Beads to De-Stress

Just had to share something that an acquaintance told me about this morning.  I'm sure that all of us get stressed or upset from time to time, and it may take us a while to get over feeling that way.  Something that might actually help calm and soothe us is beads.  Yes, you read right, beads.

Now how can something as simple as beads help de-stress us?  I was asking myself the same question.  Apparently, Buddhists and Hindus have been using prayer or mala beads for some time, those long necklace-like objects that you see people fingering.  They use the beads to help count their prayers, but they also use the beads to aid in meditation, to keep their focus on clearing their minds through repeating a mantra over and over again.

When I started to use the beads to help myself relax, I was skeptical.  I began quickly, going from one bead to the next.  Then, as I progressed, I began to slow down, concentrating on each bead as I felt it between my fingers.  My mind began to clear and I became more at peace.

Some people spend a lot on buying mala necklaces or bracelets made from semiprecious stones, but you can also make your own out of plain, smooth round beads.  Just pick beads of a size comparable to mala beads at a bead or craft store and string them together.  That's what my acquaintance did, and her mala bracelets are both practical and beautiful.

So, if you're looking for a way to calm down and de-stress, try counting beads.

I am calm and at peace on the perch...I am calm and at peace on the perch...