Jade Gua Sha

Gua sha is a traditional Eastern and South-east Asian healing technique in which a smooth, credit-card-size "board" is pressed along the skin of the body, and it's been adapted for the face and neck. The idea is that light pressure releases fascial and muscular tension and moves sluggish lymph fluid to tone the face.

In the realm of crystal healing, jade is associated with protecting against negative energy and balancing your chi (or qi), your body's energetic life force. According to Chinese medicine, any number of physical and mental symptoms from anxiety to fatigue to actual pain can indicate that your qi is out of whack. 

For each and every step, you'll want to repeat all strokes five times, slowly, with gentle pressure.

1. Place the flat side of the board flush against the base of the back of your neck, and stroke it upward along your spine to your hairline. Then stroke upward on either side of your spine, from the top of each shoulder to the hairline.
2. Position the flat side of the board on the top of the shoulder, and stroke it upward to where your jaw meets your ear. Repeat on the other side.
3. Place the curved notch of the board where your collar bones meet, and drag it up the midline of the throat up to (but not over) your chin. Repeat on each side of the throat.
4. Position the notch of the board so it hugs the center point of your chin, and glide it along the edge of your jaw toward each ear.
5. Run the flat side of the board under one cheekbone, from the corner of your mouth toward your ear. Repeat on the other side.