APACHE TEARS
(Alternate Names: Obsidianite, Volcanic Tears, Earth’s Sorrow Stones)
Appearance
Small, rounded, translucent-to-opaque droplets of obsidian.
Brown, smoky black, or deep charcoal — transparent around the edges when held to the light. Their surfaces may be smooth, pitted, or gently matte. They feel light in the hand yet emotionally weighty, like holding a softened piece of shadow.
Quick Reference Summary
Planet: Saturn & Pluto
Element: Earth & Fire
Chakra: Root & Heart
Uses: Grief healing, emotional release, grounding, protection, shadow comfort
Safety: Very stable; handle normally
Best For: Grief work, trauma recovery, emotional resilience, grounding during loss, ancestral or karmic release
Planetary Correspondence
Saturn gives structure during emotional collapse — grounding, containment, and stability.
Pluto guides profound emotional transformation, release, and rebirth.
Together, they make Apache Tears a grief-walker stone: present, compassionate, and strong enough to hold your sorrow.
Elemental Association
Earth — grounding, stabilization, containment.
Fire — transformation, purification, release.
Apache Tears sit where ash becomes earth again.
Chakra / Energy Center
Root — safety during deep emotional states.
Heart — grief processing, sorrow release, emotional gentling.
Excellent for those overwhelmed by feeling or those who fear being consumed by their own sadness.
Myth & Lore
These stones carry a sacred story.
According to Apache legend, after a battle where Apache warriors chose death over capture, the women of the tribe wept for their loved ones. The Earth caught their tears, crystallizing them into small, dark stones — forever known as Apache Tears.
Because of this, the stones are said to help soften grief, allowing tears to flow when they’ve stayed trapped too long.
They are widely used in mourning rituals, ancestral healing, and trauma support.
Magical Properties
Core Uses
– Supports healthy grieving
– Helps release stored or frozen sorrow
– Provides grounding during emotional overwhelm
– Protects against psychic or emotional intrusion
– Softens the aura and calms fear
– Facilitates shadow healing without intensity of raw obsidian
Witchcraft Applications
– Mourning rites
– Ancestral connection and healing
– Trauma integration rituals
– Banishing despair or emotional heaviness
– Protective charms for sensitives or mourners
– Shadow work with a gentler, slower pace
Best Uses in Spellwork
– Grief-release spells (burn, bury, or water-release rituals)
– Shadow work that needs emotional safety
– Protection talismans for those in crisis
– Earth-based grounding rites
– Rituals for letting go of old pain or trauma echoes
Pairing Companions
– Rose Quartz: softens grief and soothes the heart
– Lepidolite: reduces anxiety and emotional tension
– Smoky Quartz: grounding and transmutation
– Black Tourmaline: protection during emotional vulnerability
– Moonstone: emotional gentleness and renewal
Magical Correspondences
Zodiac: Scorpio, Capricorn, Cancer
Deities (optional): Hecate, Anubis, Persephone, Freyja (as mourner), The Morrígan
Sabbats: Samhain, Mabon
Intentions: grief, release, healing, grounding, protection, ancestral work
Ritual Tip
Hold an Apache Tear in your palm during meditation or journaling when emotions rise.
Let the stone “catch” the sorrow — visualize it absorbing the heaviness the way the Earth once caught the tears of grieving women.
It’s especially powerful when placed on the Heart during breathwork.
Shadow Side (Warnings / Common Myths)
– Toxicity: Safe to handle; obsidian-based.
– Water/heat/sunlight safety:
– Water-safe
– Sunlight safe
– Heat can crack pieces
– Cleansing cautions: None — excellent self-cleansing stone energetically.
– Known fakes: Rare; most confusion is with small pieces of black glass.
Real Apache Tears are translucent brown/charcoal when backlit — glass will often look too uniform.
Care & Charging Methods
🌿Safe
– Moonlight
– Water rinse
– Smoke cleansing
– Sound cleansing
– Charging in soil or near a grave or ancestor altar
– Placing with selenite
⚠️Caution
– Dropping on hard surfaces (brittle edges)
– Extreme temperature shifts
❌Do Not
– Steam or ultrasonic cleaners (not needed, may risk cracking)
– Saltwater long-term (may scratch surface)
How to Tell Real from Fake
Real Apache Tears:
– Translucent brown/charcoal when held to strong light
– Light, rounded, natural droplet-like shapes
– Soft, matte-ish luster
– Internal swirls or veils
Fake/Glass pieces:
– Too-black or too shiny
– No translucency
– Uniform color and texture
– Perfectly smooth, symmetrical shapes
Authentic Apache Tears feel ancient, gentle, and emotionally resonant.
Affirmation
“My grief flows gently. My heart softens. I am held, I am grounded, I am healing.”
Turn to Apache Tears when sorrow grows heavy, when memories ache, or when the heart needs a stone quiet enough to sit with your pain — and strong enough to help you release it.
