A Guide to Obsidian

Obsidian comes in a variety of types, but all are made from volcanos! They are a form of volcanic glass made with different impurities or cooled in different ways. I did research on different types of obsidian and composed this post with all the information I could find. I could not find a lot of information on certain types so they may not have as much or no metaphysical properties with them at all. If you know more and would like to let me know, I would love to add the information to this post! 

 
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. Obsidian is found near volcanoes in locations that have undergone eruptions. Obsidian is mineral-like, but not a true mineral because, as a glass, it is not crystalline. Also, its composition is too variable to be classified as a mineral. This transformation of obsidian is accelerated by the presence of water. Pure obsidian is usually dark black in appearance, though the color varies depending on the impurities present. Iron and other transition elements may give the obsidian a dark brown to black color. Most black obsidians contain tiny inclusions of magnetite, an iron oxide. Obsidian is hard, brittle, and amorphous so it fractures with sharp edges. In the past, it was used to manufacture cutting and piercing tools. Obsidian is used by some surgeons for scalpel blades, although this is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on humans. Well-crafted obsidian blades, like any glass knife, can have a cutting edge many times sharper than high-quality steel surgical scalpels.
 
Chakra: Root.
Element: Earth, Fire, and Water.
Planet: Earth
Zodiac: Sagittarius and Scorpio.

Care: Obsidian is safe in the sun, water, and salt. If you are using rough obsidian, it can have sharp edges, so use it safely. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can break easily or be scratched. It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.
 
Black Obsidian is a very protective stone. It forms a shield against negativity, blocking psychic attacks and absorbing negative energies from the environment. It draws out mental stress and tension. Obsidian brings clarity to the mind helping you to focus and organize. It reduces arthritis pain, joint problems, and cramps. It is a great grounding crystal. It is also used for 'cord cutting'. It cleanses negative energy and is a powerful anchor for keeping you grounded in this life. It gives you all the courage you need to explore the unknown, embrace who you truly are, dissolve old traumas, and stop holding onto things that which is no longer serving you. It brings protection and aids against depression. It draws out mental stress and tension. It brings clarity and spirit communication. If you’d like some extra protection around what or who you are allowing in, you can place black obsidian near your front door.

 

Obsidian has many different varieties, usually depending on the impurities:

 
Apache Tear - Apache tears are rounded nodules of Obsidian. They are rounded pebbles of obsidian, black or dark-colored natural volcanic glass. They are made during volcanic explosions. Lava is shot into the sky and these nodules cool quickly while still in the air, making the circular shapes. It is also known as Marekanite. Apache tears are said to be the preserved tears of the Apache women who lost their beloved warriors in battle.

Chakra: Root.
Zodiac: Aries.
Element: Earth and Fire.
Planet: Saturn and Pluto.

Care: Apaches Tears are safe in the sun, water, and salt. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can shatter easily.  It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

Apache Tears are excellent for absorbing negative energy and protecting your aura. They are very grounding, protecting, and comforting in times of grief, giving you a true understanding of the situation in order to provide insight and acceptance. It is actually the best stone for grief.  It stimulates your mental capacity and precision. They promote a forgiving attitude and a release of long-held grievances and resentments. They help with psychic attunement and emotional healing. It aids in learning which negative emotions are holding you back.

Blue Obsidian - Blue Obsidian is a silica-rich volcanic rock with an appearance like glass. Blue Obsidian in its natural form is rare which is why many stones on the market are man-made. It is rare because it requires a perfect storm of chemicals and conditions to form. It also needs trapped gas bubbles to be there at the time of cooling as well.

Chakra: Root and Throat.
Zodiac: Pisces.
Element: Earth and Water.

Care: It is safe in the sun, water, and salt. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 - 6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can shatter or be scratched easily.  It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It is very good at encouraging communication and grounding. It helps with communication skills and it encourages you to never shy away from owning your truth and expressing who you are. It gives you the confidence to speak your mind and connect with people on a deeper level.

