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Author Topic: Prayer Beads for Brighid  (Read 4468 times)

rocquelaire

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Prayer Beads for Brighid
« on: July 08, 2011, 04:12:44 am »
Hi all,

I would really like to make some prayer beads for Brighid but I'm not really sure where to start, there are so many aspects to Her! I have done beading before so the crafting aspect of it isn't a problem it's more like design and the actual prayers to go with them I'm struggling with.

I was thinking either something that focuses on fire and water or perhaps something with three sections or sets of three that focuses on each of Healing, Poetry and Smithcraft.

I know some of you have done something like this (or at least Aster has lol) and I was hoping you could give me some tips. What kind of design did you go for? What worked well for you? How did you write and order the prayers? Was it a few lines for each bead or something more complex?

Thanks in advance :D
Rocquelaire

Nyktipolos

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2011, 04:43:33 am »
Quote from: rocquelaire;2881

/sets up a lawn chair to sit in to wait for responses/ :D

I'm interested to see what others have done as well. The idea of making prayer beads for Brighid really appeals to me, and might actually help out with this dreadful can't-do-a-daily-practice thing, because this is something I've never done before. :)
« Last Edit: July 08, 2011, 04:43:53 am by Nyktipolos »
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JuniperMorgan

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2011, 12:07:42 pm »
Quote from: rocquelaire;2881
What kind of design did you go for? What worked well for you? How did you write and order the prayers? Was it a few lines for each bead or something more complex?

Thanks in advance :D
Rocquelaire

 
I've made generic prayer beads suited to an individual person before, but not to a specific Diety.  I based my design very loosely on the catholic rosary, in the round circle I had thirteen large stones for each full moon of the year, tapering down to a section for each of the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, spirit), another section for god and goddess each, and then a charm to tie it off that reflected the person the beads were for.  It was very good for multiple pagan paths, because it covered most of the common points.

I'd be more than happy to collaborate on a set just for Brighid - I've been wanting something new to do with my prayer beads :)  And this will give me the perfect excuse.  As to prayers - I'm not the best at writing them - mine are very basic in nature, but I'm sure someone else here has got to have a talent for them!
You can also find my ramblings at my blog although I\'m not the best at regular updates.  I\'m working on fixing that. Or look for me on FB here or Google+ here. :)

rocquelaire

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Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2011, 01:54:07 pm »
Quote from: JuniperMorgan;2969
I'd be more than happy to collaborate on a set just for Brighid - I've been wanting something new to do with my prayer beads :)  And this will give me the perfect excuse.  As to prayers - I'm not the best at writing them - mine are very basic in nature, but I'm sure someone else here has got to have a talent for them!

Ooooo a collaboration sounds great. Maybe that could be an idea for one of the group exchanges? Anyone taking part could make a set of prayer beads to exchange and we could work on a basic design and prayers etc together. What do you think?

JuniperMorgan

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2011, 03:30:26 pm »
Quote from: rocquelaire;2996
Ooooo a collaboration sounds great. Maybe that could be an idea for one of the group exchanges? Anyone taking part could make a set of prayer beads to exchange and we could work on a basic design and prayers etc together. What do you think?

 
Sounds like an awesome plan to me!  

Oh, and I forgot in my earlier description...among the beads for the 13 full moons...I also had beads for the 8 sabbats aka equinoxes, solstices and cross quarter days (Samhain, Beltain, Lughnassadh etc).  They're placed roughly according to where they fall among the moons.  I had a pic of some, but it's disappeared.  I apologize if I'm not describing them well.
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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2011, 02:09:48 pm »
Quote from: rocquelaire;2881
Hi all,
I know some of you have done something like this (or at least Aster has lol) and I was hoping you could give me some tips. What kind of design did you go for? What worked well for you? How did you write and order the prayers? Was it a few lines for each bead or something more complex?
Rocquelaire

 
Yes, I have.  Several times, actually.  I can't seem to get it right.  Every time I do a set, something else comes to mind after it's finished.  :o

The first set I tried was based on Erynn Laurie's book, Circle of Stones: Journeys and Meditations for Modern Celts, which is available as a PDF download from her website.

The next set was based on threes, much like the idea you described.  I had sections that corresponded to smithcraft, healing, and poetry/learning, with two additional (and larger, I think) sections for fire and water.

The next set was based on a little prayer/poem I wrote:

Light me as Your lantern
Play me as Your harp
Keep me in Your mantle
Guide me to Your hearth


There were sections for each line, with a larger bead in each to correspond to "lantern," "harp," "mantle," and "hearth."

I think there were a couple other attempts, but I don't remember the details.

