Prayer and Spirituality:
Prayer Beads and Rosaries
One Path to God
Prayer and Spirituality
The use of prayer beads is an ancient practice. You are probably familiar with the Roman Catholic rosary, but did you know that prayer beads have a long history in practial spirituality?
The use of prayer beads actually goes back far beyond the Christian era. The Hindus used pebbles they carried in a pouch to count their prayers over 5000 years ago. A string of 108 beads with one large bead and a tassel was later developed. Buddhists used this same tradition of 108 beads, using them as remnders of the 108 desires that one must overcome in order to achieve Nirvana. The Muslims use strings of ninety-nine beads, plus one. This is to represent the ninety-nine names of God. The extra bead is for the Secret name supposedly known only to Allah.
Prayer and Spirituality: Why Pray with Beads?
Prayer is essential to Christians and many others of faith. Prayer keeps us connected to the source of our being. Even so, when in prayer, it is difficult to keep the mind focused for very long. Our minds tend to wander. We may even hurry through prayer and yet the Scripture says to "wait upon the Lord." Patience is key. The sense of touch we get while touching and holding the beads actively engages the body and helps us to focus on our prayers. As we hold the cross with the fingers and thenmove from bead to bead, our minds become more engaged in our prayers. This is one great value of prayer beads/rosaries.
The beads have no special meanings on their own, otherwise. Although the beads do not carry any special meanings themselves, they do have special meaning to individuals. It is not uncommon to have several rosaries or prayer bead sets.
It is difficult to focus the mind on just one task. This is especially true in our busy lives where multi-tasking is the norm and is highly expected.
How then, does one stop to really contemplate on prayer when there are so many other things going on? The answer is to occupy the mind a bit so that thoughts don’t wander. One way to occupy the mind is to employ the sense of touch. Also, by praying with beads in a deliberate and meditative way you invite the kind of focused, intentional praying that God honors. This meditative state is valuable in a variety of ways including boosting your immune system, clearing your heart and mind so that you might think and consider things more clear and also invokes all the benefits of relaxation.
Prayer and Spirituality: Prayer Models
How you pray with the beads isn’t as important as actually praying with beads. Prayer models are a simple way to settle the mind and focus on the spirit. As you do, remember that the prayer beads give you something to touch, to hang onto, and a connection to God that is often forgotten.
The word "rosary" is derived from rosarium, Latin for garden or a chaplet of roses (a wreath worn on the head). The configuration of the rosary brings to mind several symbols relative to our Christian heritage. The cross reminds us that we enter into our Christian life by way of Christ's Cross and upon our physical death we enter into life eternal by the same means.
Prayer and Spirituality: Click here to learn more about Prayer.
Prayer and Spirituality: Christian Prayer Beads
The cross or cruciform symbol is echoed in the four beads around the circle which break up the four sets of weekdays (7 beads).
The number seven in Christian tradition brings to mind the seven days of creation and our earthly week.
The number four reminds us of the four gospels, the four directional points of the earth (N, S, E and W) and our four earthly seasons (Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall).
The total number of beads, 33, are the number of years Jesus was reported to have walked this earth.
How to Pray with Christian Prayer Beads
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Just how did I start making Rosaries and Prayer Beads????
Prayer and Spirituality
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