Unlock the Power of Obsidian: 6 Types Explained
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass that is found all over the world in an array of colors and varieties, each with its unique characteristics and metaphysical crystal healing properties.
Obsidian is a mysterious and captivating gemstone that has long been revered for its powerful healing properties and striking beauty. In this exclusive guide, we will delve into the enchanting world of Obsidian and explore six different types and learn about their distinctions, energies, and meanings.
Are you ready for a "rock nerd" deep dive into the different types of Obsidian? Read on my friend...
What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a volcanic glass that forms when molten lava with a high silica content rapidly cools and solidifies before crystallization can occur.
Like Quartz, Obsidian is an igneous rock primarily composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2), typically making up about 70% its chemical composition, with smaller amounts of other oxides like aluminum, iron, potassium, sodium, and calcium.
The different varieties of Obsidian are created in Mother Nature's cauldron by the primordial soup of molten mineral lava flows. It is by the alchemical forces of nature that Obsidian can be black, brown, red, opaque or translucent, metallic gold or silver, or even have an iridescent rainbow sheen.
Historically Obsidian was used by Native Americans and many other early peoples for weapons, implements, tools, and jewelry. Obsidian was valued for its sharpness, workability, and visual appeal.
The ancient Aztec and ancient Greek civilizations used Obsidian for mirrors. The sharpest stone artifacts found were made from Obsidian because of its conchoidal fracture which gives smooth curved surfaces and very sharp edges to arrowheads, spear points, and knife blades.
1. Black Obsidian
Black obsidian is the most common type of obsidian, known for its deep and lustrous black color. It's inky black mirror like sheen make it a truly mesmerizing stone with metaphysical associations with magic, protection, grounding, energetic clearing, and spiritual growth.
Black Obsidian is a potent cleansing and protective stone that resonates with the Root Chakra, offering security and grounding energy to your life.
Black Obsidian is a powerful energetic shield of defense against negative energy, making it a must-have stone for those seeking protection.
The classic and timeless Black Obsidian exudes a sense of strength and resilience that open the pathways for emotional healing. Black Obsidian helps you begin to dissolve emotional blockages, heal past traumas, and clear residual negativity from your energy body.
Black Obsidian absorbs negative energies from the environment and blocks psychic attacks. When used with intention, Black Obsidian is the best crystal to shield against negativity of all kinds.
2. Rainbow Obsidian
Rainbow Obsidian is characterized by a silvery-peacock iridescent sheen noticeable when held to a strong light source. The colorful sheen comes from microscopic Magnetite nanoparticles trapped within the layers as the volcanic glass cooled during formation. The Magnetite nanoparticles cause multicolored iridescence that reflect light in different ways.
Rainbow Obsidian is a powerful multidimensional healing stone that works with your physical body, emotional body, and light body. Rainbow Obsidian resonates with your entire chakra column, but especially the Root Chakra, Heart Chakra, Third Eye Chakra + Crown Chakra.
Rainbow Obsidian grounds spiritual light into the aura + physical body, radiating the energy of Unconditional Love.
This deeply grounding stone connects our energy with the heart of Mama Gaia, opening the chakra column to connect with the light of Source. Rainbow Obsidian is beneficial for awakening your psychic channel and offering protection during astral travel by providing a stable connection to the grounding energy of the Earth.
Rainbow Obsidian is a powerful heart healing stone. It can help heal a broken heart or provide support for someone in grief by bringing hope, illumination, and energy into the most blocked and stagnant areas of the emotional body.
Rainbow Sheen Obsidian offers powerful support for alleviating depression, mood swings, despair, or paralyzing fears.
3. Silver Sheen Obsidian
Silver Sheen Obsidian is a type of Obsidian found primarily in Mexico that exhibits a shiny, silver-like reflective surface when polished. It’s silvery metallic iridescence is created by tiny inclusions of water vapor bubbles trapped inside the volcanic glass that reflect the light.
Silver Sheen Obsidian has a higher vibration than other Obsidians that can guide us toward higher spiritual understanding .
Silver Obsidian is associated with the Root Chakra, Third Eye, and Crown Chakras. It connects the clear vision of Third Eye Chakra with the grounding, stabilizing energy of the Root Chakra to create an incredible energy of clarity, wisdom, and vision.
Like other Obsidian varieties, Silver Sheen Obsidian is a protective and grounding stone that strengthens energetic barriers to deflect negativity.
Silver Obsidian offers healing through strong connection to the Earth and brings spiritual enlightenment through the wisdom of the heavens. Silver Sheen Obsidian is an especially good tool for shamanic practitioners and Earth medicine healers.
Its radiance inspires a higher state of self-awareness and clarity where our inner truths are illuminated, understood, accepted, and valued.
Silver Sheen Obsidian reminds us that we are the masters of our own destiny.
