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Harmonious Podcast Episode 14: St. John's Wort & Black Obsidian

“The intricate tapestry of human existence is woven with threads of both light and darkness. Within each of us, these contrasting forces coexist, reminding us that perfection cannot exist without imperfection. It is through embracing the complexities and contradictions inherent in our being that we truly come to understand ourselves and the world around us. By accepting the interplay of light and darkness, we open ourselves up to a deeper sense of empathy, compassion, and self-awareness. It is within this embrace that we find the richness and depth of our human experience, allowing us to navigate life's journey with grace and resilience.”

Hello beloved ones! This is Meline, and this is episode 14 of Harmonious, where we explore the synergy of Crystals and Herbs. Today we are going to explore the crystal Black Obsidian, and the herb St. John’s Wort, and how these beautiful allies can assist us improve our mind, body, and spirit. I would also love to gently touch upon the concept of acceptance and how important it could be in our healing journey. Today, I’m going to change the format a little bit and explore our crystal of the day first.

But before we move on, I need to mention that everything you learn in this podcast is for educational purposes only. Please do not start or discontinue any treatment or medication based on what you learn in this podcast. It is essential that you consult a medical doctor before initiating or discontinuing or changing any medications or treatments for your physical, emotional, or mental health. And please make sure that you are not allergic to any of the herbs that you wish to experiment with.

So, an interesting fact about me is that when I was introduced to crystals and I started really enjoying the healing and calming energies of these beautiful stones, I had a hard time connecting to stones such as Black Obsidian, Black Onyx, Black Tourmaline, and similar stones. However, I am happy to report that this changed for me when I decided to surrender and to allow myself to experiment with these crystals. These are now some of my most favorite crystal friends. I have learned that whenever there is a resistance towards a type of energy, such as an herb or a crystal that we dislike, most of the time, we actually need that energy in our life. When we surrender and accept help, true healing can happen. Acceptance can mean different things; sometimes it is a type of surrender and letting go, and sometimes it is a type of realization and inner knowing that shines light upon a path that leads to healing.

Black Obsidian is a fascinating volcanic glass that forms when molten lava rapidly cools down. Its smooth, glossy black surface often exhibits beautiful shades of brown or even rainbow-like iridescence. Black Obsidian is frequently associated with the root chakra, which is believed to facilitate grounding of energy and foster profound inner connections. By working with this stone, we can enhance our sense of stability, strength, and rootedness, allowing us to explore our inner depths with a greater sense of balance and self-awareness.

Black obsidian has been used throughout human history as a material for carving blades or weapons in many cultures. Black obsidian has many healing benefits and it has been used as a tool for protection from negative energies and also helps promote emotional balance by allowing us to connect more deeply with ourselves on an emotional level.

Obsidian has a peaceful and calming energy as it can draw out mental stress and tension. Since obsidian is amazing for absorbing negative energies away from us, it is important to cleanse it by holding it under running water. I especially love holding my favorite gold-sheen obsidian when meditating. It acts like an anchor for our soul, keeping us focused and grounded. I like to dedicate my crystals for a specific purpose; for example, I hold my gold-sheen Obsidian during meditation. I hold it under cool running water after I’m done, and then I place it in a sachet where it stays until my next meditation. I believe that this method helps me program my crystals in time which makes it easier every time to connect to the crystal and to benefit from its healing properties much easier.

There are different colors of obsidian naturally forming such as brown, black, blue, green, rainbow, red-black, silver, and my favorite gold-sheen obsidian. It can be tricky sometimes to identify naturally formed Obsidian versus a synthetic one. This brings me to a point where I wish to tell you about my favorite Crystal shop, the House of Intuition! It is absolutely important to have a trustworthy and ethical source for our crystals and House of Intuition delivers it fantastically. I have obtained some of my favorite pieces in my crystal collection from House of Intuition! You can visit them in person or shop online at their website which I am including the link HERE. You will find crystals, incense, candles, and all the lovely tools that you may need for your spiritual practice at the House of Intuition.

Alright! Let’s talk about St. John’s Wort! I love St. John’s Wort. But before we learn more about this lovely plant medicine, I need to emphasize that St. John’s Wort is not safe during pregnancy and nursing, and it is a type of herb that interacts with almost every pharmaceutical medicine and should not be taken together with any other medication which I will explain in a bit why it is so.

Energetically speaking, St. John’s Wort is Masculine, its element is fire, and it is associated with the Sun. St. John's wort is derived from the dried flower tops of the plant species Hypericum perforatum, commonly known as the St. John's wort plant. This perennial plant is characterized by its leaves with transparent perforations and bright yellow flowers. The medicinal uses of St. John's wort were first documented in ancient Greece, and its historical use as an herbal remedy dates back to the 6th century. Throughout centuries, St. John's wort has been valued for it therapeutic properties, particularly in addressing mood-related concerns such as mild depression. It continues to be utilized today as a natural remedy for various ailments and is often used for its antidepressant and anti-inflammatory effects. In 2009, researchers conducted 29 clinical trials on St. John’s Wort for mild and moderate depression and concluded that it is more effective than a placebo and as effective as standard prescription antidepressants while having much less side effects. St. John's Wort acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. This works to reduce the uptake of serotonin at neuronal synapses, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine. Elevated levels of these neurotransmitters are believed to be helpful when treating depression.

It appears that St John's wort may interact with medicines either by increasing the rate of their metabolism or increasing levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Either way, always consult a licensed medical practitioner before taking any type of herbal medicine that includes St. John’s wort.

Alright, now let’s take a look at a few different ways that we can combine the healing benefits of the St. John’s Wort and the Black Obsidian.

- One of my favorite methods is to make St. John’s Wort infused oil. It’s very easy to make as you need some dried St. John’s Wort and a small jar of oil such as olive oil. Add dried St. John’s Wort to fill up to half of the jar and add olive oil to fill the jar. Close the jar and set it aside. It is a good idea to shake the jar every few days to help with the oil infusion. After a week or two, your oil infusion will have a bright and beautiful red color to it. This is a good indication that your oil is ready to be used. You can use this oil topically for mild burns, wounds or inflammations, bruises, mild cuts, ulcers, and even for soothing nerve pain such as sciatic pain. If you have a smooth black obsidian stone such as a palm stone, you may use it to gently massage this oil infusion on your skin and enjoy its skin toning properties.

- Another method is to use St. John’s Wort essential oil in a bath. Add 7-10 drops of the essential oil into a warm bath water and place an obsidian stone in the bath water as well to create a soothing and healing water to soothe painful joints and sore muscles.

- Planting St. John’s wort is another wonderful way of connecting with the energy of this beautiful plant. Sit with your plant and meditate holding an obsidian crystal.

- Wearing black obsidian jewelry is another one of my favorite methods to incorporate the protective energy of the obsidian into my daily life. I would suggest making St. John’s Wort flower essence with the same method that we explored on episode 12. St. John’s Wort has the energy of the Sun, and its bright yellow flower is great for its ability to bring in joy and happiness into our life. To infuse the flower essence with your intention, hold your flower essence to your heart, think about the joy and happiness you wish to incorporate into your life with the assistance of the St. John’s Wort flower essence, feel the sunlight shining gently on your skin.




I hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Please share this podcast with your friends and family. Feel free to email me at mindfulmanifest2@gmail.com should you have any questions or comments or to just say hi.

My name is Meline and this was the Harmonious, where we explore the synergy of crystals and herbs.

Until next time, stay happy and healthy.


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