World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

Tomorrow April 30 is World Tai Chi and Qigong Day.

I remember many years ago when it first started, it was regional, then moved to national celebration, now for several years it's a world event. 

In 2003 before we moved to Florida, we were driving from Florida to Ohio on our trip home from a spring break week.  I told my husband that we had to stop at 10 AM so I could do Tai Chi.  As 10 AM approached,  I saw a gas station on hilltop that looked like it was not surrounded by buildings, and told him to stop there.  While he filled up the car with gas, I went to the back of the station that overlooked a valley and did my tai chi form.   Then we got in the car and drove.  I could feel all the energies of other people practicing and happy to be part of the 10 AM celebration at Eastern time.  And my dear husband didn't make any wisecracks or roll his eyes. 

If you play tai chi or practice qigong, wherever you are at your 10 AM, do your practice.  If  you don't do either, stop and breathe deeply for a minute or two and share in the good qi energies not only in your time zone, but around the world.

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Website

Jade Bangle with Hinges: What You Can Do if Your Jade Bangle Breaks

Since I must be out of my home the end of May, my goal is to pack up a minimum of 8 boxes each day.  8 is an auspicious number.  I know that as I'm packing I'm going to find jade that I had "hoarded" over the years, and that will distract me.  Like today.

I found two jadeite bangle bracelets that have sterling silver hinges on them so you can open them up to put them on instead of sliding them over your wrist.

When I first started selling jade bangle bracelets, and through today, I get emails from women who are heartbroken because their jade bangle broke.  There's a blog post about what it means when your jade bangle breaks. But the big question is, what can I do about a broken jade bangle. 

I have a business friend in Thailand who told me about hinged jade bangle bracelets.  When the jade carver breaks a jade bangle he is carving in half, there are jewelers who add hinges.  I sent two of my broken jade bangle bracelets, and the photo shows how they were hinged for wearing.  But I never wore them again.  I thought I would save them until I was older and it got too painful to put on a jade bangle.

I found them in a secure section of the cabinet I store my personal jade in.  First, I was shocked that they looked so dull.  But that's expected.  Jade gets a "glow" of qi energy when it's worn.  But also retains its qi when it is stored.  I have heard that the "qi leaves the jade when it breaks", but that's a traditional Chinese belief.  I have chipped and cracked some jade pendants, and they still look as good as when they were "perfect".

They are beautiful.  The photo is one I took, not the professional photographer who takes the web site photos.  So much nicer than the photo shows. They don't have the high "chime" they used to have, and I'm wondering if it's because of the silver.  The hinges have a lot of metal, they are quite substantial. 

I think if I get older and get arthritis and it hurts to put on and take off a jade bangle, I will either wear one that's larger, or use the plastic bag method to put it on and remove it.  I like the "whole" feel of a jade bangle. 

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Jade for Spring, the Month of May. Chinese Health and Wellness

Spring is related to the Wood  element,  birth and new beginnings. The Wood element governs your mental clarity and your ability to focus, plan, and make judgments. When a person has a Wood imbalance, it is much too easy to make poor decisions and become disorganized. When the Liver is out of balance, it can direct energy upwards to create headaches, neck and upper back tension, or even rage and depression. That’s right – the Liver not only spreads Qi (energy) to your other organs like a distributor, but it is also in charge of the smooth flow of your emotions.

The emotions of anger and frustration are related to the Wood element, and many people don’t know how to release their emotions in a safe way. Suppressed emotions can cause serious health problems, and suppressed frustration and anger specifically injures the liver and gall bladder. Did you know that acupuncture works for emotional problems too?

 If you wear jade to balance your body qi, this is the time to wear your "spring green " color jades. This pattern is visually beautiful, fresh green balances the body, mind and spirit during May.The colors of this jade correspond to the organ qi, and balance you as look at it visually, and wear it. 

