Powers: Protection, luck

With an energy that promotes the qualities of forgiveness and protection, Apache tear is a first choice for people who are dealing with issues of loss and mourning. It is said to be of great aid in restoring a sense of balance to the emotional nature and in obtaining, the sometimes-elusive sense of what psychologists call closure.

If emotional issues are causing you to obsess over past events, nurse old grudges, or beat the proverbial dead horse, Apache tear will enable you to better release the past and more fully experience the process of mourning a loss, whatever its nature.

Being a type of stone that will, in any event, help bring to consciousness what has been suppressed, Apache tear purifies the emotions through recognition and the experience of grief. Obsidian, and thus Apache tear, encourages no weak compromises, but it will help you to better comprehend your own part in any misfortunes or difficulties. In some instances it can serve to create radical changes in attitude and behaviour as you learn to finally set that emotional baggage down for good. Ultimately, this is a stone that helps you to reclaim lost parts of yourself and bring them into the here and now.

Apache tear (Obsidian) energy is all about the inner work necessary to make real progress in our lives. As such, it is the perfect choice for those times when we are indeed our own worst enemy. Long believed to be a stone of protection, Apache tear works to help one "cut the crap" in daily life. It discourages the tendency to beat yourself or others up emotionally and holds a mirror-like energy that will assist you in coming to terms with problems. Apache tear (Obsidian) is very grounding and will help you to better see your own shortcomings. It encourages the special kind of strength we need to release the pain of memory and summon the courage to face a new era in our lives.
It is particularly useful for people who are trying to change addictive behaviours, such as overeating, smoking, or other problems, and can be especially helpful as a protection against the temptation to indulge in self-destructive patterns of any kind. Sometimes those who are working with obsidian will find long-lost talents, or creative impulses will surface from the deepest parts of the self, demanding attention.

ATTRIBUTES: Apache tear (Obsidian) is a stone without boundaries or limitations. As a result, it works extremely fast and with great power. Its truth-enhancing, reflective qualities are merciless in exposing flaws, weaknesses, and blockages. Nothing can be hidden from Obsidian. Pointing out how to ameliorate all destructive and disempowering conditions, as it impels us to grow and lends solid support while we do so. It needs careful handling and is best used under the guidance of a qualified therapist as it can bring negative emotions and unpleasant truths rushing to the surface. Under skilled guidance, its cathartic qualities are exceedingly valuable. It provides deep soul healing.
Apache tear can facilitate in going back to past lives to heal festering emotions or trauma that has carried forward into the present. This is a strongly protective stone, forming a shield against negativity, but does so slowly so that it can be transmuted. It provides a grounding cord from the base chakra to the center of the earth, absorbs negative energies from the environment, and strengthens in times of need. It is helpful for highly sensitive people. It blocks psychic attack and removes negative spiritual influences.

In the same way, placing Apache Tear by the bed or under the pillow can draw out mental stress and tension, and may have a calming effect, but it can also bring up the reasons for that stress. These reasons then have to be confronted before peace can return; this resolves the problem permanently rather than having a palliative effect. As Apache tear (Obsidian )is so effective in soaking up negative energies, it is essential to clean the stone under running water each time it has been used in this way.

Spiritually, Apache tear (Obsidian) vitalizes soul purpose. It eliminates energy blockages and relieves tension, integrating the psychological shadow into the whole to bring spiritual integrity. It anchors the spirit into the body. This stone stimulates growth on all levels. It urges exploration of the unknown, opening new horizons.

Mentally, Apache tear (Obsidian) brings clarity to the mind and clears confusion and constricting beliefs. However, it may well do this by making it absolutely clear what lies behind mental distress or dis-ease. Once this has been cleared, it expands consciousness, entering the realm of the unknown with confidence and ease.

Psychologically, it helps you to know who you truly are, and brings you face to face with your shadow side and teaches you how to integrate it. This stone also helps you to identify behavioural patterning that is now outdated. Apache tear dissolves emotional blockages and ancient traumas, bringing a depth and clarity to emotions. It promotes qualities of compassion and strength.

HEALING: Apache tear's (Obsidian) greatest gift is insight into the cause of dis-ease. It aids the digestion of anything that is hard to accept and promotes physical digestion. It detoxifies, dissolving blockages and tension in the physical and subtle bodies, including hardened arteries. It reduces the pain of arthritis, joint problems, cramps, and injuries. An elixir is beneficial for shock. It alleviates pain and stanches bleeding, benefiting the circulation. This stone warms the extremities. It can be used to shrink an enlarged prostate. It enhances assimilation of Vitamins C and D, removes toxins from the body, and calms muscle spasms.

POSITION: Men at abdomen, women at breast.