Story: 

 

 

I believe gift culture is incredibly powerful medicine. Duly, serendipity has played an enormous role in my life and I've found a joyful mission to be a vector for it in others' lives in turn. As an offshoot of this, I like to hide small, valuable, handmade treasures around where I live and when I travel, sometimes announced, sometimes quietly.

 

During one of these announced hunts a friend carrying a heavy mental load mentioned how she'd like to stumble on the treasure because she could use something just for her: a momentary piece of joy, a dopamine boost, a personal Win from the Universe. I found myself thinking about how I could more directly guide these "wins" into the hands of those who maybe acutely needed them. 

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Birth of Traveling Jewels:

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There's power in receiving a gift, and there's also power in intention. What if I created a library of necklaces intended to be treated as loans, worn by people for whom the they may be a momentary source of comfort, joy, healing or buoying? Then these wearers, when they derived what they needed from the gift, could find further joy from being the vectors themselves to share their necklace out again into the world? On and on these necklaces would travel, small envoys of happiness and gift culture and positive intention.

 

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How It Works:

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A Traveling Jewel necklace is created. It is listed below in the Library (initially to purchase, later to borrow, if it finds its way back). As necklaces become available to lend in the library they will be marked "to lend."

 

A borrower may have the loan on behalf of themselves or another person. There are absolutely no stipulations as to who may or may not receive one, and there is no vetting process: your reasons are your own. That said, as a social project, I would like to document each necklace's path even vaguely with at least its destination, and if possible, a brief overview of the thought behind its gifting. No names will be used.

 

The suggested length of each loan is one month. A wearer may choose to borrow for less time, or may go somewhat over time if they feel it's important.

 

At the end of the loan period, wearers have two options:

1) return their necklace to me for a re-polish and so that I may pull from my collection of requests for the next loan, after which I will re-ship for free to the next recipient OR

2) pass their necklace on themselves to whomever they feel might benefit from it. If this option is chosen, it is the gifter's responsibility to send me the location to which their necklace is traveling, as well as any other information they choose. 

 

Necklaces will be passed along in a box with directions for gifting/returning. If either of these becomes lost, the gifter may use any box, and may print out new directions to include here:

 

 

 

Directions:

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Congratulations! You have received a Traveling Jewel. A small library of these necklaces were created by Ten Air Studios in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Your necklace is intended to be on loan to you for a period of approximately one month: less, if it serves its purpose quickly, and more, if you find that it benefits you to have it a bit longer. 

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If you have purchased this piece, thank you for starting a wave of pay-it-forward good. If you have been gifted this piece, there is no cost to borrow. In either case you are wearing something that was crafted with hope for your well-being and that has found its way into your hands for a purpose. What that purpose is, only you know.

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When you receive your Traveling Jewel, please "check it in" at www.tenairstudios.com/travelingjewels. You may remain virtually anonymous, or you may share as much as is on your heart. A version of your submission will be posted in the borrower's diary gallery without identifying information; however, if you choose to share more, you may email ten.airs@gmail.com with photographs of yourself wearing your necklace, showing your location in the world, or illustrating how your Traveling Jewel is serving your purpose.

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Please wear this necklace with good will and in empowerment toward whatever goal you seek. When its purpose has been served in your life, please choose one of two options:

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Option 1: 

Return your Traveling Jewel to Ten Air Studios for a clean and polish and so that I may send it back out into the world from my pool of nominations. Contact me at ten.airs@gmail.com to get started.

Option 2: 

Pass the necklace on yourself to whomever you feel might benefit from it. Please email me the location to which your necklace is traveling, as well as any other information you choose regarding why you chose its next recipient, to ten.airs@gmail.com.

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Love to you, both from Ten Air Studios and also the family of souls connected by these Traveling Jewels, to which you now belong.

-Leslie/TAS

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[Please visit www.tenairstudios.com/travelingjewels for more info.]

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Science & Woo, Happily Intertwined:

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>>The study of epigenetics has shown that little chemical tags on our genes can carry information like trauma from generation to generation. So, your grandmother's pain may quite literally become your own. The hope is that subsequent generations may heal their traumas so as to actually pass along this health to their family. If we move to the macrocosm, in the same light, I believe that that we carry spiritual epigentics, and that tiny moments of personal healing and joy spiral outward and offer little droplets of health to our Collective Consciousness. 

 

>>The creators of Dumbo's magic feather tapped into a very real psychological phenomenon. Having an external touchstone onto which we can project positive thought has been proven to keep us grounded in moments of need, to help release negative mental chatter, and to provide a momentary platform of belief on which we can rest when movement feels too big to take in a single stride. 

 

>>Everything in the known universe resonates with vibration. There are those who say that particular gemstones carry vibrational energy that aligns with and ushers in particular healing. As such, consider necklaces bearing stones whose energy might be intentionally directed toward a wearer's needs. Remember: Magical thinking can be medicine in itself. 

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FAQ:

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Are these actual gemstones and actual silver?

Yes.

 

How can you be sure someone won't simply steal a necklace on their turn, or pawn it off?

I can't. We're on an honor system. The world is generally good.

 

How can you enforce a time limit?

I can't. We're on an honor system. The world is generally good.

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What if a necklace is damaged?

Please return it to me for repair. Contact me at ten.airs@gmail.com to make arrangements. 

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What if I want to simply keep my necklace?

The library of Traveling Jewels are made to be passed from one person to another. However, I obviously have no control over the necklaces once they leave my shop. If you purchase a Traveling Jewel, it's yours to do with what you will--keep forever, or sponsor and begin another branch out into the world on your own terms. But if you have been gifted one, it's my hope that you'll continue to spin it outward as intended.