Very few gemstones are the subject of so many mysteries and legends. Jade stone still intrigues for its intense color but also for its numerous virtues on the body and mind. Symbol of the Chinese imperial dynasties, discover all the secrets and benefits of this stone in this article.
The jade stone, from its name the "piedra de ijada" meaning the stone for the iliac fossa, owes its name to the Spanish conquistadors at the beginning of the 15th century. From their Latin "lapis nephriticus", jade and nephrite means stone of the flank, in relation to its virtues and properties responsible for soothing nephritic dysfunctions. Considered as a nephritic stone by the scholars, the stone was then nicknamed "nephrite".
When the French discovered it during the 17th century, they nicknamed it "éjade" in reference to the name "ijada" initially given by the conquistadors. Over time, the name "ejade" was naturally transformed into "jade" as we know it today.
Some Indian beliefs were in line with this since they used it to relieve pain in the kidneys and colon. According to other beliefs, the jade stone would drive out negative spirits. When a person died and as a symbol of eternal life, a jade cicada was also placed in their mouth.
Despite the numerous commercial exchanges that took place between China and the West, it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the jade stone made its appearance in Europe, and more precisely in the Mediterranean basin. Indeed, jade was already used for more than 5000 years in China, where it was attributed many medicinal virtues. The Chinese used it in particular to treat disorders of the urinary tract.
At that time, jade stone was polished to make axes. It was also used in China to make artistic objects. When a Chinese possessed a jade object or jewel, for example a jade pendant, he could hope to reach the dignity of the Empire. Robust and tenacious, jade was eventually exploited by Portuguese traders to make sublime decorative objects and sell them in Europe. For the Greeks, jade was used to accompany men from birth to death thanks to the three goddesses of destiny: the Moires.
In the medical field, the Greeks used jade to relieve pain and accelerate the healing process of their wounds. They also used to place jade stones on their eyelids to soothe eye pain. In the East, the jade stone was the stone that represented the Emperor and embodied the powers of the sun, the absolute powers. The emperor had a jade sceptre and gave the princes jade tablets according to their hierarchical position.
For the princes of 1st rank, they received 2 columns engraved in jade. For the 2nd rank princes, with a standing man. For the 3rd rank princes, with a bent man. For the 4th rank princes, with millet. For the men of the 5th rank, with a rush leaf. Today, the jade stone is a gemstone, i.e. a very hard stone (hardness varying between 6.5 and 7) and is used for the manufacture of ornaments or jewelry such as jade necklace, jade bracelet, etc.
Jade stone exists and in 2 types:
Nephrite jade: Nephrite jade stone is composed of nephrite belonging to the amphiboles, that is, magnesium and calcium silicate. It is quite easy to find.
Jade Jadeite: The jade jade stone is composed as its name suggests also of jadeite, ie aluminum and sodium silicate. It is a more precious stone and much rarer to find than Nephrite Jade.
Jadeite and nephrite both belong to the large silicate family. On the Mohs scale, jadeite has a hardness of 7, while nephrite has a hardness of 6. Fairly similar, their density ranges from 2.8 to 3.3.
Traditionally called "Mayan jade" when it is dark green in color, jade stone varies in hue and can be more or less dark. Jade can be found in white. Commonly called "jade of the Olmecs", jade can be of green-blue color where it consists of cobalt salts. It can be found in black color where it is constituted of titanium salts. It is possible to find it of pink color where it is constituted of manganese and iron salts.
The main deposits of jade are located in Burma, Canada, China, the United States, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Russia. During the 21st century, new jade deposits were discovered in Italy.
On the mental level in crystal healing, the jade stone represents honesty, especially in all aspects related to power. It also represents temperance, it has in its main virtues and properties to offer tolerance. In this sense, jade allows to give objectivity to the judgment of others and allows to increase the level of consciousness.
Justice and morality are strong assets of the jade stone in crystal healing, but also for all areas of mediation, balance and negotiation. Among its other virtues on the mental level, jade removes guilt and allows you to confront realities.
