Sacred Stones. March 2013 Crystal of the Month: Jade. Larry Bassett

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Sacred Stones March 2013 Crystal of the Month: Jade By Larry Bassett Background: Jade is is sacred crystal that from prehistoric times was used and revered in all ancient cultures.

1 Sacred Stones March 2013 Crystal of the Month: Jade By Larry Bassett Background: Jade is is sacred crystal that from prehistoric times was used and revered in all ancient cultures. It is still treasured in many modern cultures. Jade was first described in the geological literature in 1837 by J.D. Dana. It was named for the green stones from China, where it was known as yu. He described the stones we call nephrite. Today, we call nephrite and jadeite jade. These two stones are what many call true jade. Until 1863, nephrite and jadeite and were thought to be the same stone until A.A. Damour described jadeite in the geological literature. Jadeite is the more valuable of these normally green stones and only nephrite is found and mined in China. There are other stones many call jade like bowenite (antigorite jenkinsite, picrosmine, williamsite and other names) and tremolite. Others call them jade because the energy and appearance feels identical. Jade is often found in huge blocks or boulders that are sometimes the size of houses. Major deposits of jade are found in the Alps, China, Germany, Guatemala, India, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), New Zealand, North America, Poland, Russia, South America, Taiwan, and Turkestan. The name jade comes from piedra de yiada which means stone of the loin, flank, or side because it was known to alleviate kidney and hip problems. Through a misprint or mistranslation in France, the stone became known as pierre la jade. Jade became the common name for this amazing crystal. Jade is found in every color except black. The books list black jade yet more than one miner of jade told me that when you slice the black jade thin, it is just a dark, dark green. Blue and white jade are very popular colors. Jade has always been known as the imperial gem especially when it is an amazing translucent emerald green. Jade is treasured by people around the world. Jade has always been the most esteemed stone in China. When many think of jade, they 1

2 think of China. The Chinese say jade symbolizes humanity, wisdom, compassion, justice, and courage. It is also known as a stone of love, fidelity, serenity, and purity. It was a stone of magic to the Mayans and the Aztecs. It is said Montezuma laughed when he heard Cortez only wanted gold, as his most precious possessions were jade. Mesoamericans revered quetzal jade from Guatemala as the spleen stone. The ancient Greeks used jade to heal, especially the kidney and eyes. Jade was one of the stones on the breastplate of the high priests. The Maori, in New Zealand, call jade greenstone and carved it into many forms. They consider jade a treasure and it is protected and monitored by their treaty. The word nephrite comes from the Greek word, nephros, which means kidney. Jade is known as the heart stone because it creates emotional balance and stability. It is a great protector and it stimulates creativity and mental alertness. It has been used as money, carved into burial suits and masks, burners, gems, statues, weapons, deity masks, musical instruments, pipes, sculptures, household artifacts, etc. Jade is stronger than steel because the fibers are compressed and interlocking. A tremendous quantity of jade axes were found worldwide and jade was known as axe-stone. Until the bronze age, jade was man's most valuable and useful commodity. In China, a carved jade butterfly was given as an engagement gift or worn to attract the true love. Many believe a jade butterfly is also perfect for musicians and business people. Jade's metaphysical properties are what make it sacred and treasured. Legend says jade blesses what and who it touches. Ancient cultures revered jade as the ultimate dream stone to know secrets and solve problems. Jade has been used to heal and protect for all of recorded history. Jade ensured a peaceful death. Some believe each color enhances the positive aspects of the body, mind, and spirit. Black or dark dark green jade protects in all circumstances and gives you the will to fight, if necessary, and the strength to survive. Blue jade calms the mind and it is perfect for meditation. It neutralizes karmic influences and their emotions. Brown and gray jade connects one with the earth. It comforts, calms, and helps one adjust to circumstances. Green jade stabilizes the emotions, creates harmony, peace, alleviates depression, releases evil entities, as it creates vivid and accurate dreams. Dark green jade is called spinach jade, it is a physical healer as it strengths the body. Lavender jade heals the emotions and nourishes the spirit. Orange jade stimulates the senses, brings peace, joy, and shows the interconnectedness of life. It creates an awareness so you can understand what you see. Purple jade works on the aura, cognition, discernment, spirit, and it boosts the attitude. Red jade gently releases issues of anger and their emotions as it calms. White jade (tremolite, known as mutton fat jade in China) is grounding, plus it boosts the mental capacity so it is beneficial in solving problems. Yellow jade cheers, augments energy, discernment, and it is very beneficial for the solar plexus. It is also used to boost the energetic levels and assimilation. Some say it is 2

