Raw black obsidian is a piece of terrestrial violence frozen in glass. When you hold a fragment of raw obsidian in your hand, you are literally holding lava cooled in seconds, with its sharp edges, conchoidal fractures (these shell-shaped breaks), and that black vitreous luster that reflects light like a dark mirror. It's the only "crystal" that isn't a crystal: obsidian has no crystalline structure, it's an amorphous glass, and it's this particular nature that gives it its exceptionally sharp properties, both literally and figuratively. Prehistoric peoples carved obsidian into blades finer than the best surgical steel, and some surgeons still use obsidian scalpels today for the most delicate operations.
In lithotherapy, raw black obsidian is considered the most powerful and direct form of this protective stone. Placed in a room, it acts as a guardian that absorbs and repels negative energies. At the entrance of a home, it filters what enters. In an office, it protects from toxic environments. But it is also a formidable mirror stone: placed in a meditation room, it ruthlessly confronts one's own shadows. Apache tears (small, naturally rounded obsidians) are a gentler form of raw obsidian, ideal for those who want protection without maximum intensity. Obsidian mirrors have been used since the Aztecs for meditation and deep introspection.
For maintenance, rinsing with clear water and recharging in moonlight are sufficient. Be careful of sharp edges on unpolished raw pieces; obsidian can cut. With a hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, it scratches easily but its breaks remain sharp.