In general, I took more of a "meditation beads" approach, rather than a "prayer beads" approach.  So I didn't write prayers to correspond to the various beads/sections.  Instead, I had meditation themes for each.

The idea I'm currently working on is based on the Kildare pilgrimage laid out in Rekindling the Flame – a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Brigid, which was written by Rita Minehan at Solas Bhride.  (I've had the honor of striking up an email friendship with Rita over the last couple of years.  She's a wonderful person.  I hope to meet her someday.)  It's quite a bit more involved, and I'm trying to adapt it from a focus on *Saint* Brigid to the *Goddess* Brighid.  And I think I'll probably go with a combination of meditations and prayers (which will likely be drawn heavily from Ceiswer Serith's books, A Book of Pagan Prayer and A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book, since I'm not very good at writing prayers).

If I ever finish it, I'll be happy to share pics.  Part of the problem is that I'm very picky about beads.  I don't like simulated "gemstones" or silver plated findings, and I want the beads in each section to be uniform sizes and shapes.  (I know, I know -- the perfect is the enemy of the good. :p )

I like the idea of exchanging sets of prayer beads.  Maybe that could be the theme for our Samhain or Imbolc exchange.  Or one option, anyway.  Or maybe it could be its own exchange, since not everyone is into beading.
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dragonfaerie

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2011, 09:01:02 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;3934

If I ever finish it, I'll be happy to share pics.  Part of the problem is that I'm very picky about beads.  I don't like simulated "gemstones" or silver plated findings, and I want the beads in each section to be uniform sizes and shapes.  (I know, I know -- the perfect is the enemy of the good. :p )

 
Fire Mountain Gems has an excellent selection of precious stone beads in all shapes and sizes for what I think are reasonable prices. Of course, every time I say that, someone else swoops in with some comment about how they're expensive and such and so site is better... :eek:

Karen

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2011, 09:44:37 pm »
Quote from: dragonfaerie;6679
Fire Mountain Gems has an excellent selection of precious stone beads in all shapes and sizes for what I think are reasonable prices. Of course, every time I say that, someone else swoops in with some comment about how they're expensive and such and so site is better... :eek:

Karen

 
Well I'm with you, Karen- I love FMB! Their selection is great, and their prices have always been reasonable to me.
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JuniperMorgan

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2011, 10:59:21 pm »
Quote from: dragonfaerie;6679
Fire Mountain Gems has an excellent selection of precious stone beads in all shapes and sizes for what I think are reasonable prices. Of course, every time I say that, someone else swoops in with some comment about how they're expensive and such and so site is better... :eek:

Karen

 
I'll have to check them out - thank you!  They've got to be better for selection and price than JoAnn's or Michaels, the two local options I have.  I used to do swaps for gemstone beads - but that group died out.

JM
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Aster Breo

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Re: Prayer Beads for Brighid
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2011, 02:28:37 am »
Quote from: dragonfaerie;6679
Fire Mountain Gems has an excellent selection of precious stone beads in all shapes and sizes for what I think are reasonable prices. Of course, every time I say that, someone else swoops in with some comment about how they're expensive and such and so site is better... :eek:

Karen

 
I've purchased beads and other things (clasp, wire, etc.) from FMG and been happy with them.  From what I can tell, FMG is pretty good about disclosing treated stones and simulations.  That said, I've often been disappointed with their selection.

TBH, I haven't found a bead source that consistently has everything I'm looking for.  I usually end up ordering different pieces of a project from different vendors.  Besides FMG, I've had good luck with some Etsy bead vendors, Lima Beads, and Beads on Sale, but -- just like on ebay and any other site, really -- you have to be on the lookout for problems.  

Unfortunately, there's a pretty big problem in the bead and gemstone biz with false or misleading descriptions.  F'ex, I see a lot of "natural, genuine blue quartz" beads, but quartz doesn't actually occur naturally in that clear blue color.  (If you're interested in learning about how to tell if your stones/beads are genuine and/or treated, there's a fantastic forum filled with very helpful gemstone experts and info on evaluating stones and beads.  I can't think of the name right now, even though I post there fairly regularly.  :o  But if anyone is interested, I can easily get it from the other laptop.)

I also have a couple of excellent local bead shops.  (Karen, we're in the same geographic area, I think, so if you don't already know about them and would like the info, let me know.)  The problem there is that they're a lot more expensive than purchasing online.  But you can really examine them and get a good sense of their energy when you buy locally.

OTOH, I understand that many people are just looking for beads they like and aren't concerned with whether their stones are genuine or treated or whatever.  I'm very picky, though -- probably because I have a geology background.  *shrug*
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