Gold Sheen Obsidian Meaning

Golden Sheen Obsidian has a bright energy, very different than pure black Obsidian. It is an empowering stone, yet one that also helps us to keep our egos in check so that they don’t dominate our consciousness or control our actions. Golden Sheen Obsidian can help us to “wake up” and to understand what is really happening in the world around us, and to face that reality without fear or denial. It invites us instead to rise up to the challenge, and to make a positive difference, in whatever way we are most able. Golden Sheen Obsidian connects us both to the strength of the Earth and the wisdom of the heavens, making it an especially good tool for shamanic practitioners and earth medicine healers. It increases psychic sensitivity and is one of the very best stones for crystal ball scrying about future events as well as for manifestation purposes. Golden Sheen Obsidian attracts wealth and prosperity on all levels.

Obsidian is formed when lava from a volcanic explosion solidifies so quickly that there is no time for mineral crystals to grow within it. It is sometimes referred as “volcanic glass” due to its glass-like texture. Obsidian is typically jet black, however the inclusion of various minerals can sometimes create colored varieties. In rare cases, Black Obsidian may have a colorful sheen that appears when moved in the light.  This effect is created by small inclusions of water vapor bubbles trapped inside the glass.  These bubbles have been stretched nearly flat in a series of layers which reflect back the light as metallic gold or silver.

Gold Sheen Obsidian’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Green Opal

Obsidian was not included in most early lapidaries, texts which describe gemstones and their powers. However archaeological evidence reveals that Obsidian was used to create some of the very oldest cultural artifacts in human history. In fact, Obsidian was also used by our evolutionary ancestors and cousins!

The very earliest Obsidian tools date to the Oldowan, at the very dawn of the Paleolithic/Stone Age (2.6 million -10,000 BCE). Archaeologists believe that the very earliest hominid to use stone tools was Australopithecus garhi (2.5 million BCE) who lived in Ethiopia and is believed to be one of our direct ancestors. Among the fossil remains for this early hominid are obsidian tools used for chopping, scraping, and piercing. Sometime later two other early hominids began making stone tools; Homo habilis(2.4-1.4 million BCE), whose name means “Handy Man” precisely because he used stone tools, and Homo erectus (1.89 million – 143,000 BCE), the first hominid to stand upright like a modern human. Whether each species discovered stone tools independently, or were taught to use them, is a matter of speculation. Equally so, it is impossible to know whether these tools were purely practical or if they had any spiritual purpose.

Obsidian Arrowhead

At the dawn of human civilization and writing, we know that Obsidian was definitely being used for ritual purposes. In Egypt, Obsidian knives were used for ceremonial circumcisions, as well as to make mirrors and various decorative objects found in tombs. The actual name “Obsidian” was first used by Pliny the Elder (CE23-79) who named it after a Roman citizen/explorer, Obsius, who “discovered” it in Ethiopia. During the ancient and medieval period, Obsidian was thought to drive out demons, and was used as an aid in rituals. It was also used to heal wounds and alleviate pain.

Obsidian was also widely used in the Americas. In Central and North America, Obsidian was a symbol of Tezcatlipoca, the chief god of the Aztec religion. Tezcatlipoca was the god of night, storms, kings, shamans, war, and beauty. He was depicted as a Jaguar, an incredibly potent symbol for spiritual power and authority. When the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice, it was an Obsidian knife that was wielded. The name Tezcatlipoca translates to mean “smoking mirror,” likely a direct reference to Obsidian mirrors used by Mayan priests for divination and shamanic purposes. These mirrors were carved out of pure Black Obsidian and were said to reveal a person’s flaws as well as the steps needed to make the appropriate change. Obsidian was widely traded throughout both South and North America. Each volcanic explosion creates a unique type of Obsidian, and so it is relatively easy to trace trading routes. In addition to making knives and mirrors, Obsidian was also used to make talismans for protection.

Gold and Silver Sheen Obsidian are mined today in Mexico, but the deposits seems to have been found discovered relatively recently.  Like other varieties of Obsidian, they are easy to carve and take a fine polish.  Sometimes they are even carved into Aztec or Mayan sculptures, as is the case with this Gold Sheen Obsidian jaguar to represent Tezcatlipoca.

Obsidian Jaguar