Monkey Cares for Peach Jadeite Pendant JHP91

 

Emerging Spring Jadeite Grade A Bangle Bracelet with Certificate #710

Yellow / Honey Color Jade for Dealing with Stress and Worry

We're close to closing a contract on getting a new house built for us.  While it's exciting to plan the new home, the issues about packing an moving out while it's being built on our present lot is stressful.  If we sign the final agreement tomorrow,   packing up our present home will begin. 

I have chosen the base color for the interior as soft gray with white for yin balance, and charcoal for yang balance.  Yesterday when we had our all day session going over options, I kept choosing colors of apricot/honey/yellow for accents.  When I got home in the evening I was looking through the mail I've neglected all week, and saw some home decor in those colors and they are very appealing to me. 

It's no surprise that the honey / orange / yellow colors are the qi balancing colors to the stress and worry about this situation.  I tend to spend too much time getting everything we need done for the floor plan and construction, then my brain is overworked and thinking muddled.  When I was looking for a jade bangle to wear to help balance my worry and stress, I felt the good energy in this honey carved jadeite bangle bracelet:

But it's "too good" to wear while I'm doing physical work (packing things).  So I found a Chinese "river jade" bangle to wear.  And it truly does help me stop and slow down, and remind myself that things will turn out OK, the way they are supposed to. 

I'm starting to pack up the jade that's in inventory, and I'm finding small, one of a kind jade pieces that I'm setting aside to offer as gifts with purchase.  If you are a blog reader and make a purchase, you can request a free gift  in the comments box on the order form. 

Jade Bead Padded Car Seat Covers

We moved from Ohio to Florida in 2004.  My husband drove a van and U-Haul loaded with boxes and I drove my sporty Buick Regal.  As I was driving the long distance, I wish I had a set of the jade bead padded car seat covers that I had on seats of most cars I rode in when I was in China.  A friend in Tianjin went to a factory that made these seats for limousines and government cars, and sent me two for bucket seats.

They are so comfortable.  You don't feel the hardness of the jade sticking into you.  They are smooth and comfortable, and energizing.  That's why Chinese people use them. They are part of Chinese medicine, using jade as a natural health and wellness tool.

But, I never used them.  Don't ask me why.  Why don't I use all the jade bangles I buy for myself?  I stick them in a drawer and drool over them, don't wear them.

Now that we are packing up everything in our home to store while our new home is being built soon, I either have to use them, or sell them.

There are only two.  They are heavy and will cost me a lot to ship, so they will ship only to USA 48 contiguous states.  But they sure are special.

Ying Yu Jade Padded Car Seat Covers 

Coloring Books for Adults - Therapy and Enjoyment (Coloring Books and Jade Color Meaning)

Coloring books for adults have become very popular.  My mother-in-law who is in her 80's has a stack of them. She and friends also have a weekly coloring book group activity.  I gave one of my girlfriends a coloring book for her birthday last month.  She asks me if I want to put on of her colored pictures on my refrigerator, like we used to do when we were in elementary school.

Coloring can be psychological transformation.  It gives a sense of freedom, a childlike innocence, pure and simple joy.  It's not only fun,; it helps you get in touch with your creative, artistic side.  Since it works with a positive and creative part of your brain, you may find it helps you accomplish tasks in your home and at work joyfully and more quickly than it used to take to do those tasks.

Coloring can help you de-stress, relieve anxiety, and even achieve a meditative state.  It calms the mind, grounds and balances, and increases your feelings of joy and contentment.

Sounds like the way jade colors help balance your meridians and qi energy flow.  Both jade choice and choices you make coloring about shapes and colors you choose, are the ones you need for healing and balancing your body, mind and spirit.

"Peaceful Spirit" Old Mine Jadeite Bangle Bracelets JHBB3128

Coloring therapy has been used for years with adults and children in counseling and health centers.  It's being used more for helping people with chronic pain and other health problems, especially senior citizens who could benefit more from coloring than taking medications.  Coloring is even being used in addiction recovery therapy.

We're choosing colors for carpets, flooring, cabinets, walls etc for the new home that will be built.  I start the process as a stressful, anxiety producing task, and the working with colors really turns to relaxing, less stress and anxiety.

