October's Crystal of the Month: Amethyst

This month, we welcome my absolute favorite crystal into our repertoire! Amethyst is a wonderful way to open up the crown chakra and begin a spiritual journey. You can use your amethyst as a focal point to encourage yourself to stop and slow down a bit, to find balance and broaden our perspective beyond the day-to-day.
By activating the crown chakra, amethyst can help focus on seeking your real purpose and finding beauty in the complications and pain life sometimes throws our way. Bring amethyst with you on any adventure that feeds your soul - hiking, bird watching, a trip to the library, or listening to new music. An amethyst can hold this spiritual energy long after you've returned to the working world.
For a peaceful night's sleep, amethyst (along with selenite) can be invited into the bedroom. Pop it in your pillow to stop extra thoughts from running through your mind. One way I've used amethyst is to clearly and concisely tell it my worries, giving myself time to rest and think, and allowing my emotions to find their balance again. Then I leave the crystal outside to cleanse in the moonlight. Generally, only a gentle energy is needed to cleanse an amethyst, the light of a full moon or a natural source of water will do.