| So you are tired of searching for information on | | | | electromagnetic waves. Others believe that |
| mystical beads? Don?t fret because your search | | | | wearing certain stones can affect your chakras or |
| ends here.. | | | | energy centers. |
| You go the small, hard to find shop. Once there, | | | | One legendary stone was known as the Black |
| the proprietor asks you to write your name and | | | | Prince's Ruby. [Edward, Prince of Wales |
| address- not deliver anything to you, but to | | | | (1330-1376) was called the Black Prince because |
| decide which stone beads are "right" for you. | | | | he wore black armor.] The ruby was so-called |
| Strings of specially chosen beads are created | | | | because it was a large red stone. Edward was |
| here in Okinawa by reinosha or shamans. These | | | | sixteen when his heroism during the Battle of |
| bracelets of elastic with the beads of aventurine, | | | | Crecy brought him praise; a later battle earned |
| turquoise, topaz, rose quartz and many other | | | | him the stone , already considered to be a |
| minerals or materials are supposed to change | | | | powerful amulet. Henry V wore it in his helmet at |
| your mood, or at least give you good luck. | | | | Agincourt; it was credited with saving his life when |
| Each string of beads is said to possess a particular | | | | the helmet was split by a battleaxe. Richard III |
| aura effective for the person the minerals were | | | | wore it at Bosworth. It is still the most celebrated |
| chosen for. There are Wooden Beads painted | | | | stone among the British Crown Jewels. |
| with Hiragana or Chinese characters to bring luck. | | | | Beads also have a rich history of spirituality and |
| Hematite wards off depression. Rock crystal | | | | ritual use that comes from prayer beads and the |
| brings strength. Mother-of-pearl attracts money, | | | | belief in healing powers of gemstones. For |
| and rose quartz can make you lucky in love. | | | | thousands of years, man has used beads to |
| WIKIPEDIA SAYS- Certain rocks,(such as | | | | adorn himself and aid in spiritual and ritual rites. |
| lapis-lazuli) and organic materials (such as amber or | | | | The root word for bead, bede means to pray, |
| jet) are strictly speaking not minerals, but are still | | | | and the earliest use of prayer beads is traced to |
| applied in jewelry and adornments, and are | | | | the Hindus. Stringing beads together allowed the |
| therefore often considered to be gemstones as | | | | user to keep track of the number of prayers |
| well. | | | | repeated. |
| Both stones and beads have long histories in the | | | | The traditional Buddhist mala is comprised of 108 |
| realm of magic and belief. | | | | beads , whereas Muslim prayer beads , called |
| From the Middle Ages onward knowledge of the | | | | subha or tisbah , contain 99 beads; the Catholic |
| healing or protective properties of stones was | | | | rosary consists of between 38 and 169 beads. |
| considered a crucial factor in alchemy medicine | | | | Once the church decided rosaries were better |
| and the occult , three branches of knowledge | | | | suited for counting devotions than for talismanic |
| which in those days were nearly one , together | | | | protection, persons of the cloth were forbidden |
| constituting the whole of current science. | | | | from carrying "pagan" rosaries made from coral, |
| The following list is of beads materials and their | | | | quartz or amber. |
| associations. | | | | DID YOU KNOW?In the middle ages ,opal was |
| Moonstone: Good fortune for lovers | | | | considered a stone that could provide great luck |
| Opal: Bestows hope | | | | because it was believed to possess all the virtues |
| Carnelian: PMS relief | | | | of each gemstone whose color was represented |
| Wood: Simplicity | | | | in the color spectrum of the opal. |
| Topaz: Power over wild animals | | | | Whether or not you believe in the power of |
| Tiger's eye: Courage | | | | stones or beads, all jewelry has some magic. |
| Apatite - Enhances creativity | | | | Perhaps you have inherited a ring which was |
| Citrine - Raises self esteem | | | | actually considered to be a lucky piece, worn daily |
| Garnet - Creates health | | | | by a great-grandparent? Or a gemstone in an |
| Labradorite - Aids digestion and metabolism | | | | unusual setting? Or a small string of coral beads |
| Pearl - Signifies faith | | | | whose original meaning as a christening gift has |
| Peridot - Overcomes anger and jealousy | | | | been largely forgotten? So rather than travel to |
| Quartz (clear) - Stimulates brain function | | | | Okinawa for a special shaman's bracelet, maybe |
| Based on the theory that stones, especially | | | | you should just dig through your jewelry box for |
| crystals vibrate at a certain frequency; a stone's | | | | some magic. |
| energy can be used to balance the body's | | | | |