Wearing your jade and coloring: that's fun and healthy for you.

Feng Shui in Your Home and Life - Balancing Qi Energy

We're still cleaning up from the hail storm and tornado two weeks ago.  We're also working with a custom homes service to make arrangements for having a new home built for us.  The insurance company wouldn't total our home because the interior wasn't damaged.  But we don't feel comfortable using the insurance payment, which is almost half the price of a new home, to repair.  My husband and friends tease me that I feel the qi energy of something negative going on inside the walls that isn't evident, like water damage, but it's true, I do feel negative energy from the inside walls to the outside siding.

We went to the home center Friday to look at models and options.  The feng shui balance in the homes  was very obvious.  When choosing colors for carpet, tiles, walls, accents, I try to balance the qi energy, or feng shui, of the colors and arrangements.  If you have been in a home or building that was beautiful, very expensive, very modern and up to date, but felt uncomfortable, it's probably because the feng shui isn't right. 

When we were making choices, my husband and I agreed on most options.  He would comment "looks good" and I would comment "feels good". 

And all this jade needs a good and balanced home around it to keep the good energy, the "glow", until it finds a home with a jade loving customer.

Chinese "River Jade" Natural Color Bangle Bracelets with Balancing Qi Energy

Healing with Meditation and Jade

Last week was very stressful cleaning up after the hail storm, dealing with loss,  getting estimates for repair and decisions about what we should do.  I tried to keep our lives as normal as possible, and that includes cooking a healthy dinner.  And cooking while being stressed and distracted, I got three burns, one where my thumb attaches to the wrist on my dominant right hand.  The burn is located where it gets hit during the day, and it just won't heal.  Yesterday when I was getting ready for bed, it was so red, swollen and full of pus so I put antibiotic cream and a bandage  on it, and promised I would go to the CVS Minute-Clinic if it wasn't better in the morning.  It was worse this morning, no healing overnight, bleeding and with lots of pus.  I went to the grocery store to get foods for dinner tonight that would be easy to prepare because I guessed the nurse would clean it and bandage it, and I didn't want to bump it while it healed.

I wanted to do my morning meditation before I left for CVS.  I had done yoga and tai chi but still distressed and hoped the meditation would calm me so I could drive to CVS more safely. I decided to use the comfortable chair on the porch for meditation because it was quiet, birds were singing, and I felt more blissful as I sat.  As I started mindful breathing, I put my mind on my burn wound, and held my hand with my jade bead mala, the Buddha charm next to the wound, and visualized healing.  25 minutes later when I did my end of meditation activity, I looked at the wound, and it had healed over.  I believe in meditation and healing, but was amazed at how much it healed in 20-25 minutes.  The pus was gone, the redness gone, bleeding stopped, and instead of a scab, there's skin over it.  I can still see the wound, but it's 95% healed.

I've helped many people heal with Reiki, Qi Healing work, and always am aware of how much better I feel after doing a Reiki session.  The energy flowing through me, through my hands as I hold them on another person, makes me feel like I had a nap, a good workout, and an emotionally satisfying experience.

And of course I believe in the healing qi energy of jade.  That's why I started Ying Yu Jade business, learning how Chinese doctors use the jade gua sha tools, and other jade tools for healing work because of the qi energy.

If you use natural methods for health and healing, meditation is very helpful.  If you like the healing energies of Chinese jade, there are videos and descriptions on Ying Yu Jade web site of the tools, like jade rollers, gua sha tools, "needles", acupressure rings, pillows and masks.

And of course good jade qi energy from all the jade bangle bracelets and jewelry.

Jade Bead Mala Bracelet with Buddha

Join in the Kegel Revolution - Jade Eggs and Ben Wa Balls for Women's Kegel Wellness

For years women who had symptoms of "gotta go", wore diaper panties, lost vaginal tightness after childbirth, or experienced vaginal dryness after menopause, went to their doctor and took medications and/or had surgeries to correct the problem.

Now, more women are turning to kegel exercise as a natural alternative to surgery and medicine.

