Sphere pendulum — Amethyst

A purple quartz whose shade runs from pale mauve to deep violet, often stronger at the tip of the crystal than at its base.

A pendulum cut from natural stone and hung on its fine chain; the balance is checked piece by piece, without which the swing drifts.

In tradition. The stone of temperance for the Greeks — its name means "not intoxicated" — it has been credited since antiquity with calming the mind and clearing judgment. Crystal healing associates it with the third eye chakra.

Use & care. Held with the chain free between thumb and forefinger, elbow resting. You first agree your movement conventions, then you ask. Hang it up rather than leaving it loose, so the chain does not tangle.

• Its color comes from traces of iron in the quartz, revealed by the natural radioactivity of the surrounding rock.
• A natural piece: shade, veining and dimensions vary from one example to the next

A decorative object for personal practice. It is no substitute for medical advice or treatment.