Black Obsidian

Protection • Creativity • Powerful • Confrontational • Insight • Emotional healing • Absorbs negative energy

Appearance

Typically has a glossy and glass-like appearance, giving it a vitreous luster. It is opaque and usually a solid black color.

Rarity

Common.

Protective • Creativity • Powerful • Confrontational • Insight • Emotional healing • Absorbs negative energy

Energetic properties

Black Obsidian is a protective and creative stone—very powerful and fast-acting. It can be highly confrontational: obsidian almost forces personal growth by bringing hidden truths to light, so they can be lovingly healed. It helps you gain self-awareness and get to know your "true self" better. Black Obsidian supports the healing of long-held emotional wounds stored deep within the (subconscious) system. The stone effectively absorbs negative energies, so cleansing after use is recommended.

Suitable for children from around 16 years old.

Formation

Black Obsidian forms when lava cools and solidifies extremely quickly before crystals have the chance to grow. It is a type of volcanic glass created from basaltic lava, which is rich in silica. When this lava flows from a volcano and comes into contact with cold air or water, it rapidly solidifies into an amorphous (non-crystalline) structure, resulting in black obsidian. This lack of crystal formation gives it its smooth, glassy texture. The presence of tiny mineral inclusions or gas bubbles can sometimes create colorful patterns or "eyes" in the obsidian, as seen in varieties like 'Apache Tears'.

Etymology

Obsidian is named after a Roman explorer named Obsius, who is said to have discovered the stone in Ethiopia. In Latin, the stone was called 'lapis obsidianus', meaning 'stone of Obsius', which later became 'obsidian' in English. The name is now used for all types of volcanic glass, including Snowflake Obsidian.

'Black' refers to the color of this particular variety of the stone.

Care

Black Obsidian is a reasonably hard and durable stone and doesn’t require much special care. However, regular cleansing is recommended due to its strong ability to absorb negative energies. It can be cleaned under running water and gently patted dry with a soft cloth. It may also be cleansed and recharged using sage, incense or moonlight.

Origin

Can be found worldwide. Notable sources include Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia and the United States.

Availability

Black Obsidian is relatively common and found in many parts of the world, so it is not generally considered rare. However, obsidian can vary in quality and size, and some rare form; such as pieces with internal inclusions, a silvery or rainbow sheen, or exceptionally large crystals, can be quite valuable.