by Mia Nissen
A chat between Festival Squad and the creators of Kalí Zoë Designs acupressure jewelry.
FS: Festival Squad
KZ: Kalí Zoë Designs
Kalí Zoë Designs has envisioned and created an “acupuncturist-approved” piece of jewelry: the mudra ring. Designed to fit perfectly on the LI4 Pressure Point (the fleshy part between the thumb and index finger), the ring frees you from headaches and body stress. Whether you are a devoted practitioner of Naturajasana or choose to chill in Bālāsana, the mudra ring is a beautiful addition to your yoga practice, or lack thereof.
In festivals and in life, it is easy to find yourself under-nourished or stressed out. It seems as though missing a doctor’s appointment and missing your favorite artist has the same affect on our minds; if we are not careful, it is easy to let that stress carry over into our entire day. And, it isn’t always easy to find the motivation to get to yoga at the gym or at the mainstage, if other tasks seem more important (eg. sleep). Ever since receiving my beautifully crafted mudra ring, taking an hour out of my day to focus on me and tune into how I’m really doing has become much easier. The Mudra brings mindfulness and ease back into the routine without having to do much- and the pieces are absolutely beautiful.
Available in gold, bronze and silver, there is a mudra to compliment everyone’s tastes. Kalí Zoë offers many semi-precious stones for buyers to choose from as well- pink opal, amethyst, tiger’s eye, and moonstone are just a few to choose from.
I recently got to chat with creators of Kalí Zoë Designs, sisters Callie and Arianna, to find out all about their new business venture.
FS: How is the experience being in business as sisters?
KZ: We are beyond lucky to be sisters who want to work and create together. There is a constant, honest feedback loop and we know how to have both constructive work time and chill time together. We lived together when Kalí Zoë Designs launched its first product, the Mudra. Now we went long distance – One of us, Callie, is in Chicago where production takes place, and Arianna is in New York.
FS: What drew you to creating the Mudra?
KZ: We grew up squeezing this pressure point (the LI4) for pain relief, playing with any and all things “jewelry” and learning about natural health and yoga. Callie invented the Mudra in a class at the wonderful School of the Art Institute of Chicago. We’ve created many prototype versions since, but the idea is the same – to create a functional piece of jewelry that is something more meaningful than a simple jewelry piece. We love the immediate feeling of pressure on the LI4, as well as the benefits! We both want others to be in tune with the tensions in their bodies.
FS:Who would benefit from a Mudra ring?
KZ: All sorts of people are wearing Mudras for all sorts of reasons. It’s great for:
- people who get headaches
- people who get tension in hand/ use their hands a lot (typing)
- people who like to have a vice to help them relax
- people who are interested in the mind-body connection and who want to explore pressure points in aiding mediations
- anyone who experiences stress or anxiety
FS: How and where can we fit wearing our Mudra into our daily routine?
KZ: People who bought Mudras keep sending us the best uses and stories of how they wear their Mudras! Here are some:
- in the AM before the body has fully woken up and you need something to help your circulation get going (maybe paired with a cup of coffee)
- during savasana/meditation practice
- while driving/taking public transportation
- while typing
- when you get home from a long day of working with your hands or mind and need to take the edge off
- anytime!
FS: What benefits can wearing a Mudra bring to the wearer that are similar to the benefits one can receive from attending a festival?
KZ: We love both festivals and our Mudras – both connect you to your mind and body. They are also similar because they unite the outside world/nature to the body. We think that they both leave us feeling grounded.
FS: Which festivals will you be at in the future?
KZ: We are closing up this season’s festival circuit with One Love Yoga Festival (after attending Wanderlusts, Hamptons Yoga Fest, Resonance..) and can’t wait to start planning our route next year. We would love to be at a handful of yoga and mindfulness festivals like Bhaki Fest, as well as conscious music festivals such as ARISE. Thanks to Festival Squad, we know we must be at Lightning in a Bottle next year! Write to us with any other recommendations, we’re looking forward to seeing you at some festivals!
FS: What are the future plans for Kalí Zoë?
KZ: Kali Zoe, “good wellness,” will be an ever-changing design and yoga studio where jewelry will include a meaning and yoga will be inclusive! We’re so excited to create more acupressure jewelry pieces (as requested!), other metal pieces of adornment and mindfulness in school programs. What could be better?
Follow along with Kali Zoe and be in touch to collaborate at @kalizoedesigns. Use code ‘MIA’ for 10% off of your first mudra ring!
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