Ying Yu Jade introduced jade ben wa balls and eggs for kegel exercise 10 years ago, and women are finding improved kegel functioning as well as overall better health by using the healing energy of jade along with kegel exercise.

Jade eggs and ben wa balls have been used for centuries in China, Japan and Asia.  I personally started using them for urinary control and dryness problems.  They worked so good for me, I went to see my jade carver in China to show him the kind of jade I expected, and the quality western women expect, especially using them in such a personal area.  He and my Chinese doctor friend from Beijing bought the best genuine pure and natural Chinese jade directly from the jade mine and worked together to make the jade eggs the size and quality we women appreciate.

The problem with some of the other gemstone that people are selling as eggs for women is that the stone would be very expensive if it were natural, like quartz and crystal.  This desire for quartz and crystal eggs has caused a dangerous experience for women because to get the quartz and crystal clear, colorful and pretty, they have to bleach it in acid to remove the imperfections, then use heat and/or polymer to add the color.  And that acid stays in the stone, and then gets into the body, which can cause serious problems for women who use it.

We  use only genuine and natural Chinese jade.  Sometimes customers ask for certificates for this kind of jade, but it's not common practice to have certificates for Chinese jade.  I've seen jade sellers with piles of fake certificates for Chinese jade, and jadeite, and I would be very suspicious of buying Chinese jade eggs or ben wa balls that include "certificates".  True certificates are costly.

There are also videos and instructions about how to use the eggs and perform kegel exercise.  There's a right way, and and ineffective way that can lead to other problems.  If you purchase Ying Yu Jade eggs or ben wa balls, there's the correct method from urinary specialists included.

Jade Heaven  is having a Women's Wellness Sale on jade eggs and ben wa balls now.  For a limited time, a pretty box  is included with the purchase to store your jade eggs.

 

There's also a video that explains about jade eggs, how we are very dedicated to using the genuine natural jade and even shows what the rough jade looks like.

If you want to try jade eggs or ben wa balls, you not only get a sale price, but also for a limited time a sweet box to store them.

"Calm Spirit" Jade Bangle Bracelets

Today I changed my jade bangle bracelet from the Qing Dynasty carved bangle to my "calm spirit" old mine lao pit jadeite bangle.

White jade has qi energy related to the lung meridian for dealing with grief, while the imperial green color jade has energy for overall health and healing, and giving hope when one is experiencing grief.  

The insurance adjuster reported our home is completely damaged on the exterior, including the two year old new roof, the entire siding is full of holes, window and screen damage, and more.  We covered the holes with plastic but it looks like wetness is coming through from rain and humidity.  He didn't total the house because the interior wasn't damaged. There was so much extensive damage like this in our area last week that even though companies can get the materials to repair, they are short of workers and estimated 8-12 weeks for repairing.  We're considering having our home rebuilt, including the inside, but not sure what to do.  The shock is wearing off, and many of us are grieving the losses, feeling vulnerable when thunderstorms are predicted, and just don't know what to do.  

Whatever we decide, we hope we can stay in our home until repair/rebuilding starts.  Then we will move out for 6-8 weeks, probably the end of next month.  I'm going to start packing all the jade for storage and will try to add the items I have photos of as I can before we move out.  I don't know if I will be able to keep the web sites open after we move out.  Now, "jade space" takes up a bedroom for my office, a bedroom for storage and supplies, and half a room for inventory.  

If you are planning to purchase, now is a good time while it's still available. The less jade I have when it's time to move out, the easier it will be.  You can make an offer on some of the higher priced jade bangle bracelets and pendants if you are in USA and willing to pay by money order so I can pass the savings of credit card fees to you with a discounted price. You can use the email for the web site where you would like to purchase from to let me know the item and your offer.   

You can also make an offer for the entire business.  

I'm hoping my "calm spirit" jade bangle bracelet will help me keep going with both jade business and personal life.  I've always loved the qi energy feeling of jade since the first time I touched a jade bangle bracelet in China.