Can a piece of jewelry boost confidence and self-awareness, or even reduce stress? To some people, this may sound strange. For others, it seems doubtful or even impossible. Dr. Hannah Hershoff, a Chinese physician and Harvard-trained research scientist, never believed this to be the case until she started noticing positive feedback from a number of tests in which women were asked to try on Sara Yo jewelry.

The jewelry pieces are made from a crystalline mineral formed over millions of years. The key element is called kaolin, or China clay, a mineral sourced from a small village in southeast China. The shape, color and shine of each stone is permanently forged after a long process of combining water, wood and fire in a special kiln. “The stones become shinier after contact with skin,” adds Hershoff.

“I am very familiar with the mineral, as my father used to be an administration manager of the mines,” says Hershoff. “I remember my father collected a piece of precious ‘Buda’, made from the mineral, to bring luck to our family.” She says she knows the history of the Chinese royal family, who owned the mines thousands of years ago, but she had no prior knowledge about the healing properties. “It was an accidental discovery,” she explains.

During a phone chat with a cousin who took a trip from China, Hershoff learned the stones make beautiful jewelry. She began making her own jewelry with the stones and gifted items to friends and family. “I was surprised to hear my jewelry had an immediate positive impact on my sister-in-law’s life,” Hershoff says. “She told me that she was much calmer and happier since she started wearing her bracelet. Her ability to handle stress improved, and she even began to find stability in her then rocky marriage.”

To find out if this was just a coincidence, Hershoff presented her bracelets to six women, ages 16 to 64. She interviewed them after one to two months of wearing the jewelry. “I was so surprised to learn that all six women reported they felt much better when they wore their bracelets,” she notes.

The question Hershoff asked after seeing the positive results of all six test subjects was, “How can this be?” As a physician and scientist, she intrinsically felt a need to find scientific evidence to explain the results. The feedback she received from her tests prompted her to further study kaolin to learn about its chemical composition. Though she discovered several quotes about powerful spiritual healing qualities, including “Kaolin can give strength and help deal with karmic issues...,” she had yet to find scientific answers.

“I don’t know if any compounds from the mineral or from other components of the bracelet have caused a direct effect,” says Hershoff. “I could not find any scientific evidence to give either a positive or negative answer.” With 25 years of experience in medical practice and research, she has not only gained extensive knowledge in medical science, but also developed in-depth comprehension of how positive thinking relates to the acceleration of the physical healing process. “I don’t exclude the possibility that the amazing effects on the women tested might come from their spiritual connections with the jewelry,” she said. “When people think positively, their bodies and mood react correspondently.”

Next, Hershoff gifted or sold her bracelets to additional women with various levels of spirituality. More and more women reported they gained confidence, improved their self-image, sensed more connections to loved ones and experienced a reduction in anxiety. “I feel every thing is going to be alright when I put on my bracelet,” said Ruth, a test subject who wore the jewelry for a full year. “I recently lost my bracelet, and that’s when I realized how much I was connected to the piece. Without the bracelet, I felt unbalanced,” said Jennifer, who bought her first Sara Yo bracelet after the death of her sister.

“I never believed this kind of stuff,” Hershoff’s husband Randy says. “But each day, more and more women told us how good they felt when wearing their bracelets. I began to think that something was definitely going on here.” Randy continues, “Not every woman felt the spiritual effects of the jewelry. Roughly one out of four women did not feel any different when wearing a bracelet, but those women still appreciated the unique beauty of the pieces.”

A year later, Hershoff and her husband started a company called Sara Yo Healing Fashions. They named their Kaolin-comprised pieces Sara Yo stones, and Hershoff switched careers, from medical doctor to business owner and jewelry designer.

Today, the company provides over 400 jewelry designs and Hershoff exclusively designs each one. In addition to jewelry, the company also provides to their customers a complimentary weekly “Five Element” healing program based on Taoist philosophy. Hershoff says, “I am so glad I have made this career change decision, as each day I learn more about how Sara Yo helps women physically and emotionally. I am so fortunate to do something I am extremely passionate about, rather than something I feel I have to do.”

For more information, visit MySpiritJewel.com. See ad, page 29.