Amethyst is the crystal most often associated with February. Pisces, the water sign that enters later this month has a dreamy psychic quality which is shared by Amethyst. It tends to make our minds more receptive to subtle phenomena and enhances our intuition. It is most active on the third eye and crown chakras and so is an excellent companion for meditation.
The name amethyst is derived from the Greek word amethyein which translates as ‘not drunken’. In ancient times the belief was that you wouldn’t become intoxicated if you imbibed wine from an amethyst goblet. I don’t know anyone who owns such a beautiful cup, but I’m sure I can find some willing volunteers to test this theory if such a vessel can be located! In modern times healers have used amethyst to support people wishing to overcome addictions.
Amethyst has a long association with spiritual cleansing. Leonardo da Vinci wrote that amethyst could, ‘dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.’ Holding amethyst reminds me of the violet flame. This beautiful cleansing fire can be invoked by focussing upon it in meditation. For those who find visualisation of the violet flame difficult a layout of 6 -8 amethyst points equally spaced facing outwards from the body will have a similar cleansing and purifying effect. To help relieve a headache you can take a cleansed, hand-sized cluster of amethyst and stroke it through the aura around your head, in downwards sweeping movements like brushing hair.
Amethyst resonates with lavender essential oil. A few drops of lavender oil on the pillow and a piece of amethyst placed underneath it can aid restful sleep. Don’t use more than a few drops as in higher doses lavender is a stimulant and will keep you awake! You may also find your dreams have more clarity. If you wish to train yourself to remember your dreams place a notepad and pencil by the bed and write them down on waking.
Whether you use it to enhance your sleep, to cleanse your energies or to develop your intuition amethyst deserves a place in everyone’s crystal collection.