My Home Filled with Jade is My Happy Place

Our short vacation last week started with driving from Kissimmee, central Florida,  to Key West,  "mile marker 0". It was heart breaking to drive through the Keys, especially the middle Keys where the major impact of of hurricane Irma was evident.  The devastation was the start of my not having a happy vacation.  Even though Irma was early September, the sides of the road were piled high with debris, including home and hotel appliances that were under water and unusable. We saw boats washed ashore and broken up, piles of shredded foliage. The beautiful palm trees were broken at the top, some fallen and not yet cleaned up, and many so bent over it looked like they could fall over.  The road was occasionally closed and we had to stop while a row of semi trucks was gather debris.  And this must have been going on every day since Irma struck.  I was tempted to tell my husband we should stop and help, but one of my goals this year is "taking care of me" more often.

Key West was cleaned up pretty good, and most of the shops and restaurants on Duval Street were open.  But some were very damaged, a couple were burnt to the ground.  We stayed in Simonton Court, an old cigar factory turned into a bed and breakfast, a block from Duval Street.   So many people who were homeless because of the storm were staying in hotels, bed and breakfast places,  and when guests arrived, we realized they were homeless again.  Another heart breaker.

Then we heard on the news that "something" was forming south of us, and by Friday it was named tropical storm Philippe.  It was possible it wouldn't be too stormy in Key West, but probably light rain for a couple of days, so we left early Saturday morning and drove through the bands of Philippe that were moving north.  The Keys has been flooded by Irma, and we were fortunate to get through, slowly but surely.

I had my black jade bangle bracelet on my wrist, along with the Hurricane bracelet designed and sold by a jeweler in Key West.  I rubbed them when I was stressed.

Although we missed out on some of the festivities last week in Key West, it felt so good to get home.  I could feel all the good, calming energies of the jade in my office. 

I usually run into a couple of women wearing jade in Key West during the week, but not this time.  Maybe people don't know how healing it can be.  I decided that it was time to get my "happy" jade bead bracelets listed online.  Chinese jade beads with symbol for "happy" etched.

Chinese jade bead bracelet with "happy" symbols etched on beads

I would like to retire soon, but if I do, I won't have an excuse for being surrounded by jade all the time!  What's an aging jade lover to do?!   I will probably have more sales and discounts on the online stores to sell off enough jade to turn it from "work" into "hobby".  If you see something you like, especially the higher priced jadeite bangle bracelets, and other higher priced item, let me know and make an offer.  I want  you to be happy with jade, too.

My Halloween Chinese "river jade" bangle bracelet. Honey color related to spleen meridian,
repair stomach after eating too many shrimp and Key Lime Pie in Key West

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Taking a Vacation - Jade for Travel and Pleasure

We're leaving in the morning and driving from central Florida to as far south as we can go: Key West.  Hurricane Irma was category 2 when it went through Key West last month, but it was much stronger when it went through the middle Keys.  We have seen photos and videos that show Key West ready for us tourists.  Duval Street looks cleaned up and open for business.  We stay at Simonton Court a block off of Duval Street.  It was a cigar factory that has been made into a bed-and-breakfast.  It's beautiful. There are several cottages, as well as some of the factory turned into rooms.  Some have balconies.  There are three pools for this small establishment, and one is right outside our two room suite. 

The weather here is turning from summer to cooler autumn.  And there's a high chance of rain every day.  I'm wear my deep deep green almost black Chinese jade bangle bracelet for the drive down.

My "traveling jade" bangles, the "black" Chinese jade is for protection

My carved "double dragons" deep green almost black Chinese jade bangle bracele
t with sterling silver "Hurricane Bracelet" I bought in Key West two years ago.

 We'll be back by the weekend.  Online stores will close tonight and re-open Thursday.  There's a coupon code on "closed storefront" you can use the day we open again.

And I'll be posting on Twitter.  Think I'll see women wearing jade bangle bracelets in Key West?  I also want to go to the Pandora store in Mallory Square to try to find a thinner bracelet I can put jade beads on.  I bought one that is really difficult to put on, take off,
and I can barely squeeze on some of the beads.

A similar type of bracelet for jade beads

You didn't really think I would be able to take a vacation and forget about jade for awhile, did you?

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Why People Wear Jade Bangle Bracelets: Life's Path and Journey, Mindfulness

This morning I was hand washing the tiled floor in a small room, on my hands and knees, and I remembered to move my jade bangle down my arm to wrist, and keep my hand over the cloth I was using so when I moved it wouldn't accidently hit the floor, and risk cracking or breaking.  Even though I always have a jade bangle bracelet on my left wrist, the jade is never "silent".  The qi energy of the jade reminds me constantly it is on my wrist. 

That's part of what mindfulness is about.

