Black Obsidian Gua Sha, made in France

Gua Sha, a technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine

Gua Sha (刮痧) is a massage technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Its name combines gua, "to scrape", and sha, the fine redness that can appear on the surface of the skin under the stroke. The practice consists of gliding the smooth edge of a stone over the skin in steady, linear movements, along the muscle paths and the meridians.

On the body, the scraping is firm and works to mobilise local blood and Qi circulation, releasing tension in the trapezius, the back or the legs. On the face, the stroke is far lighter: it supports drainage, relaxes the muscles of the jaw and forehead, and leaves the skin rested.

The stroke is not limited to muscular work. In Chinese medicine, Gua Sha is also used to disperse heat: the scraping is then applied to points and areas chosen for that action, such as LU5 (Chize) at the elbow crease, LU1 (Zhongfu) below the collarbone, LI11 (Quchi) at the outer end of the elbow crease, or the back shu points along the Bladder meridian.

Gua Sha is practised in clinic as much as at home, alongside an acupuncture or moxibustion session, or simply as part of a daily care routine.

Black obsidian

Obsidian is not a crystal but a volcanic glass: lava cooled so fast that it had no time to crystallise. This amorphous structure explains its mirror polish and its remarkably fluid glide on the skin. Our pieces are selected in AA to AAA quality, of a deep and even black.

The flip side of this material: a natural glass scratches and chips more easily than a quartz. Always store the stone in its pouch and avoid any contact with a hard surface.

The obsidian of this Gua Sha is mined in Mexico, whose volcanic deposits have been worked since pre-Columbian times.

In lithotherapy

Black obsidian is traditionally associated with the root and throat chakras, and with the signs of Cancer, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius. Tradition makes it a stone of grounding and protection, said to support emotional balance and confidence.

Caring for the stone

After each use, clean the stone in lukewarm water with a mild soap, rinse and dry it immediately with a clean cloth. Store it in its pouch, away from knocks. A natural stone stays fragile: avoid leaving it on the edge of a basin or dropping it on a tiled floor.

Cleansing and recharging

Black obsidian absorbs a great deal around it: clean and recharge it at least once a week. Cleansing is done in a bowl of water with a little salt, for several hours. For recharging, it is equally happy with sunlight or moonlight, preferably set on a quartz cluster.

Our Gua Sha is shipped cleansed and energetically recharged by us.

Characteristics

• Material : natural black obsidian, AA to AAA quality
• Stone origin : Mexico
• Dimensions : approx. 8 x 5 cm
• Weight : approx. 65 g
• Made in France
• Associated chakra : root and throat
• Astrological signs : Cancer, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius
• Colour : black
• Supplied in a fabric pouch

Precautions

Do not use Gua Sha on damaged, irritated or burnt skin, on a skin lesion, on varicose veins, on acute inflammation or on a recently operated area. Not recommended in case of clotting disorders or anticoagulant treatment, and during pregnancy without the advice of a professional. This product does not replace medical advice. Keep out of reach of children.