Fire/Rainbow Obsidian - Fire Obsidian, also called Rainbow Obsidian, occurs when natural intrusions of magnetite teeny tiny particles enter during the stone’s formations. It is a rare variety of relatively clear volcanic glass that produces vibrant color-reflectance from isolated thin layers contained within the stone. The color patterns are random and are generally unique from piece to piece.

Chakra: Root.
Zodiac: Libra
Element: Earth and Fire.
Planet: Earth.

Care: Like most obsidians, it is safe in the sun, water, and salt. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 - 6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can shatter or be scratched easily.  It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It offers you safe passage and guidance into those dark parts of yourselves that scare you the most so that you can find and process any pain that is trapped there. It shows you the true nature of reality.  It reveals the truth gently so that you can more easily process and understand it. It helps you to recognize the truth about yourselves and about other people so that you can make good emotional choices.  It can be used to attract a new romantic relationship.  It can also be used to cut emotional ties that link you to old romances. It can help life away from depression by helping you focus on the present moment and future opportunities, rather than dwelling on the past.

Golden-Sheen Obsidian - Golden sheen obsidian is created by small inclusions of water vapor bubbles trapped inside the black volcanic glass.  The bubbles reflect back the light as a metallic gold or silver.

Chakra: Root, Solar Plexus and Third Eye.
Zodiac: Sagittarius.
Element: Earth.
Planet: Earth.

Care: It is safe in the sun, water, and salt. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 - 6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can shatter or be scratched easily.  It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

Golden sheen obsidian is particularly suitable for scrying, manifestation, gazing, viewing the future, or accessing knowledge from the past. It dissolves negativity and purifies the aura. It is particularly strong for Earth-healing. It can help us to “wake up” and to understand what is really happening in the world around us, and to face that reality without fear or denial. It increases psychic sensitivity and is one of the very best stones for crystal ball scrying about future events as well as for manifestation purposes. Golden Sheen Obsidian attracts wealth and prosperity on all levels. Golden Sheen Obsidian sharpens our instincts and reveals hidden talents. It is especially good to work with when we are trying to figure out “our purpose” in life and how to go about living it.

Green Obsidian - The coloration of Green Obsidian is caused by varying amounts of Iron and Magnesium. The green coloration can also be achieved as some gas bubbles remained in the lava flow during crystallization. Certain forms of green obsidian rock are natural, and other forms are not. Natural green obsidian is rare. Most green obsidian you find is just man-made glass.

Chakra: Root and Heart.
Zodiac: Scorpio.
Element: Earth.
Planet: Earth.

Care: It is safe in the sun, water, and salt. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 - 6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can shatter or be scratched easily.  It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

Green Obsidian is considered the Gaia stone and gives an incredible connection to the Earth and nature. It helps to connect you to goddess energies. It brings love, compassion, and emotional healing. It connects your heart chakra to your root chakra. It is a truth-enhancer, allowing for more open and honest commutation from the heart. It aids in stress and anxiety. It promotes growth and maturity.

Mahogany Obsidian - It is obsidian with Hematite or Magnetite inclusions within, giving it its red, brownish color.

Chakra: Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Root.
Zodiac: Libra.
Element: Earth.
Planet: Earth.

Care: It is safe in the sun, water, and salt. If you are using rough mahogany obsidian, it can have sharp edges, so use it safely. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can break easily or be scratched. It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It increases your sexuality, strength, creativity, and passion, and brings protection. It is a powerful grounding stone. It brings thoughts and ideas into action for the sole purpose of personal growth. It blocks psychic attacks and absorbs negative energies from the environment. It aids in healing feelings of unworthiness and gives you the strength needed to stand your ground. It is useful for those suffering from depression or addiction. It is most useful for increasing the sense of touch. It is also sometimes called "the stone of truth" because it encourages the surfacing of secrets and hidden emotions.

Snowflake Obsidian - This obsidian has what appears to have very small flower-like minerals on it. Time and a slower rate of lava cooling, allow some crystal molecules of silica to draw together to form micro-crystal clusters of the mineral white cristobalite, a form of quartz to form within the obsidian.

Chakra: Root.
Zodiac: Capricorn.
Element: Earth and Water
Planet: Earth.

