By Kathryn Price
The ‘Pearls of Life’ form an ecumenical rosary that comes from Lund in Sweden.
They were created to be an aid for all Christians to deepen their journey with God. The beads are in a circle and, in times of prayer and reflection, you work your way around each pearl, starting and finishing with the same pearl, namely the large gold bead which symbolizes God, who is our beginning, our end and everything beyond. The rosary contains different coloured beads which signify identity, baptism, the desert, serenity, silence, love, mystery, night and resurrection.
As well as working your way round each pearl in turn as an act of personal prayer and reflection, they can also be explored as a group activity in worship with different stations for each pearl:
- Pearl of God (gold): variants of the Lord’s Prayer for prayer and meditation
- Pearls of silence (long, beige): sit in silence, allowing your mind to wander freely
- ‘I’ Pearl (small white): mould a clay pot, reflecting on God as the potter moulding you
- Pearl of baptism (large white): sit by the font, remembering baptismal commitments
- Desert Pearl: walk through a labyrinth, making the most of time ‘in the wilderness’
- Serenity Pearl (blue): sit by a water feature, light a candle, look and listen
- Love Pearls (two red): read George Herbert’s ‘Love bade me welcome’ or write your own love letter
- Pearls of Mystery: (3 small white): take some time for private prayer about the mysteries of God and life
- Night Pearl (black): listen to some reflective music, perhaps from a Requiem and reflect on the need for God in times of darkness and trouble;
- Resurrection Pearl: reflect on different images of Christ;
- Pearl of God: anoint yourself with oil, ready to use your reflections to go back into the world, refreshed and ready to continue.
Set up a separate room with refreshments, books and other activities, making sure there is always someone to talk to if people need to.
www.rukoushelmet.net/English.htm has further information about the Pearls, together with other ways of using them.
In the UK, Wild Goose have produced a book with the Pearls included.
