Agate that contains broken pieces of fossilized shells of sea creatures. It is usually gray with white and pink sections of embedded fossils. Fossil Agate can help us gain a deeper understanding of the ancient story and power of the Earth.
  • Cloud Agate: A colorless or gray translucent body with milky-white or cloudy gray or foggy inclusions. It can also be orange or brown. Cloud Agate resonates with an energy of presence and nourishment. 
  • Dryhead Agate: Nodules of brown or gray filled with layers of brightly colored Agate bands packed closely. Bright to light orange, red, brown, pink, and yellow. Dryhead Agate is a stone that encourages the manifestation of creativity.
  • Grape Agate: Clusters of botryoidal (grape-like) Chalcedony are commonly lavender to green, but can form several Agate colors. This is a stone that reminds us to prioritize pleasure and enjoyment.
  • Moctezuma Agate: A Mexican nodule Agate filled with pastel and neutral-toned banding in pink, purple, salmon, blue, ochre, beige, brown, gray, and peach. Moctezuma Agate has a serene and peaceful energy. It is an excellent stone for silent meditation.
  • Nipomo Agate: Translucent, colorless to milky Agate, with darker brown, yellow-bronze, or silvery metallic inclusions of Marcasite and Pyrite. This crystal restores health and strength.
  • Sweetwater Agate: A translucent gray, milky-white, warm beige, or pinkish stone with fine and dark Manganese dendritic inclusions. It is a powerful stone for living in connection and understanding the natural cycles.
  • Montana Agate: A rare Alluvial Agate that is colorless, translucent to milky white. It can be tinted or included minimally by mineral impurities, which form small dendritic patterns, subtle banding, or plumage in black, gray, ochre, orange, or brown. Montana Agate dispels negative emotions and thoughts.
  • Landscape Agate: An Agate with patterning that resembles natural scenery or landscape. It has a fine grain and vivid and varied coloration. Landscape Agate deepens your connection and presence with the natural world.
  • Coyamito Agate: A Mexican Agate with fine and uniquely varied banding in purples, pinks, yellows, oranges, and browns. Coyamito Agate can be worked with to heal and refresh the mind.
  • Agua Nueva Agate: It features a combination of banding and moss-like inclusions and a combination of subtle and bright coloration. Colors include pastel blue, lavender, gray, brown, green, red, orange, yellow, and white. Use Agua Nueva Agate for increased emotional stability.
  • Youngite: A peach, brown, light tan, red, or light pink Brecciated Agate covered in Druzy Quartz Crystals. It is fluorescent under UV light. Youngite is one of the best stones for inner child healing work.
  • Sagenite Agate: A translucent or milky stone with white, brown, red, orange, yellow, blue, lavender, or gray-colored mineral inclusions. These inclusions also create needle-like shapes that often appear golden or dark brown to black. Sagenite Agate stone increases your trust in life and confidence.
  • Black Agate: Chalcedony pigmented black from Iron inclusions displays translucency and can include layers that are colorless, milky, gray, or brown. Black Agate banding is unstructured. It is a protective and grounding stone.

How To Cleanse Agate?

The moonlight shines over the dock in the lake

  • Earth: Bury your Agate under the soil or place it on the Earth’s surface for at least 7 minutes to cleanse and charge it.
  • Moonlight: Set an intention to cleanse your crystal with moonlight and place it under the night sky for a whole evening at any stage of the moon cycle.
  • Water: Place your Agate in a bowl of pure water for 7 minutes to energetically cleanse it.

Questions and Answers

Is Agate a Stone or Gem?

Agate is classified as a semi-precious gemstone.

Can Agates Get Wet?

Yes, natural Agates can be exposed to water as they are higher up on the Mohs hardness scale. Be aware that if your Agate has been artificially dyed, the dye may be sensitive to moisture.

Are Agates Safe in the Sun?

Yes, natural Agates can be exposed to sunlight for reasonable periods as they are pretty durable crystals. Be aware that if your Agate has been artificially dyed, the dye can be sensitive to sunlight.

How Do I Identify Agate?

Agates often form as nodules; they are usually hollow cavities in igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rock that have been slowly filled with layers of Chalcedony. You can identify Agate from its varied coloration, hardness, banding, dendritic, moss, or plume-like inclusions.

What is the Rarest Color of Agate?

Purple is the rarest color of Agate.

How Do You Take Care of Agates?

It is a durable crystal that can be cleaned with pure water and a cloth. If it’s needed, use a mild soap that is diluted. Avoid storing or wearing Agate with gems higher than a seven on the Mohs scale. 

Is Agate Expensive?

The price of Agate varies greatly depending on the variety, cut, and setting of these stones. Banded Agates can range from $0.4 up to $45 per carat.

What Stones Go Well with Agate?

Agate is associated with all chakras, planets, elements, and Zodiac signs, making it a really versatile stone that pairs well with most crystals. Some crystals that go well with Agate include Quartz, Jasper, Pyrite, Amethyst, and Hematite.

Is Agate and Chalcedony the Same?

Yes, Agate is a specific form of Chalcedony. Both Agate and Chalcedony are composed of microcrystalline Quartz. Agate is a banded and translucent variety of Chalcedony.

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