Customizing your rosaries
One of the beauties of rosaries is that they can be made from almost anything – glass or plastic, wood, semi-precious gemstones. So how do you go about choosing the rosaries that are right for you? Because rosaries are such a personal item, slipping through your fingers in time and in tune with your innermost prayers and thoughts, there are some questions you find helpful in guiding you to the right rosaries.
What colors have meaning for me and will lead me to a state of prayer?
Different colors inspire different and specific feeling in people. For example, I always feel calmed by ocean colors – the blue and green of the water, the beige and white of the sands. So for my rosaries, I choose aquas, teals, ambers, tans, greens and pearly whites. You have to ask yourself what colors make you feel most attuned to relaxation, reflection and prayer and choose your rosaries accordingly.
What bead materials speak most to me?
Beads can be made from just about anything you can poke a hole in, opening a world of possibilities for rosary makers. But just as there are colors that are more meaningful to each of us, some materials will have more meaning, too. When I make rosaries, I like to use glass and stone. I love coolness of the glass beads when I first pick them up, and I like the way they warm up in my hands as I move through the prayers. To me, this mirrors the progression of my mind through my prayer time, starting a bit detached, but, with repetition, heating up. Crystal, too, is especially meaningful to me for rosaries. It seems harder and more colorful then regular glass. In refracts light, breaking it into component parts. With my rosaries, I want my prayers to refract the meaning and yearning of my heart. Stones are solid and enduring – the way I like to think of myself. Think about the various materials described here and ask yourself which best reflects the goals you have set for your prayer time. Perhaps you will see connections between materials and your own situation that no one else can see. Those will be the right rosaries for you.
Do I want my rosaries to have a theme?
You could buy rosaries that symbolize the four elements, with sections of beads devoted by color or material to earth, water, fire, and air. You could have rosaries that represent your prayers for your family or children, by incorporating their birthstones. The possibilities are endless. You just have to put some thought into the meaning behind them.