crystals · the mineral shelf
Obsidian
Not a crystal at all — volcanic glass, cooled too fast for structure — and folklore's bluntest instrument: the truth-mirror, shadow-worker, cutter of what's done. Aztec priests scried in it; the reputation stuck.
What tradition says
Obsidian mirrors served Mesoamerican divination (one famously reached John Dee's table); edged tools of it predate history. The lore keeps both: a stone for seeing what is and severing what was.
How people work with it
Held in shadow-work and hard journaling; kept by those doing honest inventories; the go-to for cord-cutting rituals — sometimes literally, as the blade shape.
The honest paragraph
Glass reflects and edges cut — obsidian's powers are its literal properties promoted to metaphor, which is the most honest career on this shelf. 'Shows your shadow' means a black mirror plus your willingness; the willingness is the active ingredient. One material note: real obsidian edges are scalpel-sharp — decorative pieces yes, pocket-carrying raw shards, reconsider.
Care & cautions
Water-fine, sun-fine, but true glass: chips and shatters on drops, and fresh edges cut. Smooth tumbled pieces for handling; respect for the rest.
The cat regards its reflection in the black glass without flinching: "Shadow integrated. Next."
Crystal properties here are folklore and tradition, told honestly — not medicine, physics, or promises. Stones pair wonderfully with care; they never replace it. If your body or mind needs help, a professional is the right ally — bring the amethyst along if it comforts you.