Preparing for Iona: Pearls of Life

I have a basket full of prayer beads.  The basket itself is a treasure because a dear friend knitted (or is it crocheted?) it for me.  Over the years I've bought a variety of prayer beads and quite a few more have been given to me--some of those hand made especially for me as well.  I am abundantly blessed.

As I get older, I feel the need for less and less new things.  I've got piles of books I haven't read, and enough stuff to fill a large house.  In fact, I find myself trying to give away more than I take in.

However, a week or so ago I bought some new prayer beads.  I'm going back to Iona at the very end of September with my best friend for a week of praying and walking the rhythm of that Holy Island.  I was perusing the Wild Goose website, the publisher of the religious community that lives on the island, and came across Pearls of Life.

Each of the eighteen beads or "pearls" on the bracelet represents a prayer.  This litany of prayer was created by Bishop Martin Lonnebo of the Swedish Lutheran Church while stranded on a Greek Island.

As I prepare for my pilgrimage to Iona, I've been praying one bead each day as part of my centering prayer practice.  I traveled to the desert today.

Each bead is called a pearl because each prayer is that precious.  The beads in my bracelet are actually glass and ceramic beads handmade from India through a fair trade company.  I've been thinking that it might be fun to create my own.

Because I wanted to share the whole scope of this prayer circle, here is the entire prayer litany:

The God Pearl
     You are boundless.  You are near.  You are light, and I am yours.

The Silence Pearl
     In God's silence may I be--quiet, still, craving nothing.

The I Pearl
     I am a drop in God's sea that reflects the sky.

The Baptism Pearl
     I am your child, my God, help me grow, help me mature.

A Silence Pearl
     In God's silence may I be--quiet, still, craving nothing.

The Desert Pearl
     Cleanse me so I will be clean.  Heal me so I will be whole.

A Silence Pearl
     In God's silence may I be--quiet, still, craving nothing.

The Serenity Pearl
     Help me really live, not only exist.

The First Love Pearl
     Open me now to the strength of love I long for.

The Second Love Pearl
     God, help me love.

The Mystery Pearls (there are three of these)
     Large or small, I entrust the secrets of my heart to your care.

The Night Pearl
     Be close to me in darkness so that I find the light.

Another Silence Pearl  
     In God's silence may I be--quiet, still, craving nothing.

The Resurrection Pearl
     Every breath me in you you in me.

A final Silence Pearl
     In God's silence may I be--quiet, still, craving nothing.