Jade is a stone that encourages you to get to know yourself better and become the best, most sincere and authentic version of yourself. To do this, it helps you find inner peace by freeing your mind from mental ruminations. It helps you get through life's toughest challenges by clearing away distracting thoughts and healing your emotional wounds.
Even after experiencing the greatest failures and disappointments, it helps you to find a positive state of mind. Thanks to the work you will do on yourself through this stone, you will have the chance to maintain a healthy, honest and benevolent relationship with yourself, but also with others.
On the physical level in crystal healing, the jade stone brings its virtues on the rise of the body temperature and the headaches. In case of intense migraine, you can put it directly on your forehead to feel the benefits more quickly.
It acts effectively on the heart chakra and also allows to reduce nervousness on a personal level. Jade also acts on the third eye chakra by balancing the instability of people and therefore, it treats dizziness.
Jade stone treats all dysfunctions on the physical plane that are of nervous origin, such as skin irritations and dryness. They are all directly linked to the heart chakra. Wearing jade boosts cell activity and improves the quality of the skin.
To preserve the natural glow of your skin, this stone promotes elasticity and the healing process. It has always been used to soothe ailments of kidney and urinary origin. It is also known to promote the elimination of toxins from the body and stimulate blood circulation.
On the spiritual level, jade is a green stone associated with the heart chakra. Located in the center of the chest and the 7 chakras, the heart chakra is considered the home of love and sincerity. When it is open and balanced, it promotes empathy, tenderness and unconditional love. When it is closed or unbalanced, it makes you unloving, distant, cold and emotionally unstable.
If you are heartbroken or suffering from an emotional wound from the past, you can wear a jade stone to learn to open your heart again, without fear or apprehension. The heart chakra is also considered a bridge between the earth and the cosmos. Its position in the middle of the 7 chakras perfectly illustrates this close link between material and spiritual energies.
By restoring inner calm, the heart chakra helps to find a perfect balance, both mentally and physically. Finally, the heart chakra facilitates communication and openness to others. It helps you to trust, to be more cooperative and to listen to those around you.
Thus, wearing a jade stone on a daily basis brings you a pleasant feeling of happiness and joy of living, like a feeling of calm after the storm.
Jade stone gives you hints of light green that blend perfectly with cool tones such as silver, white gold or white gold jewelry. That said, jade is sometimes mounted on yellow and rose gold jewelry to give it a more original and sophisticated touch. In terms of compatibility with other stones, you must be careful not to mix contradictory energies. Concerning jade, it is strongly advised to associate it only with green stones that act on the heart chakra.
You can also associate it with all cold stones whose energies are soft enough to let it express itself. For example, you can wear jade with aquamarine, agate, pink tourmaline, green aventurine, pyrite, citrine or serpentine. On the other hand, you should avoid wearing jade with tiger's eye, malachite or turquoise. These stones give off a powerful and energizing energy that is best used alone. If you still want to wear them on the same day, you can wear them on different jewelry to avoid direct contact.
The more you use your minerals, the faster they are discharged in energy. To remedy this problem, all you have to do is adopt the right gestures, namely purify and clean your stones. In this case, the jade stone can be purified with water, salt, earth or incense. If you don't know how to recharge your jade stone, you can simply immerse it in a container of distilled salt water for a few hours.
This simple method will remove the impurities and negative energies that have accumulated in your stone. Always use spring water rather than tap water to avoid premature aging of the jade. To complete this purification process, simply wipe your stone gently with a clean cloth to avoid scratching it.
The recharging of the jade stone is done directly under the sun. Indeed, this powerful and resistant stone loves heat and light. You can therefore leave it for a few hours under the sunlight so that it regains all its original powers.
To optimize the ritual of recharging, place your stone on a cluster of quartz or on a geode of amethyst. In crystal healing, white quartz and amethyst amplify the powers of other minerals. If you take care of it, your jade stone will soothe your heart and mind for many years.