Hello everyone! This week's blog post is about the amazing black obsidian.
Obsidian Family
Black Obsidian is an igneous rock formed via volcanic lava in silic acid or if it hits water it cools rapidly. It does not have chance to have any crystalline structures to form so it is a type of Volcanic glass. Black Obsidian is Opaque as a rule though I have seen some that has been cut so you can see through it. It is an amorphous crystal system.
It is found in Ecuador, Indonesia, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the United States, Ethiopia and Afghanistan.
Its chemical composition is SiO2 + Fe2O3 + H2O + Al, C, Ca,K, Na, Fe
It is 5-5.5 on the Mohs Scale and is used in jewellery, tools and ornaments.
History and Mythology of Obsidian
Obsidian has been used mainly in ancient times. It was one of the earliest minerals used by humans as it was used in Paleolithic times for blades and tools for hunting as well as believing that they would protect them from the beasts they were hunting. There have been ancient' factories' of production found that created arrowheads, spear points, knife blades and scrapers. They also used them for jewellery as well. This protection element is probably also why these blades have been found in burials. British museum photo of a obsidian blade made in Mexico.
In Ancient Egypt, Herodotus states in his Book 3 about Egypt that the priests used obsidian blades to cut the mummy to get the organs out. A 'peseh-kef' in the Brooklyn museum has been suggested as a ritual knife for mummification. Obsidian with its protection attribute and was used to ward off evil would have been very good to protect the dead while they were been mummified.
It has been found in many tombs in Abydos, which was known by the Egyptians as being the entrance of where the Underworld was. The Obsidian was also used for the eyes of mummy cases in dynasties 29 and 30. It was also used for the head of a statue of the Pharaoh Amenemes III. The Egyptians also used it throughout its Prehistory for Naquada II for tools and fishing hooks as it is known from studies that they imported it from as far as Afghanistan.
The Ancient Greeks used them also in addition to tools as mirrors as obsidian it very shiny.
Obsidian itself got its name from a Roman called Obsius, who found it in Ethiopia. The Romans used it for amulets and necklaces.
The Aztecs called one of their Great Goddesses ' Itzpapalotl' which means 'Obsidian-knife butterfly', who is depicted as a skeleton with wings tipped with obsidian knives. The high priests also used obsidian mirrors to connect with the Gods and through these they could find out what the Gods and Goddesses wanted.
In the Middle Ages, Obsidian was used in Magical rituals to drive out demons.
The Mayans, used the obsidian in a similar way to the Aztecs as they used them to see into the future and only priests used them there God Tezcatliposa was known as 'smokey mirror'.
Nowadays, we still use obsidian as a tool - a surgical tool as it has been found to cut very precisely.
Crystal Healing
In Crystal healing, Black Obsidian is known as Stone of Truth as it reveals the truth even if you do not want it to come out. So when using this you have to be willing to be ready for unpleasant truths or negative ones.
If you give obsidian to another it is the be a symbol of wisdom to that person.
Emotionally, it is a great stone for anyone who is very sensitive or emotional empathy as it protects from negativity and other people as it is not a sociable crystal. So it you do want to socialise and interact, you need to not take obsidian with you! It helps with obsession and also helps to change behaviours in yourself.
If you have energy blocks, these will be dissolved by Obsidian. It can also deep soul heal as it helps to go back to our past lives to find and heal any past traumas. This is why it is a useful stone for therapists and counsellors as it gets to the truth of things and also past traumas.
It is a good stone to help increase self control, release old loves and supports change within yourself.
By placing it under a pillow it is supposed to help with mental stress and tension by revealing the cause.
Wearing it is supposed to help protect from accidents and unkind thoughts and also promotes understanding and helps you gain new skills.
It also helps make you more decisive in your decisions.
It dispels Psychic, geopathic stress and environmental pollution and is known as a soul mirror as its used for divination as it polishes up beautifully for scrying tools.
Physically it helps aid:
· the digestion system
· Arthritic and joint pain
· Heals wounds and alleviates pain
· Stops bleeding
· Improves circulation
· Detoxifies
· cramps
· Good for shock (use an elixir)
· Can be used to shrink a enlarged prostrate
Obsidian is associated with the star sign Sagittarius and is associated with the Root/Base Chakra. This is why it is an excellent grounding stone.
Thank you so much for reading this blog post!
Bibliography
Gemstones of the World, Walter Schulmann, 5th edition
Crystal Tips and Cures, Philip Permutt
Sacred Crystals, Hazel Raven
Crystals: The modern guide to Crystal Healing, Yulia Van Doren
The Lure of Gems, Steve Bennett, 2014
Crystal Power, Crystal Healing: The Complete Handbook, Michael Gienger, 1998
The Crystal Bible, Judy hall
'Obsidian in Ancient Egypt', J Summers from the Journal of the College of Idaho
The Angel and the Abyss: The Inward Journey Books II and II, Daniel Guther, 2014
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