from the allwitchcrafts list at yahoo groups

I wanted to create prayer beads that I could take with me outdoors for a subtle ritual that wouldn't get much attention (I feel like I need to be careful, living in the Bible Belt). These beads are used to focus your attention on each step of creating a circle, though they can also be used to recite poems for each step in honor of the directions and the Lord and Lady.

The beads can each be whatever color works best for you. They can be joined together by wire and jump rings or by stringing onto beading thread using smaller beads as spacers. It's all up to you. I'll just list the bead's purpose below, starting from the bottom strand, up to the connecting donut shape, then around the looped strand that connects back to the donut shape (Hope this makes sense without a picture)...

1. charm/symbol (sun, moon, pentacle) (would be the cross on a typical rosary)

spacers

2. Bead: Purification of Self

spacers

3. Bead: Purification of Space

spacers

4. Donut: Creation of the Circle (would be the Y connector on a typical rosary)

spacers (starting the looped strand that will eventually connect back onto the donut.

5. Bead: Welcoming the North Guardian

spacers

6. Bead: Welcoming the East Guardian

spacers

7. Bead: Welcoming the South Guardian

spacers

8. Bead: Welcoming the West Guardian

spacers (use more if you want to set apart the Goddess/God/Higher Self

beads)

9. Bead: Welcoming the Goddess

spacers

10. Bead: Welcoming the God

spacers

11. Bead: Welcoming your Higher Self/Guardian Angel

spacers (use more if you want to set apart the Goddess/God/Higher Self

beads)

12. Bead: Spells/Honoring/Meditation/Visualization

spacers

13. Bead: Earthing the Energy

spacers

14. Bead: Offerings/Cakes&Ale/Salt

spacers

15. Bead: Thanks and Goodbye (This bead signals to go back to the Higher Self bead #11 and work your way back through the God, Goddess, West, South, East, North, and say thanks and goodbye...ending back at the donut and dissipating the circle.)

spacers, connecting back to the Donut shape.

*****

On my ritual beads I just used a strand of round agate beads. With their variations in colors and patterns it was easy to find beads that fit each instance...without having to spend a lot of money on different types of beads. I used eye pins to hold each of the beads with a small silver bead on either side, and connected them all together with silver jump rings, using more jump rings to set the  Goddess/ God/ HigherSelf beads apart. I wrapped silver wire around the donut shape to be able to connect my strands of beads to it. I'm going to get a sun/moon charm to finish it off.

Brightest Blessings,

Veyla

Ritual Prayer Beads