You may notice that many of the Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets and Chinese "river jade" bangle bracelets have messages in their title and description. For example:

"Keep Calm and Carry On" Burmese Jadeite Bangle Bracelet JHBB574

"Keep Calm and Carry On" is both a life's path kind of jade bangle bracelet. If you are mindful while you are wearing it, the white color will be calming, joyful and the few deep green veins will remind you that while you are calm, relaxed, feeling joy you have it within you to "carry on" to do what you need to do.  If you are dealing with difficult situations, the qi energy and your mindfulness will help you to stay on, or make a new path.

I have received emails from customers who tell me that wearing their jade has helped them get through difficult situations.  Some customers must attend business meeting, and wear their jade to touch it, play with it, during the long and sometimes boring period of time, and not only have something to enjoy during the time, but the qi energy seems to give them something positive that they would not have recognized without it. And protection is another qi energy people feel from their jade.  It helps on life's path.

Mindfulness is being in the "here and now", being aware of the moment.  When you practice it, your life improves.   Like not letting my jade bangle slide down my wrist unprotected and hitting the hard floor this morning. 

Mindfulness does not require daily meditation, workshops, and lots of work to "get it".  When you wear genuine and natural jade with good qi energy, you will feel it and it will be easy to become mindful of it.  Touching, handling jade while I'm listing it, for the past 18 years, has been helpful to my mindfulness, and I share the qi energy "feel" of the jade piece with you, as part of the description.

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Jade Eggs for Plant and Foliage Health and Wellness

We're still cleaning up from the mess hurricane Irma left.  I still have weeding, trimming and re-potting to do on our lot.

Today I repotted our "money tree" plant.  We had it for several years before we lost our home in the microburst hail and tornado storm in March 2016.  I kept it on our screened porch where it thrived.  Then when I had to put it somewhere while I new home was being torn down, I had so much to do that I just stuck it under palm trees.  There was so much to do setting up our new home, I didn't have time to take care of it and some of the other potted plants.  Then less than a year after we moved into our new home, hurricane Irma came right over us here in central Florida, and it was outdoors and got blown around the yard.  I've been watching the leaves turning yellow and falling off, and knew it would lose its beauty if it didn't get some attention.

When I pulled it out of the temporary plastic pot I had it in, at the bottom of the pot was a layer of jade eggs and ben wa balls. These are jade eggs that get damaged in shipping from China.  I think when they were inspected at Customs, they were dropped and cracked and chipped.  And some of them weren't made by YYJ standards, probably a jade carver practicing his work!  And not doing a very good job, either.  The tree is nearly five feet tall, and the roots and bottom part looked healthy.

When the home builders were working on our lot, we lost a lot of plants that I really loved.  I especially loved the impatiens because they were the only impatiens that wouldn't die in this unpredictable Florida soil.  I had been trying to add new impatiens for at least 10 years, but these old ones that were here when we bought the home were the only ones that lived.  I had pulled three of the impatiens out of the ground before they were destroyed by the rebuilding process, and stuck them under the palm trees, too.  When I replanted them, I had intended to add the jade eggs to their roots, but forgot until I was planting the final one.  And that's the one that thrived, grew new blossoms quickly, and stayed stabilized. 

So now I add jade eggs and/or ben wa balls to everything I plant.  Neighbors comment on how pretty and healthy everything looks!

This rose plant was dying until I added the jade eggs

I have a box of these not-so-perfect jade eggs that I will share with blog readers, customers so you can have some, too.  They will be available while they last, and priced low with most of the cost going towards shipping (remember, jade is heavy!)

Clearance jade eggs for plant and foliage health and wellness

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Do You Need to Take a Class to Get Yoga Right? And, Yoga and Jade Bangle Bracelets!

Yes and no.

If you have never practiced yoga, or used a video to learn yoga, a class is very beneficial so you can learn the basic  yoga poses, procedure, and learn how these poses affect you and your body.

I learned yoga from a video about 30 years ago.  I lived in a rural area and there were no yoga classes during the time I was available or nearby.  I liked it.  And  I continued to love it. 

I wanted to experience yoga class, and I found a nearby class which I attended for a couple of years.  I enjoyed the class atmosphere, the instructor was inspiring, and I cherished this time with other yogis. 

As I got older, and found out I had osteoporosis, higher risk of breaking bones, I knew the  yoga was good to keep my balance, but realized I had to change my form to adjust to my body condition. And as arthritis started in me, I also knew I had to keep the stretch, movement to keep arthritis from getting worse and stay flexible.  I found a book, Yoga for 50, and it showed some minor body changes for the classic poses.  And I found a book, Yoga for Bone Health, that showed me more modification.  For example, when doing Plank form, instead of placing palms down on the mat,  I put my hands into fists and the weight is more comfortable and stable.  Also, when one has osteoporosis, they should never bend over, touch the ground, without bending knees. 

I modified my form, but it caused problems in classes.  I was told many times that my yoga was just not correct.

But it was correct for me.  So I chose 10-15 minutes of poses that were helpful to me, and I do them daily.  Then I add a few poses that I do during every day activities.  My doctors are impressed with the flexibility I have at my age. 