3 beneficial in gaining a better understanding of the opposite sex. Jade symbolizes wisdom, tranquility, long life, good luck, friendship, health, and more. All jade will detoxify, heal the cells, body, release emotions, add strength, create endurance, boost fertility, etc. Jade is the ultimate dream stone to access the spiritual world, knowledge, gain insights, and more. Nephrite is the most common type of jade. Stones like serpentine, vesuvianite, californite, green quartz, and others are sold as jade. The Federal Trade Commission prohibits the deceptive sale of stones. Cultural and historical differences in word usage, either intentionally or ignorantly, deceive the buyer. Deceptive practices include: Amazon jade is amazonite. Colorado jade is an amazonite feldspar. Chinese serpentine and other green stones sold as jade. Koran jade is serpentine or gem serpentine. Mexican jade is dyed green calcite. Transvaal jade is green hydrogrossular garnet. Oregon and Swiss jade is a green chalcedony. You have to run a specific gravity test and possibly others to determine if you bought nephrite, jadeite, or something else. A Chelsea filter is an easy way to determine if the jade is dyed. Jade come in numerous grades. Grade A is untreated although the surface can be waxed. Grade B is bleached and exposed to acid, impregnated with a clear plastic resin for transparency and to improve the color. Grade C is stained or dyed. Grade B and C is bleached, dyed and impregnated with plastic. Grade D is a composite stone, often with a plastic backing. Real jade is very expensive so buyer beware. Only buy from reputable dealers. An easy test to determine the quality of jade is to feel the stone and note if the temperature is cold to the touch and significantly cooler than the surroundings. It is said the best jade will be 10 degrees cooler than the room. Jade is now one of the most expensive stones in the world. Rough jade in 2010 sold for $600,000 a kilogram or $600 a gram. Why I Love This Stone: The physical properties and metaphysical effects of jade are known and revered by many people around the world. Jade will take a high polish. When you hold and rub this stone you feel the energy and power it contains. Jade has been a servant of mankind well past our recorded history. Many experience jade as a master healer and a sacred crystal. I see it it as a beautiful crystal that is a master healer and also a great protector. It is widely beneficial for the health of the body, mind, and spirit. I know many people who wear jade constantly, as do I. Some wear jade as a talisman, I wear it for many reasons. To me jade represents the nobility of character, ideals, and the highest beneficial qualities. It is the perfect stone to meditate with, or use it to go into dream-time, or astrally travel. Jade is a stone of abundance and this begins with a shift in your consciousness to embrace the divine energy of your divinity and bring it into your life. Jade helps us to renew our relationships, emotions, strength, and health, as we become the conduit of this divine holy energy. The words to best describe what this magical healer and protector does are the qualities it 3

