Eastern Orthodox Prayer Beads

 
 

Archbishop Mikhail Mouskos IIIIn the Orthodox traditions of Turkey, Greece, Romania, and Russia, using prayer beads of knotted ropes is a monastic devotion, often (but not always) reserved for men. Depending on the particular tradition, a prayer strand may have 100 or 103 beads. A Romanian Orthodox prayer rope made to be worn on the wrist has 33 knots. While most rosaries are strung in the traditional circular form, Russian Orthodox beads are strung in such a way as to resemble a ladder, a theme in keeping with the general Orthodox belief that prayer is the primary way for the soul to make its spiritual ascent to heaven. Central to Orthodoxy is a continual repetition of the Jesus Prayer: Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me as a sinner. The prayer is a means of achieving a spiritual union with God, and the rope is used to count the number of times the prayer is said.

Dharma Beads: Making and Using Your Own Buddhist Malas
Joanna Arettam (2000) Journey Editions; Tuttle Publishing

 

Dharma Beads: Making and Using Your Own Buddhist Malas

Dharma Beads: Making and Using Your Own Buddhist Malas

Joanna Arettam (2000) Journey Editions; Tuttle Publishing

The practice of meditating with Buddhist malas has been a tradition for thousands of years. With so many people searching for spiritual expression and Buddhism being so popular, its no wonder that a rosary from a 2500 year-old religion has become the hottest trend in contemporary culture. Dharma Beads looks beyond just the hip aspect of wearing Buddhist malas and presents a thoughtful presentation of authentic Tibetan mala traditions and customs. Whatever your spiritual tradition, you can use malas to help you create and maintain a state of quiet reflection: a cloister of the mind.

In this book you'll find fully illustrated easy-to-follow instructions to make three 27-bead malas, a brief history of the use of beads for meditation and prayer around the world, the story of the development of malas in Buddhist tradition, simple suggestions for beginning a spiritual practice using your malas, and color photographs from around the world.