Jade is a name that was applied to ornamental stones that were being brought to Europe from China and Central America. It wasn't until 1863 that it was realised that the name "Jade" was being applied to two different minerals, Jadeite and Nephrite.
Jadeite is a sodium aluminium iron silicate belonging to the pyroxene group of minerals. Nephrite is a calcium magnesium iron silicate hydroxide belonging to the amphibole group of minerals and is a variety of Actinolite. ​Nephrite is creamy to opaque and is slightly softer than Jadeite and can show many patterns including dendrites, snowflakes, swirls, and inclusions of quartz, pyrite or other minerals, colours range from light greens to brown, red and black.
Jadeite has many colour varieties, and while green jadeite is most recognisable as jade, it is also found as a greyish green, red, orange, yellow, white, a pale blue-grey and a pale purple. Jadeite is translucent with a vitreous lustre and occurs as fine grained fibrous crystals. Jadeite is found in Myanmar, Mexico, Japan, Tibet and the USA. Continue reading from Healing with Crystals
The ancient relationship between this gemstone and humanity persisted into modern times among native societies in New Zealand and parts of North America. In China it evolved into an artistic tradition that has flourished for more than 3,000 years. In Central America, the Mayans and the Aztecs prized jadeite jade. They used it for medicinal purposes as well as for jewelry, ornaments, and religious artifacts. The name jade comes from the Spanish expression piedra de ijada—literally “stone of the pain in the side.” Early Spanish explorers named it after they saw natives holding pieces of the stone to their sides to cure or relieve various aches and pains. Jadeite also symbolizes prosperity, success, and good luck.
It was in China—where the gem-carving tradition was already thousands of years old—that jadeite reached its peak as an important artistic medium. The first jadeite reached China from Burma (now known as Myanmar) in the late 1700s, and late eighteenth and early nineteenth century carvers created masterpieces that are still unsurpassed in concept, design, and technical execution. The Chinese associate jade with clarity of mind and purity of spirit. Continue reading from Gemological Institute of America
Jade is a powerful cleansing stone, enhancing the body’s filtration and elimination organs. It is excellent for treating the kidneys, spleen and supra-adrenal glands, removing toxins and balancing the fluids and water-salt/acid-alkaline ratios in the body. It is helpful to the bones and joints, especially the hips, and for treating bacterial and viral infections, cystitis and genito-urinary infections, and bedwetting. Jade has a restorative property, allowing for both the cellular and skeletal systems to re-bind themselves, and assists in the removal of pain associated with the body’s healing of itself. Jade also helps stitches to bind and heal properly, and has been used to diminish cramps and “Charlie horses.”
Jade is a “dream stone,” releasing negative thoughts and irritability and soothing the mind. It stabilizes the personality, integrating mind with body, to stimulate ideas and make tasks less complex and easier to act upon. Placed on the forehead, it brings insightful dreams. Jade improves one’s remembering of dreams and releases suppressed emotions via the dream process.
Jade relinquishes self-imposed limitations and assists in cherishing one’s ideals and desires, facilitating the ambition and building of those thoughts into physical reality. Jade provides confidence and self-assuredness, self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Imperial Jade improves dysfunctional relationships. It helps restore dignity to anyone who has been mocked for looking different, and gives very overweight people stuck in self-loathing the courage to seek help and persevere with treatment. Green Jade balances and harmonizes the Heart Chakra, aiding in both emotional and physical well-being. Continue reading from Crystal Vaults
Jade Meaning: Healing Properties & Everyday Uses (Tiny Rituals)
Jade Stone Benefits for Healing, Meditation, and Relationships (Healthline)
Jade Meaning, Healing Properties, & Uses (The Spruce)
Jade Gemstone (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Chinese Jades: The Role of Jade in Ancient China (Penn Museum)
The Unlocked Mysteries of Jade (Fire Mountain Gems)
Jade in Ancient China (World History)
Importance of Jade in Chinese Culture (Thought Co.)
Green Jade Meaning, Properties, & Chakras (Crystalyze Guide)
Historically speaking, crystals are touted as ancient forms of medicine, with philosophies borrowed from Hinduism and Buddhism. However, it’s important to know that there’s no scientific evidence to support the use of crystals. Despite this, people are still drawn to their colors and beauty. The key to indulging in this self-care experience is mindfulness, reflection, and acceptance. For instance, researchers found that a person’s mind may have much more healing power than it’s given credit. Continue reading from Healthline