4 instills like balance, discernment, harmony, fertility, longevity, moderation, peace, perspective, practicality, serenity, stability, tranquility, wisdom, and more. Jade is that amazing. A bodywork session with jade becomes a profound experience. The best way to sum up jade is what Confucius said, In ancient times men found the likeness of all excellent qualities in jade. Composition: Jadeite and nephrite's crystalline structure and chemical composition vary, yet these stones look and feel identical. Jadeite is a sodium aluminum silicate and it has more than one chemical formula based on location like: Na(Al,Fe+++)Si 2 O 6. Nephrite is a calcium magnesium silicate that has more than one chemical formula like: Ca 2 (MgFe)Si 8 O 22 (OH 2 ). Although they differ chemically, all jades are difficult to break. A small amount of chromium is said to account for the emerald green color of translucent Imperial Jade. Bowenite is an iron magnesium silicate with a chemical formula of (Mg,Fe++) 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4. Although nephrite and jadeite are called the true jades, nephrite is a variety of tremolite. Tremolite is a calcium magnesium silicate with a chemical formula of Ca 2 Mg 5 Si 8 O 22 (OH) 2. All jades are found in the layers of serpentinous rocks. Physical Properties: The Mohs scale measures a crystals ability to resist scratching. A higher Mohs number crystal will always scratch a lower Mohs numbered crystal. Jades will scratch, yet their strength has to do with their ability to resist breaking. Jadeite consists of granular interlocking pyroxene crystals. I visualize jade like fingers of a fist which makes it hard to break apart. The fibers are highly meshed, interlocking, and this is called a matted or fetted texture. Jadeite is rated with a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It is a fibrous crystal that makes it difficult to break apart. It will streak translucent to opaque. It has a smooth, waxy sheen, and it is the most expensive jade. It has a glassy or vitreous luster, it will fracture splintery. Jadeite has a specific gravity of 3.24 to 3.5 and it has a prismatic cleavage. It has a weak whitish color in long wave ultraviolet light. Nephrite is made up of interlocking fibrous amphibole crystals. Nephrite is rated with a hardness of 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. Nephrite will streak translucent to opaque. Nephrite has an oily to silky luster and it fractures subconchoidally to uneven. Nephrite has a specific gravity of 3.0 to 3.3 and it has a prismatic cleavage. Nephrite has no fluorescence. Many will say nephrite and jadeite have different chemical properties based on what I wrote and this is true based on the source of the stone. The variety of chemical formulas and physical properties is huge. Bowenite (antigorite) is rated with a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. It is translucent to slightly opaque. The Maori will tell you this is a very powerful jade and their name for it, tangiwai, means tear water. It is somewhat brittle with a vitreous to greasy luster and it has good cleavage. Tremolite is rated with a hardness of 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. It is fluorescent under short and 4

5 long wave ultraviolet light. All varieties of jade are tough and challenging to break. Experiences: Jade is one of those stones that becomes very personal. I was having breakfast in Lumbini, Nepal, in a small family hotel. Seated across from me was an Oriental woman perhaps in her forties. Around her neck was the most beautiful piece of jade I have ever seen. It was translucent imperial jade and as I stared at it, I was mesmerized by the beauty and the depth as my consciousness was drawn into this amazing piece of jade. I instantly understood why jade in ancient times was used as money. After a few minutes my consciousness withdrew from the piece of jade and I commented on the power and beauty of her jade. Rather than acknowledge the complement, she tucked the piece back into her blouse, away from my eyesight. She appeared a little embarrassed that her special piece was seen by the public. We love to find jades along the shore of the northern California coast. We know a number of people who always wear jade as a protector and healer. In the acupuncture schools, jade is revered as a piece of culture that transcends barriers and obstacles. Many students carry jade for personal reasons. When we work with people using jade, they often have emotional releases that were once deeply buried issues. Jade provides the protection, harmony and balance necessary for them to safely release this once great emotional issue. I always wear the crystal I am writing about for a month before I begin. Once I put a jade necklace on, within an hour, I knew it was there to stay. Recommended Uses: Jade in every form is very beneficial in bodywork sessions because it is a stone of attunement. The bodyworker sees the need and the solutions for their client. The client and the bodyworker gain a deep confidence, self-assurance, self-reliance, and a self-sufficiency when jade is part of the treatment. It facilitates a state of calm, peace, and harmony with the mental, physical, emotional aspects of the client and the facilitator. As a stone of the heart, jade is beneficial for emotional balance, protection, and it creates stability. It helps everyone to realize and become who they are at their core. Always work with two, or multiples of two jade pieces in every bodywork session. Cleanse them after each session. Essential Oils: Essential oils are powerful healers, most require dilution with a carrier oil, some are photosensitive, and there are very dangerous contraindications when clients are on medications, or if they have certain medical conditions. A listing of safety issues and possible contraindications can be found at our web site: The properties of jade to balance, calm, cleanse, enhance, harmonize, heal, love, protect, purify, restore, stimulate, as it increases discernment, energy and strength, work well with all essential oils. 5

