What do jade eggs have to do with sexual wellbeing? The female embodiment practice can be a favorite amongst many sexuality mentors. However, just like any practice, there is a lot to say about using jade eggs – and in true Smile Makers style we want to bring the conversation out in the open.
What Is A Female Embodiment Practice?
An embodiment practice is anything that literally connects you with your body – or in this case, your yoni. Through breathwork, yoga and meditation can be considered embodiment practices as you’re focusing on your breath and the energy in your body. But, what does it mean to be embodied for female-bodied people?
Female embodiment practices are an opportunity to centre awareness of your body as a vulva-owner and harness our sexual energy. From a young age, we’re often taught to reject our sexual selves and therefore don’t always know how to tap in and listen. Nowadays, we are more aware of how our physical, mental and sexual wellbeing support and impact each other and our overall wellness. So, exploring ways we can channel sexual energy seems important. One example of such a practice is tantric sex, another is using jade eggs.
So, What Are Jade Eggs?
A jade egg – also called a yoni egg – is an oval-shape carved out of real jade or other crystals to use inside your vagina. The female embodiment practice is a favorite amongst sexuality mentors like Hilary Kimball. She explains that it’s an ancient Taoism sexual vitality practice from 5000 years ago. Taoists realized that sexual energy is powerful; and that it could be a waste not to learn how to harness and cultivate this energy. The practice is said to create a new relationship with our body, to heal and reconnect on a deeper level. Hilary says this can be an excellent way to awaken pleasure potential and orgasmic capacity, from increased sensation to wetness.
Community Considerations with Jade Eggs
The practice has been in the spotlight in recent years and have many of us asking why jade eggs are bad. Just like any practice, it’s about what feels right for you. Always do your research, seek medical advice if you experience pain or discomfort and practice responsibly. There are many considerations to take into account before using yoni eggs, some of which our Smile Makers community highlighted...
‘...holding a weighted egg in the vaginal canal for long periods is like constantly contracting your muscles while holding a barbell.’
- If you do decide to try, treat a yoni egg like any other practice such as meditation, gym workout or yoga; it’s for sessions as opposed to long-periods of time. Just like with any other practice, it’s important to listen to your body and what it wants.
‘Isn’t jade porous and a TSS risk?’
‘...it’s extremely expensive so I don’t know how or why people were buying B#6 facial jade rollers online trusting it to actually *be* jade.’
- Make sure it’s the real deal. As with jade rollers, many manufacturers create fake ‘jade eggs’ with cheaper stones or marbles that aren’t jade. These softer materials may be porous and lead to infection, whilst the bleach and dye used to make it look like jade could be harmful for your body.Read more from Hilary Kimball, a jade egg specialist, about 8 yoni egg considerations to have in mind when it comes to this particular female embodiment practice.
Would You Try Jade Eggs?
As mentioned, misinformation around yoni eggs can lead to misunderstandings and misuse during practice. Once you’ve done your research, decided it’s something you’d like to explore and taken the time to find the right kind, there’s a few more things to remember as to how jade eggs can be used...
- Keep them clean – vibrators, menstrual cups, jade eggs; always remember to clean these tools before and after use. For yoni eggs, place them in a cup of boiling water.
- Listen to your body – this is a female embodiment practice after, all. Hilary talks about how your vagina may not be ready to receive the egg. Don’t force it. We rarely consider and connect with this part of ourselves when it comes to energy and focus, if your vagina is saying no – you're still connecting.
- Find a practice to follow – it's really recommended to find a trusted teacher to guide you through your yoni egg use, whether that’s online or in real life. Just like in other embodiment practices, treating it as a session will mean you can really understand what to do. Don’t just pop one in your vagina and walk around all day.
- What to expect in practice – a yoni egg practice will talk you through how to warm up your body, insert the egg into your vagina and then talk you through exercises. This is usually a mixture of squeeze-and-release practises to work to pelvic muscles, alongside meditative connection. There’s much more focus on the relaxation of the pelvic floor, as opposed to tighting and crating tension.
- Don’t overdo it – build your practice up slowly. Keep the jade egg in your vagina for short periods of 30 minutes, and experts recommend no more than 4-6 hours once you’re more familiar.
Talking and questioning is exactly what we should be doing when we think about putting anything near our vulva or in our vagina, a life mantra is ever we’ve heard one!
Listen to more pleasure-positive conversations and ways to open up about our sexuality on our podcast, Clitastic Chronicles.
