How To Use Obsidian For Healing, Grounding & More, From A Crystal Expert

Obsidian is one grounding mineraloid that has become increasingly popular in recent years—and for good reason. Here's everything you need to know about obsidian crystals, including the different types to look for, how to use them, and how to take care of them.

Obsidian is thought of as a crystal, which has become somewhat of an umbrella term for stones with beneficial properties, but according to Ashley Leavy, founder and educational director of the Love and Light School of Crystal Therapy, it's actually a mineraloid, made of natural glass. Here are a few varieties of it you might come across:

There's an origin story for gold sheen obsidian that comes from Mexico, Leavy says, which describes a woman who lost her lover in a war. When she wept for her love, the gods took pity on her, turning her tears into the precious mineraloid.

"There's also rainbow sheen obsidian, which you often see cut into really cool shapes to display distinct bands and layers of color," she adds. You can see basically any color in the color spectrum, with blue being more rare, and green and purple being more common.

Peacock obsidian, also referred to as velvet obsidian, has flecks of color swirled together rather than distinct bands or rings. And snowflake obsidian has flecks of white "snowflake-esque" minerals that actually grow on the obsidian itself, creating a unique black-and-white pattern. And lastly, mahogany obsidian looks like a marbled black with red or brown.

Like many black, brown, and red stones, obsidian (particularly mahogany obsidian) is often used for grounding, Leavy tells mbg. It can help with getting centered, feeling present, clearing energy, and connecting to the earth and our own bodies.

Snowflake obsidian, with its mixture of black and white, is "so good for reminding us to be in balance," Leavy notes, whether that's a work-life balance or balancing your responsibilities with your desires. "But deeper than that," she adds, "it reminds us of the balance of our inner duality, and exploring our own shadow."

Lastly, Leavy says, "rainbow or peacock obsidian have a modern history associated with dreamwork, lucid dreaming, and astral travel," which we'll describe shortly.

As Leavy described, obsidian is great for clearing any unwanted energy in your own aura or even your home. One way you can easily do this is by simply sweeping it over your body, passing a piece of obsidian over a particular chakra or your whole body, to help clear your field.

Don't expect it to necessarily work on the first go, she adds, but give it a few tries, always holding your intention in mind.

In this case, obsidian is black, so you would want it near the front door. On the bagua map, this area is associated with your career, "which would be great for obsidian because it has that ability to keep us grounded and focused on the physical realm, which our career is a big part of," she says.

Being such a good stone for grounding and centering, you can add obsidian to any of your favorite grounding practices, whether that's meditating with obsidian in your hand, keeping it in your bag when you go out anywhere, or placing it near your root chakra, which is associated with grounding and security.

"There are also obsidian mirrors, which have a long use in history," she says, adding that John Dee, spiritual adviser to Queen Elizabeth I in the 1500s and early 1600s, worked with obsidian tools for divination.

To clear your crystal, Leavy suggests cleansing it in a way that's not culturally appropriative, i.e., with sound, such as a bell or chime, or simply allowing the sunlight to refresh its energy.

With so many varieties, benefits, and uses, it's safe to say any crystal enthusiast would want to include a piece or two of obsidian in their collection. Whether you want to gain deep insights from your dreams, ground your energy, or do deep inner healing, obsidian might just be your next go-to stone.