Veins of Silver, L.L.C. Stones That Know Their Purpose
Stones	Oils	Classes	Meditations	Drumming	Shamanism	Links	Healers & Contacts

Congs-Bis
A Cong is a square stone with an open circle in the center, often intricately carved with the four directions, faces . One opening is usually slightly larger than the other. It is a portal, a Shamanic tool. These tools come from the ancient Chinese Liangzhu Culture (3300 - 2200BC) of Neolithic peoples. Many congs are made of Jade. Jade is soft enough to carve. Chinese people regarded jade as imbuing the attributes of wisdom, beauty, grace, justice, loyalty, sincerity, chastity, truth and purity. Jade was once worked with a hard abrasive sand to carve each detail, so a Cong was time-consuming to carve. Now-a-days we have modern drilling and stone cutting machinery that make these much easier and faster to carve. Congs were used by Shamans to work with the energies between the Cosmos (heaven) and Earth. It can be used as a calendar. A cong was carried by the Shaman to clean and purify the Chi energy in any given space. It was also used as an offering to ancestors. They could be used as a calendar, or in a Shamanic ceremony. The big Cong on the top right has twelve faces (one for each moon). The 13th moon is accounted for by the circle in the center. To raise your own vibration: Hold the Cong between your hands. Align the opening from your feet to your crown. Close your eyes. See a white beam of light rushing up and down the opening. Let that beam of light widen until you are completely surrounded with light. Breathe it in. Breathe it out. To cleanse a room: Place the cong in the room with the the energy moving upwards (bigger opening facing upwards). Optionally, place a clear quartz on top of the cong to amplify the energy. To cleanse someone's aura of stuck energy: Set your intent. Place the cong to your mouth, with the bigger opening facing outwards. Blow. For healing purposes focus the energy up and down throughout the body, cleansing each level, from the Cosmic to the Molecular.
Similar to the Cong are Bi rings, which are more flat, wide and round. Bi rings were used to help the souls of the dead move into a higher realm by protecting their bodies. The bi rings were placed on the bodies so evil spirits would not inhabit the deceased. Bi rings are still worn today as objects of protection. Obviously the longer you wear an object the more of your energy it will carry. If a bi ring breaks while you are wearing it, it is said that the stone has given its life for you (it saves you by absorbing the negativity). Further information about Congs and Bi's may be found at the Nat'l Gallery of Art or from the British Museum