Earth Prayer Beads

Thank you to @broche for the basis of these swaps!

This will be a series of prayer/meditation beads with different purposes and types, so I hope you enjoy and will amass a collection of beads for every purpose!

You will be asked to create one (1) Earth prayer/meditation necklace to help us remember to appreciate the earth around us, and perhaps even to pray for the earth and the use of it's resources. We can pray for the various tragic things that occur on the earth that we have no power over (such as the people of Haiti recovering from the earthquake, or the tsunami survivors, or the diminishing ozone, the disappearance of animals and plants, the disappearance of the rainforest --- etc). Earth Day is in April, and I would like us all to have our necklaces to wear that day, and any day in between to remind us of our connection to Mother Earth. [Note, if you are not pagan, you are still welcome to join us, as meditation knows no religion - just make sure you are open to the spirit of this swap and willing to make something your partner will enjoy and use (no haters!)]

Some background...

Christian prayer beads are called rosaries, and they are necklaces that incorporate prayer beads and a cross. Buddhists also have prayer beads, and there's are carved from fragrant wood and strung on a red string to be carried or worn on the wrist. There are even Muslim prayer beads called Misbaha, and they are used to count the names of Allah. Many traditions and cultures made every day necklaces or ritual jewelry that represented prayers or mantras.

The bead work as a memory tool, which each most often representing a type of prayer to be recited. By feeling along the string of beads, the person can focus on the saying or thinking of their prayers and the beads do the automatic counting or tracking of recitations for you. With each bead you feel, you can say a mantra or a prayer, or think of an affirmation or a key word to focus your mental state or intentions, or pray for certain people in your life, the world, etc.

In honor of Ostara or Easter, a time of fertility and physical and spiritual rebirth, we want to make a prayer necklace that we can use to pray for the fertility and rebirth of the earth around us.

How the necklace will be constructed:

1--The necklace will be made “rosary” style- a long round beaded necklace coming together into a point where you will include a focal point at the end. You may use wire, string, hemp - anything you wish for the necklace but it must have a focal point (stone, metal, bone, high quality acrylic, etc) at the end.

2--You need to choose the beads for the necklace keeping the topic of THE EARTH in mind as well as what spacers you want to use. It is my suggestion that you would use the colors of blue and green to symbolize the earth in some way, but feel free to be creative, but please explain to your partner what the colors or types of beads you choose means.

3--The number of beads can be an important part of the necklace. 7 is a powerful number, the number 3 is also very important to many pagans, so you might do sets of 3 - maybe 6 or 9 of each color with a spacer bead in between. It should be long enough to put over the head without a clasp (you can include a clasp if you want though).

4--Your focal point should be something that has to do with the earth some way. An actual earth would work, or a stone or wooden focal point that came from the earth. It could even be a fertility symbol of some kind, or a flower or tree - feel free to be creative, but tell your partner what the focal point means. Stone, bone, metal, altered charm, high quality acrylic (NO cheap plastic!!).

The beads are a great tool no matter what religion you are part of, to silence our minds and spirits, to center ourselves and focus on the purpose of the beads. You can use these to draw strength and healing from the earth. I have read of even where they can be dipped in the ocean to "baptize" them, sanctifying them in their connection to the world.

Requirements---4.9 ONLY for rated swappers - newbies are welcome, but with a completed profile.Recent 1's or 3's need to contact me or I will ban before assigning partners. USA/Canada only to keep shipping costs down.

If anyone is willing to angel this swap besides myself please let me know. But I hope that is not necessary.

[If you have certain likes/dislikes for your necklace please state them just so your partner knows your taste (dislike of acrylic beads/certain stones/silver or gold/non-pagan or pagan symbols/etc)]

If you have any questions, concerns, comments, etc... feel free to comment or send me a PM!

[Photo of prayer beads is just an example, I did not make those, I found them on the web.]

Past Meditation Beads Swaps (in case you want to find someone to make up what you missed):

• Elemental Prayer Beads
• Love Prayer Beads