Care: Snowflake Obsidian is safe in the sun, water, and salt. If you are using rough, it can have sharp edges, so use it safely. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can break easily or be scratched. It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It is used to purify and ground your body, soul, and aura. It centers and focuses attention when needed, which can be really useful in chaotic or stressful environments. It balances the body, mind, and spirit. It helps you recognize and release “wrong thinking” and stressful mental patterns. It empowers isolation and loneliness, aiding in meditation. It is grounding and absorbs negativity. It also aids in past life recall and spirit communication.  It is also thought to drive out demons. When working with Snowflake Obsidian it is beneficial to also explore the concept of winter and snow as spiritual concepts.

Peacock Obsidian - It is also called Velvet Obsidian or Velvet Sheen Obsidian. Peacock Obsidian is known for its unique spectrum of colors, which can range from deep blues and greens to purples and golds. The color is caused by the reflection of the microscopic inclusions within the obsidian. It is very similar to Rainbow Obsidian, but the colors are a different spectrum.

Chakra: Third Eye.
Zodiac: Capricorn.
Element: Earth and Fire.
Planet: Earth.

Care: Obsidian is safe in the sun, water, and salt. If you are using rough obsidian, it can have sharp edges, so use it safely. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can break easily or be scratched. It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It is believed to enhance intuition and psychic abilities, making it an excellent tool for those who wish to communicate with higher beings or engage in astral travel. It helps you tap into your inner wisdom and connect with your higher self, making it a valuable addition to any spiritual practice. It stimulates intuition making it a great tool in shamanic journeying or psychic work. It reduces our stress levels and brings more pleasure and enjoyment into our lives. It helps to make us much more open to new ideas, alleviates mood swings and depression, and brings us hope when we need it the most.

Spiderweb Obsidian - Spiderweb Obsidian forms when lava rich in silica cools rapidly and develops internal stresses, which can then be filled with mineral-rich fluids that create the spiderweb patterns. The webs are made of white and golden-brown quartz or cristobalite inclusions.

Chakra: Root.
Zodiac: Scorpio, Aquarius, and Capricorn.
Element: Earth and Fire.
Planet: Earth.

Care: Obsidian is safe in the sun, water, and salt. If you are using rough obsidian, it can have sharp edges, so use it safely. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-6 so if dropped or stored with other stones, it can break easily or be scratched. It can be cleansed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to sound, selenite, flowing water, and smoke.

It is believed that the unique patterning of Spiderweb Obsidian can act as an energy amplifier. The stone is also said to reduce stress and aid in healing emotional wounds. Plus, its grounding properties are thought to help promote clarity of mind and open up new pathways for creativity. It is great for connecting to the energy of Earth. It is said that this crystal helps us come into alignment with our true purpose in life. Plus, it’s said to be great for opening up blocked chakras, allowing new energy to flow freely.

 
Macusanite Obsidian - A name for Macusani glass, an acid volcanic glass, with phenocrysts of andalusite and sillimanite and more rarely staurolite and cordierite. It was originally thought to be a tektite. It is most typically found as a pale yellow-green transparent pebble with a surface texture like moldavites tektites from the Czech Republic. The glass usually has abundant well-developed microcrystals floating in it.

 
Pele's Hair - It is a volcanic glass formation produced from cooled lava stretched into thin strands, usually from lava fountains, lava cascades, or vigorous lava flows. It is named after Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. Wind often carries the light fibers high into the air and to places several kilometers away from the vent. It is common to find strands of Pele's hair on high places like treetops, radio antennas, and electric poles. It is not recommended to touch Pele's hair, because it is very brittle and very sharp, and small broken pieces can enter the skin. Gloves should be worn while examining it. Pele's hair has a golden yellow color and looks like human hair or dry straw. In sunlight, it has a shimmering gold color. It is usually created with Pele's Tears ( which are teardrop shapes of volcanic glass). The “tear” may often be found at the end of a “hair” as the tail is spun from the trail of liquid in motion.

Care: Like asbestos and fiberglass (which is what this, essentially, is), these fibers are hazardous if inhaled and irritating if rubbed into the eyes or skin.