6 Meditations: Kathy began her meditation with a brownish jade heart from South America and a green jade wand from China. She felt the coolness of the jade pieces. The heart center in her right hand immediately felt an intense energy. She soon felt a tremendous amount of energy flowing into the right side of her body. Within a few minutes she rested a jade piece on each side of the inside hip area. She felt the jade working on her intestines. She also felt slight energy tinglings in her facial cheek muscles. The energy was slowly working its way up the left side of her body. After about 20 minutes, Larry got up and got some tumbled jade pieces from Alaska. Larry gave Kathy a tumbled jade piece and Kathy gave him the wand. As soon as Kathy felt the energy of the Alaskan jade, she felt her hips balance. Then she saw for the first time, the vertical infinity loop of energy in her body. Kathy felt the energy move through and around her body in the infinity loop. Next Kathy felt an intense energy working on her facial cheek muscles. Soon she felt the energy working on various parts of her body. Kathy watched as her left foot moved forward as if we were beginning a new journey. Kathy then felt a discomforting energy from a restaurant meal the night before leave her body and go into the earth. Lastly she saw a fireman at a fire site and then the meditation was over and she returned to consciousness feeling much better than she did when it began. Larry began his meditation with a flat jade circle with a hole in it from China and a brownish jade heart from South America. I had discomfort in my left hip because we were rock hounding the previous day and we spent a lot of time crouching, trying to stand on very slippery steep hills looking for quartz, rose quartz, and tourmalines. When I picked up the jade pieces I immediately felt the bubble of protection pop into place around my body. The jade pieces were very cold and I put the jade round on my left hip and the jade heart on my right. After 20 minutes, I was guided to get some tumbled jade. Kathy gave me the wand and I put this on my left hip. The discomfort soon subsided and I was taken into time lines. I was in a future gathering in some large building and I saw that one of the attendees had a gun and was there to kill someone. I alerted those who handled security and then I was in prehistoric times with a family. I saw various people in everyday situations. I was the observer and then the meditation ended. Kathy began her meditation with a lilac jade heart from South America and a blue jade Quan Yin carving from China. She felt how cold the jade was in her hands. The energy went throughout her body and began working in the groin area. She saw a girlfriend go into a room by mistake and the person she encountered had an attitude. Her husband came to her defense and then we were in the room mediating the situation. She felt the jade energy working on various parts of her body. She felt it create a balance of energy. I began with a tumbled jade piece from Alaska and a white Quan Yin jade carving from China. I felt tremendous energy in my hands. I soon felt my body's energy flowing from the crown of my head through my feet in a 6

7 regular pulsing rhythm. I was again traveling to various places in my life, seeing familiar sites and people. I was also traveling in my dream worlds, letting go of limitations and imperfections I created. It was a busy time releasing various aspects of my life. Miscellaneous: Jade is a hard to find in high quality and at a reasonable price. Jade vibrates to the number 11. Jadeite vibrates to the number 9. Nephrite vibrates to the number 5. Bowenite vibrates to the number 3. Tremolite vibrates to the number 9. Nephrite is said to be a water element and it will balance the yin yang, and male female energies. Nephrite is said to be associated with the planets of Venus and Neptune. Jade in various forms is associated with the astrological signs of Aries, Gemini, Leo, Taurus, Scorpio, Pisces, and Libra. Jade is the gemstone for the 12 th wedding anniversary. Jade is the birthstone for March. Jade in various colors are associated with the planets Mercury, Venus. Jade utilizes wood and yang energy. Jade is beneficial for all chakras yet works primarily on the heart chakra. Jade in China was so valuable that breaking a jade object was punishable by death. Jade is beneficial for the adrenals, bladder, blood, bones, childbirth, cell disorders, cramps, diabetes, diseases, detoxification, eating disorders, edema, elimination system, emotions, energy, esteem issues, eyes, fertility, fidelity, gallstones, hair, heart, hemorrhage, hips, illness, immune system, internal organs, joints, kidneys, kidney stones, lungs, male reproductive disorders, metabolism, muscle cramps, negativity issues, nerves, nervous system, pain, PMS, PTSD, rape victims, rodent bites, skin, snake bites, spleen, stomach, thymus, tolerance, vitality, wounds. Disclaimer: The information in this paper regarding the physical and metaphysical properties of crystals is intuitively derived. It is in no way intended to diagnose or treat any form of medical, physical, emotional, mental, psychological, spiritual or other issues. Readers are advised to view this material as speculative in nature. We recommend you determine through personal experience the power of crystals. 7

Jade. Thank God they re only after the gold and silver they didn t know about jade. 1. Aztec Emperor Moctezuma, after encountering Cortes.

Jade. Thank God they re only after the gold and silver they didn t know about jade. 1. Aztec Emperor Moctezuma, after encountering Cortes. Homework Assignment 2 Kevin Yee April 15 th, 2010 Jade Better to be shattered jade than unbroken pottery. Chinese proverb Thank God they re only after the gold and silver they didn t know about jade. 1