MINERAL MONDAY: AMETHYST
This summer I have been putting a lot of energy towards trying to figure out what the heck my future is going to look like and how I am even going to get there. I keep focusing on the big but its the baby steps and the day to day and the gentle breezes of the process of life that get us there. Sometimes it feels like time is so fleeting that I want to track it only by big changes and achievements but it is the day to day vernacular moments that are the meat of it all. In an episode of the Sopranos I watched the other night, Carmela was so worked up about how all we really do is go on worrying our way through life until one day it all washes away — dramatic as usual but she is not wrong. The healthy home cooked meals, the smell of your pets paws, the way your lover wakes up a little early just to hold you. It is those moments I want to hold on to forever these days. I think working closer with amethyst has helped me tap into the present a bit more and really understand the way I am reacting to the world around me.
Amethyst is the stone we’ve all seen and likely even had a piece of at some point or another. There’s good reason for this energetically besides it being incredibly abundant all over the world. It is a form of quartz that gets it color from iron and aluminum deposits as well as being irradiated while it was forming. Amethyst can be mined throughout parts of North and South America, as well as Europe, Russia, and Africa. The amethyst from Uruguay has some of the darkest and deepest hues in the world where Brazilian amethyst is often lighter in color. Both extremely beautiful and still the same mineral but containing different trace elements and therefore having a drastically different hue. It has been mined and used across the world for nearly as long as time can remember. It can be seen as far back as 25,000 BC used by Neolithic people in Europe and even by the Egyptians used in jewelry with a high value placed on it. Amethyst was one of a few stones worn by royalty — often incorporated into rings, crowns, and scepters.
Amethyst is said to get its name from Greek mythology where Bacchus, in a state of rage and revenge, decreed the next person he meet be eaten by his tigers. A girl named Amethyst was en route to pray at the shrine of Diana and found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. His tigers leapt at Amethyst and before they could get her, Diana transformed her into a clear crystal. Bacchus approached his victim and remorse overtook him. As an offering he poured his wine over the girl and the grapes gave her the rich purple colors we have come to admire in this stone. In my opinion, this spell Diana cast has a lot to do with the deeply rooted spiritual protection that amethyst provides.
The Greeks considered amethyst to be able to calm rage, release one from intoxication, and relieve blocked passions and frustrations. It surely has a sobering effect and is able to slow the mind down in order for self reflection and to curb any behaviors that we really aren’t proud of. A lot of its spiritual properties and powers have been consistent over these long stretches of time. It really is an intuitive energy to pick up on and interact with. I think a lot of this can be contributed to the fact that it is a form of quartz - perhaps the most attuning of all stones. It aligns its energy with your own, sort of guiding your experience with it based on your own needs.
Amethyst is widely known for being the meditation stone, the anxiety stone, and the sleep stone. These are some of its most prevalent and impactful properties that can be sense by anyone. It puts out a field of protective energy — like a safe bubble around you and your space where inside it you can be calm, sleep, heal, whatever it is that you need. Wearing amethyst as jewelry or even in your pocket pulls this protective field closer to you and your aura where it can focus on keeping you balanced and open while you delve into deeper places. Putting a piece of amethyst under your pillow or even under your mattress or bed itself can soothe a hard nights sleep and bad dreams. Sometimes it can stimulate active and vivid dreamscapes that provide insights that you haven’t come upon yet in waking life. If I am stuck on something whether it be a new design or where I want to go for vacation, I will ask my bedside amethyst for some insight in my dreams and sometimes it listens.
Amethyst can also be helpful in meditation, helping you lean into the protective force field it has to offer so that you can delve deeper. The frequency it vibrates at is able to deflect any negative energies that are present or trying to permeate its bubble around you and your aura — helping you remain clear and centered while you tap in. It activates the third eye and crown chakras to allow your intuitive and metaphysical abilities to flourish and essentially align you with what you may be looking for. Amethyst gets you to a state where you are connected to the spiritual realm and great clarity and awareness can be found.
It is a gentle stone but it will tell you what you need to hear if you are ready to listen. The ego is who creates self destructive patterns, doubts, and anything your spirit must fight against to align you with your true self. This all sounds like a lot and it may even sound like too much work but it is a healing process and it takes time. Start with asking an amethyst for clarity before bed and see if anything stands out in your dreams, ask the same before holding it and meditating for a few minutes. Life is a journey of seeking clarity and truths and amethyst is your trusty tour guide (just don’t forget to pack your intuition).
key words: awareness | protection | spiritual expansion
when you might want some amethyst handy:
when you are in need of clarity and can’t seem to find it
if you struggle with addiction to substances or behaviors that are negatively impacting your mind, body, and spirit
if you are interested in tapping into your intuition and metaphysical abilities
for those with a hard time sleeping or with bad dreams, pop some under the pillow with the intentions clearly placed — just ask the crystal what you want from it!!! it is that easy
for those who want to do dreamwork and delve into the insights of the subconscious, do the same — ask a piece of amethyst what you would like clarity on. or just ask it a question and see what it brings you (this can work in a waking meditative state as well)
Every day I like to address my collection and see if anything jumps out at me — if something does then I like to take a moment to think about its properties (often I refer to my crystal books or even a quick google is helpful). When I am able to resonate with the properties of a stone that has caught my attention, I am in tune with its energy and it is in tune with mine. This practice also helps you grow your working knowledge of the stones!! There is so much to it and it is easy to get overwhelmed. If you take it day by day, crystal by crystal, it comes to you.
Thank you for tuning in to Mineral Monday! If you have any preferences on stones I should write about next or any general blog content you would like to see, please don’t hesitate to reach out to hello@thecypruscabinet.com
