Use of prayer beads

[Arthra]

I'm curous to know how many here use prayer beads or mala or rosary... I'm not promoting them just thought it would be of interest to find out what the response is...

 

[Arthra]

Thanks to those people who have so far voted on the Poll! I've also posted the same Poll on a few other sites and as time passes I'll share results from each site!

- Art

 

[MercuryAndy]

I think only catholics use them.

 

[plmarquette]

moslems meditate upon the 100 names of God , with their beads that resemble a circle ...

like a mantra to remain focused , or like the catholic brothers to meditate upon the life of Jesus ...

to say an established prayer or worship in a religious form that you might be at peace with yourself first , then go to god in humility with your petition ..

 

[Gardenia]

I think only catholics use them.

Not true, actually. Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, all come to mind as using some form of prayer beads. There are other religions, also.

I also know several pagans of various traditions who use prayer beads, myself included. I have a few sets which I have made, though I don't use them very often. A few times a month, probably.

 

[SecretOfFatima]

I think some Anglicans also used them.

I remember watching this Anglican lady who was cured by Father Pio a few years after he had passed away (yes after he died), and until then she was not that religious but from that moment onwards she and all her family became true believer, and specially close to Padre Pio and to our Heavenly Mother.

I think that testmony also set many more of to truly understand the part our Blessed Heavenly Mother plays in all our salvation.

If I'm correct the United Kingdom has been one of the few countries to have been consecrate to the Heart of our Heavenly Mother, well most catholic countries have, as far as I know, like what was done to Russia as per the events sorrounding the Fatima Apparations.

 

[Annoula]

i use a prayer rope but not on a daily basis.

there were times that prayer with the prayer rope really made a difference.

the prayer rope or rosary (for the catholics) is a tool for prayer. i think it is useful because it helps the person concentrate.

i've heard that other christian dogmas use it too but i don't know exactly how.
and hindus use it.. never heard of the muslims though..
interesting..

 

[tocis]

Asatru has no rosaries or similar thingies (that I'm aware of), so...

 

[Arthra]

I just wanted to thank Tocis, Annoula, Gardenia, SecretofFatima, plmarquette and Andy for your posts and contributions.


- Art

 

[MercuryAndy]

I just wanted to thank Tocis, Annoula, Gardenia, SecretofFatima, plmarquette and Andy for your posts and contributions.


- Art

Yay.

 

[Jedidah]

I have both Catholic and Anglican rosaries. I don't pray them that often though.

 

[rahma]

Have I ever mentioned (maybe once or twice, or maybe a dozen times), that I love prayer beads?

I have several sets, some 33, some 99, and my favorite - a wooden set of 99 with a counter attached, so I can go up to 1000.

I posted a little something on my blog awhile back on my love affair with prayer beads.

 

[Zen_Woof]

Buddhists use malas to keep track of mantras. http://buddhism.about.com/od/meditation/a/Mala.htm

Metta,
ZW

 

[Arthra]

I think this is very educational and enrichening to read these contributions... Thank you!

- Art

 

[BondmaidenOfChrist]

I'm curious,
I've heared of prayer beads before,but how do you use them? Is there a set prayer,or...Well I don't know

 

[Arthra]

I'm curious,
I've heared of prayer beads before,but how do you use them? Is there a set prayer,or...Well I don't know

It depends on the tradition....

In Christianity Roman Catholics and Orthodox will use Prayer Beads... some to recite the Our Father or Hail Mary or other prayers.

In Islam it is used for the Names of Allah;

In Baha'i Faith to recite the Greatest Name;

In Hinduism and Buddhism to recite Mantra;

Prayer beads can be an aid for meditation and calming.

- Art

 

[Arthra]

Results thus far of the Use of Prayer Beads Polls:


Religious Forums:
I regularly use prayer beads: 30.43 %
Seldom use prayer beads: 0%
Own a set by seldom use them: 8.7 %
Never use prayer beads: 60.87 %

Interfaith Forums:
Regularly use beads: 50 %
Never use beads: 50%
(not statistically relevant, too few samples)


Christian Forums (Non-Christain Religion section) :
Regular use of beads: 30 %
Seldom use: 5 %
Own beads but rarely use them: 20 %
Never use beads: 45 %

Comparative Religion Forum:
Regular use: 25 %
Seldom use 0%
Own set but hardly use them: 25 %
Never use beads: 50 %

Planet Bahai:
Regular use of beads: 50%
Seldom use: 4%
Own a set but hardly use them: 21 %
Never use beads: 25%

I found that there were some interesting responses the few days or so on the various forums. In all I had posted the same poll on six forums. Two were statistically not relevant, that is there was clearly not enough samples or participants to make the poll that relevant... The best responses are posted above... The highest particpation was on Planet Baha'i with twenty eight votes... The next Forum with the most votes was Religious Forums with twenty three votes followed by Christian Forums with twenty two votes... followed by Comparative Religion Forum with eight votes. Altogether 81 people responded.

Most often I found Baha'is, Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, Buddhists and Hindus had the most positive attitudes about prayer beads while Evangelical Christians were usually the most negative about them. Evangelicals would make the statement that repetitive prayer was foreign to them and their prayers were more often informal and personal in nature.. Very few Muslims actually particpated in the polls which surprised me... Some of those who responded in the "never use" catagory were non-religious. There are quite a self proclaimed humanists or nontheists, atheists who frequent religious forums.

I noticed that the range of "never use beads" was from a low of 25% on Planet Baha'i to a high of 60.8 % on Religious Forums and the range of "regular use of beads" was from a low of 25% on the Comparative Religion Forum to a high of 50% on Planet Baha'i.

SO it was interesting to conduct this Poll on different sites and it reflects the general leanings I think of the population of each forum. But it still is a very small sampling overall although I think the most active particpants responded.

- Art