Obsidian is a strong insightful and cleansing stone and stimulates personal development through (self) insight and clearing baggage from the past. It brings out the truth, the core or cause of things (or illness) and repressed and hidden experiences and emotions. The stone can work like a mirror and help discover who one really is, but can also bring to light the less pleasant sides of the personality. The stone reduces fear, blockages, traumas and limiting behavior and thinking patterns. The stone can have a very powerful effect and because of the intense emotions that can arise and the fact that some (self) insights can also be very confrontational, sensitive people can better use this stone under the guidance of a therapist or choose another stone ( or for a softer-acting variety such as Apache tears or snowflake obsidian). Obsidian protects against psychological attacks, reduces negative mental or spiritual influences and absorbs negative energy from the environment (radiation, water veins, etc.). It promotes clarity of mind and sharpens the senses. Physically, the stone has a pain-relieving effect, relieves spasms, stimulates digestion, detoxifies and improves blood circulation. The stone can therefore also have a warming effect on chronically cold hands and feet.
 NB: because obsidian absorbs negative energies so effectively, it is important to clean the stone under running water after use.