Prayer Beads
”Contemplative practice is not about achieving some special state of consciousness; it is about cultivating a way of being present to God and the world that is characterized by openness, curiosity, and love”. David Benner - Opening to God
In Benner's book "Opening to God," the author delves into prayer as a process of attending, pondering, responding, and simply being. Throughout his writing, he unfolds a variety of avenues for communing with God: praying through our senses, engaging our imagination, employing music and creativity, practicing contemplation, offering service, and much more. One practice that particularly resonated with me after reading this book was the use of prayer beads.
Many people may be familiar with prayer beads found in the Roman Catholic rosary beads. This is a circle of beads that guides the person through a repeated sequences of a cycle of prayers. Each cycle is followed by a meditation on one of the events in the life of Jesus Christ or his mother, the Virgin Mary.
Some Eastern Orthodox Christians utilize a knotted or beaded cord known as a “Chotki” while reciting the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” These knots or beads are frequently employed to keep count of the repetitions of this prayer, typically 150, corresponding to the number of psalms in the Psalter.
I was intrigued by these prayer bracelets so of course I jumped on Amazon and ordered one. The prayer bracelet came with no instructions and had a simple cross and 104 beads. I must admit, I'm not aware of any particular significance attached to this specific number.
So, without instructions, I employed the beads as a tool to center my focus on my breathing and practice centering prayer. Starting at the cross and then moving to the first bead, I take a deep breath in, then proceed to the next bead to exhale, and continue this pattern. A full cycle through the beads takes about ten minutes. This practice has proven invaluable in helping me maintain concentration during centering prayer. I'll need to write another blog post on the practice of centering prayer, but for now, it involves focusing one's attention on being silent before God.
In a somewhat crude manner, these prayer beads have become a sort of spiritual fidget spinner for me. I struggle with staying focused and constantly have scattered thoughts. I asked my counselor if he would test me for ADHD, after a few test, he was too quick to agree with my diagnosis. He suggests the importance of slowing down and incorporating breathing exercises into my daily routine, to keep me focused and on track with what is present in front of me.
For the past year, I've been donning and even making beaded bracelets. Oddly enough, once I started wearing them, I began to notice a surge in the number of people also sporting beaded bracelets. Maybe it's a new fashion trend, or perhaps everyone's secretly in need of their own prayer fidget spinner like me!
If you have more questions about how I chose to use prayer beads, feel free to reach out and ask. If you're struggling to focus during your times of prayer, it may be worth a try. And if not, well, you've got yourself a nice new fashion accessory.
Here is a link to the prayer beads I’ve bought:
