Beads - Spell Casting/Prayer/Meditation

[FaerieStorm]

Hi All,

I've become increasingly interested in making pagan strung beads for spellcasting/prayer/meditation. Does anyone use this form of spellcraft or meditation? If so, what kinds of materials (stones, wood, clay, etc.) do you use? Any charms or emblems?

Best,

-FS-

[Sequoia]

Sometimes I use some "meditation/prayer" beads that I made (of onyx and moss agate) when I'm trying to focus or sleep, actually...

But Catholics have used prayer beads for centuries, as have Buddhists... and many other religions, to be sure.

I like wood beads and stone beads. My lover has a set of bone beads, and they have a really interesting energy to them. They're a traditional Tibetan set. (Or so I was told when I bought them.)

[Xander67]

Beads and charms help focus the mind so you will find them used a lot throughout the different cultures, religions and magical traditions of the world.

Stringing them up is meant to be a meditative art too.
Beadworking!
I would say that for a pagan, the aim of the craft, art, and mysteries would be to unite with mother earth. So I would choose earthy types, or things that most connect with the element of earth.

[Xander67]

but then again you would need some sort of visual connection to the other 3 elements to make it balanced and square up within the circle, so perhaps using Earthy type of raw materials, and use them to symbolise the other 3 (color, painted on symbols etc)

[FaerieStorm]

Thanks! I recently acquired a set of meditation beads from a woman who hand-makes them. She creates different sets for different purposes (i.e. "vitality," "strength," "protection," "tranquility," etc.). She uses sequences of specific gemstones/minerals on one flowing strand. Then she adds an amulet (made of mother-of-pearl) at the end (i.e. Celtic cross, yin/yang, pentagram, etc.). I find the beads very stimulating and effective in centering my thoughts. I just ordered a book called "Pagan Prayer Beads: Magic and Meditation with Pagan Rosaries" by John Michael Greer. I'm excited to dig into it once it's in my hands. I love this idea as I find the concept of rosaries (though I'm not Catholic) and prayer/meditation beads to be an effective form of both magic and grounding.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts!

[Mandalena]

Onyx is good for protection, turquoise transmutes negativity. Amethyst is good for meditation, coral is good for strength, protection and energy. Kyanite and Lapis increase psychic ability. You could make one in your healing birthstones for extra power. If you include a pentagram charm this would add protection.

[Windsmith]

Hi, FaerieStorm.

A friend of mine named Donald Engstrom was instrumental in bringing prayer beads into our tradition of Reclaiming Witchcraft. He has an excellent page about his process (and the process in general) at his website: http://web.mac.com/iowariver/Walking_in_Beauty/Pagan_Prayer_Beads.html

Maybe there's something there that'll spark your interest.

[FaerieStorm]

Thanks, Windsmith! The info is very enlightening--and the prayer beads are remarkable!

To all out there who use prayer/meditation beads, do you use them primarily for reflection or spellwork or strictly for prayer? Donald Engstrom's page relates prayer beads to, IMO, a more traditional purpose like the Catholic rosary (i.e. associating each bead, stone, and charm to a word or phrase in a given prayer). I see meditation beads to be less formal than that; I use them for energy work and introspective meditation--not really as prayer beads in the traditional sense. Any thoughts?

[Windsmith]

Thanks, Windsmith! The info is very enlightening--and the prayer beads are remarkable!You should see 'em in person! Donald's personal strand is something like 24 feet long. The Winter Witch Camp beads (which he helped string and co-wrote the prayer for) travels around in a box. He doesn't do anything halfway.

To all out there who use prayer/meditation beads, do you use them primarily for reflection or spellwork or strictly for prayer? Donald Engstrom's page relates prayer beads to, IMO, a more traditional purpose like the Catholic rosary (i.e. associating each bead, stone, and charm to a word or phrase in a given prayer). I see meditation beads to be less formal than that; I use them for energy work and introspective meditation--not really as prayer beads in the traditional sense. Any thoughts?[/QUOTE]Hmmm...I'm not sure, exactly. Could you give an example of how you use them for energy work and meditation, and how you see that as being different from prayer or other "traditional" purposes?