Prayer / Meditation Beads (Revived and Revised)

[missgraceless]

http:// http://ecauldron.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1837

So ^ that link (hopefully it actually works, never shared a URL from Tapatalk) is another thread about prayer/meditation beads and how to go about making/using them. I'm reviving it because I now have the same questions, and a bit more.

I was thinking about making a few different sets, but don't know what patterns/templates there are. I know of the traditional 108 beads for Buddhism and Hinduism, and the standard Catholic rosary, but what else is out there? And how do the materials used play in?

[Jainarayan]

I know of the traditional 108 beads for Buddhism and Hinduism

 
Just to add... a mala doesn't have to be 108 beads. It can be 27, 54, 108, or some number in between. The number 108 has several meanings, some of which have to do with astronomy and other things I can't get my head to co-operate with. Other than that there's no requirement for 108 or any numbers that add up to 108. You don't even have to do a full 108 round unless you were initiated by a guru or lama and have taken the vow.

[missgraceless]

Just to add... a mala doesn't have to be 108 beads. It can be 27, 54, 108, or some number in between. The number 108 has several meanings, some of which have to do with astronomy and other things I can't get my head to co-operate with. Other than that there's no requirement for 108 or any numbers that add up to 108. You don't even have to do a full 108 round unless you were initiated by a guru or lama and have taken the vow.

I know it can be whatever you want it to be, not unlike paganism in general, but I'm not at all intuitive so I like having guidelines to these sorts of things.

Unfortunately due to... reasons, I don't have access to the internet other than Tapatalk and Amazon Kindle. Which means no external links. So for now, my research is strictly limited to things specifically posted on threads. And I really, truly *hate* having to ask people to do anything for me if I can normally do it myself. But right now, I'm just... stuck. And I don't like it.

[Valeria Crowe]

I know it can be whatever you want it to be, not unlike paganism in general, but I'm not at all intuitive so I like having guidelines to these sorts of things.

Unfortunately due to... reasons, I don't have access to the internet other than Tapatalk and Amazon Kindle. Which means no external links. So for now, my research is strictly limited to things specifically posted on threads. And I really, truly *hate* having to ask people to do anything for me if I can normally do it myself. But right now, I'm just... stuck. And I don't like it.

 
That sucks.

If you need anything googled, just drop me a PM, and I'll google it and copy-pasta.

[SunflowerP]

That sucks.

If you need anything googled, just drop me a PM, and I'll google it and copy-pasta.

 
This is fine (and a kind offer) if what you copypaste is public domain or a Creative Commons license that allows the copying, or if you have permission of the creator. Otherwise, we'd have to take it down for copyright violation, because that can get TC in trouble.

Sunflower
TC Forum Staff

[missgraceless]

That sucks.

If you need anything googled, just drop me a PM, and I'll google it and copy-pasta.

This is fine (and a kind offer) if what you copypaste is public domain or a Creative Commons license that allows the copying, or if you have permission of the creator. Otherwise, we'd have to take it down for copyright violation, because that can get TC in trouble.

Sunflower
TC Forum Staff

My situation requires interwebs supervision, but I would imagine if specific links were posted, I could actually check them out individually.

And I appreciate the offer, Cuthwin. I may take you up on it. As of right now I don't even know where to start looking, but we could keep everything here in the thread so others can find it.

But definitely make sure anything copypasted is public domain like Sunflower says.

[Valeria Crowe]

My situation requires interwebs supervision, but I would imagine if specific links were posted, I could actually check them out individually.

And I appreciate the offer, Cuthwin. I may take you up on it. As of right now I don't even know where to start looking, but we could keep everything here in the thread so others can find it.

But definitely make sure anything copypasted is public domain like Sunflower says.

 
Naturally, naturally.

I'm no pirate.

Arrr. Be no pirates here.

On topic, never tried meditation or prayer beads. Always seemed a touch mechanical or rote, but then my beliefs and organization of any sort never really got on.

[Jainarayan]

I know it can be whatever you want it to be, not unlike paganism in general, but I'm not at all intuitive so I like having guidelines to these sorts of things.

 
OK, gotcha. I was hoping that didn't think you had to do something a certain way because of rules (that don't always exist).

[Jainarayan]

On topic, never tried meditation or prayer beads. Always seemed a touch mechanical or rote, but then my beliefs and organization of any sort never really got on.

 
Fwiw, I always found them to be distracting. It was just easier to keep chanting.

[missgraceless]

Naturally, naturally.

I'm no pirate.

Arrr. Be no pirates here.

On topic, never tried meditation or prayer beads. Always seemed a touch mechanical or rote, but then my beliefs and organization of any sort never really got on.

One of my high school friends once told me that September 19th is National Talk Like A Pirate Day. Just a thought.

OK, gotcha. I was hoping that didn't think you had to do something a certain way because of rules (that don't always exist).

Oh nononono. I'm not one for rules, just guidelines.

[Jack]

I was thinking about making a few different sets, but don't know what patterns/templates there are. I know of the traditional 108 beads for Buddhism and Hinduism, and the standard Catholic rosary, but what else is out there? And how do the materials used play in?

Did you know there are other Catholic rosaries too? Sometimes they have different numbers of decades.
 
When I do prayer beads, unless they're specifically a mala or a rosary, what I do is think about what I want the prayers/chants/runes that go with the beads to be. The beads exist as a focus and a reminder, a thing where I don't have to be counting in the back of my head as I pray or chant. So once I know what I want the beads to remind me of, it's easy to know what numbers I'm going for.

I try to pick stones that I resonate with and that have the associations I want the prayer beads to have. For example, I have a mala that OctoberCross made for me that is hematite and it is AMAZING when I need to ground myself through anxiety. I have one that's sandalwood, for lightness, and one that's black pearl, for shadow. The best results will be from a set of prayer beads designed specifically for your use.

[Jainarayan]

Oh nononono. I'm not one for rules, just guidelines.

Then we're kind of alike. I rebel against rules, especially if I don't see the logic or purpose in them or I think they're just plain stupid (which is, of curse subjective). I like and need guidelines too. That's why we ask questions, isn't it?
 
Getting back to your original question about materials, while it's true some deities are said to prefer certain materials (using the Hindu perspective: Vishnu, tulsi wood; Shiva, rudraksha; Hanuman, coral) I don't believe any of that. I think any deity of any path or religion is happy for even the slightest show of devotion. That said, you could use tiny seashells that don't even have to be consistent in shape, for example;  loose wooden beads from craft stores, etc.

The only thing, at least in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions is that the 109th bead, called the guru bead or sumeru bead is the largest, and never counted on. In fact, when doing multiple rounds, you don't cross over it, but turn the mala around, back and forth each round. Btw, I'd use good strong string or even fishing line. If you want to get really into it and make them "professional, you could knot between each bead.

You may know all this already, so I apologize if it sounds condescending. I often write with lurkers in mind, who may be unfamiliar with a subject.