Originally posted in 2017
It’s time to talk about a stone that has been demanding my attention lately—silver sheen obsidian. I wasn’t familiar with this form of obsidian, but now that it has arrived in my life, I am enamored. Obsidian, a natural volcanic glass, forms when lava cools quickly after making contact with water. Water vapor, trapped as tiny gas bubbles, gives silver (and golden) sheen obsidian its reflective qualities. These bubbles become stretched almost flat along the flow layers of the obsidian, resulting in sparkling striations.
Obsidian is prized as a protective and grounding stone, and silver sheen fulfills that reputation. As I meditated and worked with silver sheen obsidian, the phrase that repeated in my mind was “standing on your own two feet.” Holding the stone to my qosqo (navel), I felt an immediate clearing and strengthening through my root, down my legs, and through the soles of my feet. Pain in my knees (from years of strain plus some degeneration) subsided considerably. Energy blockages in the lower part of my body dissolved and flowed away. Grounded, strong, and physically clear—that’s how I felt. Silver sheen obsidian grants a physical stability and extends an energetic shield against harm. For physical therapeutics, I’ll use silver sheen obsidian for quick energetic clearing, detoxification, pain relief, balance and stability, and for dysfunctions located from the hips to the feet. People who find it challenging to anchor themselves into their physical body—whether because of trauma, pain, or difficulty accepting their body’s perceived faults—can benefit from this stone’s medicine. Similarly, my findings confirm that silver sheen obsidian reinforces the “silver cord” that keeps connection between the physical and energy bodies during astral projection, out-of-body experiences, and shamanic journeying.
When I held my silver sheen to my hatun sonqo (higher heart) to learn its emotional effects, I was flooded by a sense of relief. Stress? Gone! Those nagging little worries that collect like dust bunnies in our emotional bodies succumb to the sweeping vibes of silver sheen obsidian. Stabilizing to the emotions, silver sheen allowed me to recognize why I react to certain triggers as I do, without setting off the corresponding response. Silver sheen obsidian can assist people who want to look deeply into their own reactive behavior and learn why a certain situation evokes an uncomfortable reaction (anger, fear, defensiveness, etc.) so that they can gain control over their emotional response. Because it clears anything that doesn’t belong to the user’s integral self, this stone helps empaths sort their personal feelings from the emotional bombardment of the world around them. A wonderful stone to promote self-determination and confidence, silver sheen reveals our true heart, allowing us to know ourselves fully. The protective nature of this obsidian provides a shield against attacks on our mental health, such as undeserved criticism or verbal abuse, so that we don’t incorporate the negativity into our emotional body.
It should be no surprise that I felt more clearing when I held silver sheen obsidian to my hatun uma (higher mind/Third Eye). Want to declutter your mind? Hold silver sheen obsidian to your forehead. It banishes thoughts that work against your essential nature and innate self. Traditionally, silver sheen obsidian is believed to resonate most strongly with the Root and Third Eye chakras, and my experience confirms those connections. With its history as a scrying stone and its ability to clear and focus the mind, silver sheen obsidian enhances clairvoyance; however, I’m sure it improves clairaudience as well, judging by the clarity of my inner hearing when this stone was on my hatun uma. As an extra benefit, obsidian shields the user from psychic attack.
Once more, I say that “standing on your own two feet” sums up the medicine virtue of silver sheen obsidian. Standing strong, physically rooted and grounded, drawing on the vitality of Mother Earth. Standing in your truth, knowing yourself fully. Standing in your wisdom, clearly perceiving the world in its multi-dimensional existence. I’ve started to bring silver sheen obsidian into my life almost daily. Not only do I wear a personal empowerment talisman made of the stone, but I also use silver sheen obsidian vibrational essence. (See Flower & Gemstone Essences page for info about vibrational essences.) Do you know and use this sparkly stone? If not, I highly recommend that you give it a try.