4. Golden Sheen Obsidian
Golden obsidian is identified by a radiant golden sheen. Similar to Silver Obsidian, this stone's golden iridescence is created by microscopic water vapor bubbles trapped inside the volcanic glass that reflect the light.
Golden Sheen Obsidian attracts wealth and prosperity on all levels.
Gold Obsidian boosts our self confidence while keeping our egos in check by illuminating any ego conflicts and helping us release them. This golden stone reflects back to us that which is needed for healing and gives insight into higher paths of action and resolution.
Meditate with Golden Obsidian to clear blockages in your Solar Plexus Chakra, the center of our personal power.
Golden Sheen Obsidian is a strong Earth Healer and can be used to locate and heal areas of disturbance in Gaia's energy. Use this stone to connect with the crystalline core of Gaia, to strengthen fortify the energetic ley lines of the planet, bringing us closer to unity consciousness, and our collective ascension. 
5. Mahogany Obsidian
Mahogany Obsidian is a variety of Obsidian that features reddish-brown swirls mottled with black. Mahogany Obsidian is named for its rich, earthy tones which are reminiscent of mahogany wood and it's also known as Red Obsidian. The rusty red colors of Mahogany Obsidian come from Hematite, Iron, or Magnetite inclusions in the volcanic glass.
Mahogany Obsidian is a grounding Root Chakra stone that connects the you to the energy of the Earth. Mahogany Obsidian also resonates with the Sacral Chakra stimulating growth, strength, endurance, vitality, creativity, passion, sexuality, and protection.
Mahogany Obsidian is a deeply grounding stone that brings your thoughts + ideas into action for the sole purpose of personal growth.
With its rich reddish brown and black swirls, Mahogany Obsidian is often used to help overcome challenges and obstacles. It's protective, grounding energy helps you move past your limiting beliefs.
6. Snowflake Obsidian
Like delicate snowflakes dancing in the night sky, Snowflake Obsidian is recognizable by its white to gray snowflake patterns scattered through a contrasting black obsidian matrix. This type of Obsidian is known for its calming and balancing properties that help purify the mind and spirit.
Restoring balance to the body, mind, and spirit, Snowflake Obsidian resonates with the Root Chakra and the Third Eye Chakra, supporting the process of personal transformation.
Snowflake Obsidian has a soothing energy that is supportive in meditation + spiritual practices.
Crystal healing practitioners believe Snowflake Obsidian lets us see the dark and uncomfortable sides of our own nature from the perspective of unconditional love which helps to bring us back into wholeness.
As a patterned stone, Snowflake Obsidian is thought to help one see patterns in their own thoughts and behaviors. This transformative stone allows us to be released from our less healthy patterns and negative behaviors.
The snowflake inclusions are a mineral formation called Spherulites which are composed of needle-like Cristobalite that forms when silica rich molten lava cools more slowly, allowing these unique crystal inclusions to form.
Cristobalite is a crystalline mineral that is a polymorph of silica, or SiO₂, with a crystal structure from Quartz. All of the other varieties of Obsidian are formed in a rapid cooling process that prevents any crystal formation, making Snowflake Obsidian a unique and very special variety of crystalline volcanic glass.
More Types of Obsidian
Since Obsidian is a found all over the world, created by the different geological conditions and minerals present, there are many more varieties of Obsidian than discussed above. Some of the other varieties of Obsidian are Banded Obsidian, Pumpkin Obsidian, Brown Obsidian, Gray Obsidian, Fireworks Obsidian, and translucent Ice Obsidian from Russia.
Some Obsidian varieties are named for their naturally occurring shapes. The rounded semi-transparent pebbles called Apache Tears, also known as obsidianites, are found in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada. Obsidian Needles found in California are named for their sharp needle like shape. Floss-like Pele's Hair and Pele's Tears are only found in Hawaii.
Double or Triple Flow Obsidian was created over centuries by a mixture of volcanic eruptions that melded together, combining in different colored layers visible in a singular rock.
There are extremely rare, gem quality varieties of Obsidian which include Green Obsidian, Blue Obsidian, semi-precious Spiderweb Obsidian, Starry Night Obsidian, Midnight Lace Obsidian, yellow Macusanite from Peru, and Lizard Skin Obsidian. The ultra rare and coveted Fire Obsidian which is only found in Southern Oregon.
Each type of Obsidian offers a unique aesthetic appeal and metaphysical properties, making these stones sought after by collectors, jewelry makers, and spiritual practitioners alike.
Whether you are looking for protection, healing, spiritual growth, or a pretty piece of jewelry, there is an Obsidian variety that can help you achieve your goals. Are you ready to explore the power of Obsidian and unlock its healing potential in your life?
Shop our selection of Obsidian Crystals + Jewelry for energetic protection now.