Oh, Amethyst! I absolutely love it (this might have something to do in part because it's my birthstone!!) 

Amethyst is wonderful for so many things and it tends to be one of the first crystals that people start using and are attracted to. I would say (alongside Clear Quartz) it is one of the most recognizable crystals, and I would venture to say it is one of the most widely collected crystals! The amazing soothing energy of it and of course its inherent healing energy make Amethyst an all-around fantastic energy for anyone to work with.  

Amethyst has so many amazing attributes! Let's start with its ability to help with meditation. Have you ever sat down to meditate and all of a sudden your brain is like “OK let's think of ALL the things!” and I mean ALL THE THINGS. And next thing you know you are thinking of things that happened last week or months ago or even years ago, or you are worried about things in the future, or, you name it, you're thinking of it!  

When that happens, it is called “monkey mind.” Sounds about right, huh? Well, please don’t be hard on yourself about it! It is very common for monkey mind to take over when we try to meditate for a lot of reasons. First, we live in a society where we have constant stimulation available to us in SO many forms - phones, TVs, computers, advertisements, reading materials, you name it! And it is available to us in one manner or fashion.  

All of this constant stimulation doesn’t lend itself well to us learning how to be still. We do not learn inherently in our society the importance of being still, the importance of going within, the importance of doing the inner work to continue our evolution as a spiritual being. I'm speaking generally here, of course! There are people out there who are amazing at this, who continue to teach others and teach their children the benefits of being still and going within. Their beacons of light are so needed in our society! 

The combination of that skill not being inherent in our society along with the constant bombardment of stimulation creates a perfect environment for monkey mind. It becomes second nature for us and for our brains to continue with the learned pattern of behavior.   

Another reason monkey mind happens is due to ego. Ego will do whatever it can to keep us in an energetically subservient position. One major way it does this is by keeping us distracted. When we are distracted, when we are focusing on the next piece of information or the next thing to do or the next thing to accomplish, it's not easy for us to be still and it's not easy for us to calm our mind enough to go within. And you know what?? Within is where we are going to find peace, where we are going to find the answers that we seek; it is where we are going to find the confidence and the knowing that is so helpful as we continue on our spiritual journey.  

And this is where Amethyst comes in! Amethyst helps to hold space for you to be able to let go of those racing thoughts, to be able to slow those thoughts down, to be able to open up and fall into that meditative state. A great way to use Amethyst for helping your meditation practice is to place a piece in your non-dominant hand (or take one in each hand if that feels better for you! However you feel called to connect with it is perfectly OK!) If you prefer to have a piece sitting in front of you on a table or near you or have your hand resting on a piece, go right ahead! Trust that you will know what is best for you. Next, focus on taking a few deep breaths, visualize your brain waves actually slowing down, feel that beautiful, soothing energy of Amethyst coming into your aura spreading throughout your energy field and welcome its energy. I think you'll be amazed at the difference it makes!  

Amethyst is a Crown Chakra crystal and is amazing for helping to facilitate communication with your spirit guides, your angels, and your higher self. It is perfect for opening up your Crown Chakra to receive spiritual guidance and information. This guidance and information comes from all sorts of sources. It can come from Source/God (or whatever term resonates with you), it can come from angels, it can come from your higher self, it can come from spirit guides, it can even come from the crystal itself. Amethyst is such an important tool during this time as so many people are being called to awaken. More and more, people are being called to search out and seek out knowledge and information and to grow as a spiritual being while continuing on their journey. Reach for your Amethyst anytime you are looking for guidance, information or looking for connection with your higher self, your spirit guides or your angels.  

The aspect of Amethyst that is most near and dear to my heart is the way in which it helps to combat addictions. Addiction and substance abuse have had a profound impact on my family and on my own personal growth. I have watched several family members pass on to the next plane due to their addictions and substance abuse. I watched them struggle with the underlying imbalance, the underlying dis-ease that fueled their addictions. Amethyst can be helpful (for those who are ready for it) in bringing to the surface the triggers, the wounds, the hurts, the imbalances that are creating the need and the desire to feed the addiction. Addiction is a huge topic and one that I will absolutely dig into more in a future post! For now, know that Amethyst is an amazing ally when dealing with addictions and substance abuse and can be a wonderfully supportive energy for anyone battling them.  

Amethyst is an all-around protection stone and can help to keep you and your home protected in an energetic bubble of beautiful light. It is often one of the first crystals that people are drawn to and I have definitely seen how much it can draw a person in. It is my belief that Amethyst is helpful in any situation, as its protective and intuition-enhancing energies can help to bring clarity.  

If you haven't worked with Amethyst or added any to your collection yet, I am so excited for you to do so and begin to enjoy the amazing energy of this crystal! And if you already have this gorgeous energy in your collection, I would love to hear about it in the comments below!  

Keep shining Crystal Lover!