How to I know that my yoga routine is best for me?   By my jade bangle bracelet.  When I wear a jade bangle bracelet that has green veins in the stone, and white color, I can see the jade "glow" when I'm doing yoga, and for awhile until daily life might sneak in some negatives. 

Genuine natural jade bangle bracelets "glow" when your body is balanced and feeling good. 

Last weekend I was talking with a 70 year old male friend who asked if I was still doing yoga.  He doesn't go to classes, and he follows a form on video.  He asked what I thought about not going to classes.  And my thoughts are that a class is usually once a week, but doing yoga in your home is more convenient and that's better than not doing yoga at all.

You will know yoga has become a true part of your life, lifestyle, when you're cooking out on the grill, and while you're waiting to turn the chicken breasts over, you're doing yoga "tree" poses or other poses that seem like it's the right time to do them.

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Which Arm Should I Wear My Jade Bangle Bracelet On?

Every few days I get an email with the question: "which  arm should I wear my jade bangle bracelet on?"   And that's a very good question, because most of us would wear a different size depending on which wrist we wore it.  My best size for my right wrist is 55-56mm.  The best size for my left wrist is 52-53mm.  And if you have been buying and wearing jade bangle bracelets, you know that even 1-2mm can make a difference.

Another consideration about which arm to wear your jade bangle bracelet on is if you wear it as jewelry, or if you are wearing it for "medicine".  As we have discussed on this blog, jade has qi energy.  Your body has qi energy.  Chinese medicine is all about balancing your body qi energy, your qi flowing smoothly through the acupuncture points of the meridians.

The "honey" or "yellow" color in the jade bangle bracelet on my wrist in the photo has qi energy related to the spleen meridian.  When I have a week that I don't cook, we eat out often, I usually feel bloated, my stomach uncomfortable.  When that happens, I wear my genuine and natural color Chinese "river jade" bangle bracelet that has good yellow color throughout to help balance my spleen meridian.  And the base of the spleen meridian is on the left side of the body, so I would wear it on my left wrist, closest to the spleen meridian.  Then when I'm feeling better, I go back to one of my every day jade bangle bracelets.

Right now I'm wearing a slender, classic round Dynasty era older jadeite bangle bracelet with soft green veins and white because the green is related to the liver meridian and the classic green color is balancing for body, and the white color balances my spiritual side.   I also wear it on my left wrist, because it's closer to my heart.   I love this jade bangle!

Keep this in mind:   If you wear jade as "medicine", then that's a good reason to purchase several jade bangle bracelets!

When I travel, I wear deep deep green, almost black, jade for the protection qi energy.  And since I'm wearing my most pretty one on my left wrist, I often wear it on my right wrist.

But sometimes I like to wear them together, and that's when having a stretch bead bracelet is helpful, to keep them from "clunking around". 

If you are Asian or Chinese, your family might have a tradition of which wrist to wear your jade bangle on.

There's no "rule" about which wrist to wear your jade bangle on.   If you are sensitive to the energy of the jade, you will know what wrist you should wear it on.

And if you are very fortunate, both of your hands/wrists are the same size, so you can choose whatever you want.

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What Kind of Jade Bangle Bracelet to Get? How About Chinese Jade

This weekend the classic round Chinese jade bangle bracelets were on sale.

Chinese Jade Traditional Round Bangle Bracelets

And of course I received emails asking about what I personally think about the Chinese jade bangle bracelets.  They were the first kind of jade bangle bracelets I saw when I went to Bejing for the first time in 1999.  While the international tourists were looking for Burmese jadeite, the "locals" shops and government stores sold the Chinese jade.  I saw young couples, the man buying the woman a Chinese jade bangle bracelet as an engagement gift, and brides-to-be buying one for every woman in her bridal party.  During our tour of Forbidden City, the concubine's rooms all had jade rollers, jade bangle bracelets in them.  I think from Beijing and north, that's still the kind of jade bangle that is cherished. 

Burmese jadeite was introduced to China in the 19th century. Before that the Chinese wore their own jade for centuries.

They were also the first kind of jade I started selling here in USA, on ebay and on my web site.  I always like them because they are natural color, and the same kind of jade that's used in Chinese medicine health tools, jade rollers, gua sha tools.  When I want the healing natural and basic Chinese qi energy, that's what I wear:  a Chinese jade bangle bracelet.

My personal carved Chinese jade bangle bracelet

I love the carved "knot" style, and mine is translucent and a good green, not to yin and not too yang.

I haven't purchased any in at least three years because to get the quality in the photo, the cost has become quite high.  I think the Chinese jade sellers used up so much of their lovely jade on commercial things to sell that the good green, translucent kind is getting scarce.

If you don't have one, the discounts will be active for awhile even though they won't be the
Today's Special.  When you need "a little energetic something", put it on.  Feel good energy for body, mind and spirit.  Yes, it's worth having one.

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