Healing Benefits of Jade
The Jade Room at Wi Spa provided a clean, empowering, and calm feeling but other rooms of the same temperature felt different. That posed the question, what is it about Jade that feels so comforting?
In my research, I dive into Jade’s cultural significance, mineral components, and metaphysical properties. I then compare Jade to Pink Himalayan Salt to understand their elemental differences in therapy rooms.
Jade has been praised in many cultures around the world, from the Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec tribes in Central America to the Maori indigenous people of New Zealand. Since Jade is harder than Iron, it was used as tools and weapons, and prized in ornamental objects, jewelry, and worn on royal clothing as a symbol of power. In China’s Tang dynasty (618 - 907 AD), it was reserved for emperors and today is more valuable than gold.
The name Jade is not just one stone but is an umbrella term. During the New Stone Age, Jadeite and Nephrite were mistaken for their similar properties and Serpentine is a mineral that surrounds Nephrite, so all are referred to as Jade. Nephrite is a more common source and Jadeite is rare and more valuable.
I created a chart outlining the mineral properties of Jadeite, Nephrite, and Serpentine, and added Quartz which is deceptively marketed as Jade. This helps for a general consumer understanding.
Both the Jade and Salt Room at Wi Spa are heated to 121°F but the Salt Room air was dense with minerals, giving me a slow, heavy, and sleepy feeling. To understand the feelings behind each therapy room, I learned about their heat capacities and radiation tendencies.
Because of Jade’s high structural density, it takes more time to absorb heat. This allows it to feel colder to the touch which is ideal to reduce puffiness in skin care and circulate air within a Jade Room.
Heated Pink Himalayan Salt absorbs, filters, and releases water vapor into the air, attributing to the space’s humidity. It also saturates the space with trace minerals such as Zinc, Potassium, and Magnesium. These hold negative ions which are abundant in nature. These negative ions balance the bombardment of positive ions that radiate from electronic devices and appliances in modern living. Negative ions produce serotonin, alleviating stress and depression in the body.
The same holds true for Jade as it is a natural mineral but what’s so special about Jade is that it also radiates far-infrared rays. Far infrared affects the skin, blood circulation, and skin cell vitalization. which contribute to the feelings of positive and revitalizing energy.
In Chinese culture, it is customary to associate these feelings with affirmations of resiliency, luck, good fortune, and prosperity. So when I walk into a Jade room, I feel warm and comforted from the sauna, refreshed from the negative ions, and energized from the far infrared rays. After reading about Jade’s metaphysical properties, I feel connected to a revered and wealthy tradition and am positively reassured to welcome Jade to my spa routine.
December 20, 2022
