Remember the project I've been working on? Well, today is TA-DA day! This is what I created out of a stash of miscellaneous wooden beads collected from broken and discarded jewelry bought at thrift stores, yard sales and eBay sellers. Some one somewhere no longer wanted the beads and got rid of them. That's where I come in with my designs. I work at making beauty out of the broken. This endeavor has and does bring so much happy time to my life, there's no describing it in words. I am a proponent of fostering one's creative spirit, because that's where peace and harmony exists within us. The beloved birch branch is from a forest in Wisconsin. The piece is my way of genuflecting before Mother Nature while thanking Her for all her wondrous gifts. Like the Giving Tree I wrote about the other day, She gives us her ALL.
- Wooden beads represent Nature's beauty and resilience. Each bead retains the energy and life force of the tree it came from. This natural connection fosters a deeper sense of peace and stability.
- Tibetan Buddhist monks wear wooden bead bracelets as symbols of simplicity and mindfulness to remind them to remain present, grounded and connected to their spiritual goals. (Have you noticed how Richard Gere is always seen wearing a wooden bead bracelet on his right hand?)
- Mala beads, typically 108 beads, are used in Buddhist meditation to count mantras or breaths. Mala's aren't limited to any specific spiritual practice and can be used by anyone seeking mindfulness and focus.
- What is the logic of 108 beads? Research shows that the diameter of the Sun multiplied by 108 equals the distance between the Sun and the Earth. The diameter of the Moon multiplied by 108 equals the distance between the Earth and the Moon. The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. That is the reason for 108 mala beads.
- Wooden beads are a perfect way to bring a touch of earthiness into one's home.
When I look at this wall hanging, I wonder...........where did the wood in each bead originate? what is each bead's story? who cut the tree down? who shaped the wood into a bead? who chose to apply color to the wood cuz the beads are different colors? where did each bead travel to end up in my stash where it has been given a new life and new purpose?
The piece could represent the four stages of life: childhood, early adulthood (teens to 40), middle adulthood (40s to mid-60s) and late adulthood (mid-60s onward).
Or....it could represent the prayers that are privately prayed by the people who bless our home with their presence. Do we now have a prayer wall?
Just stop to think how many prayers are being said every day across the globe? in how many languages? how many cultures? to how many divine beings? how many tears are cried while the prayers are being said? how many prayers are unspoken, how many are whispered, and how many are screamed out in despair?
By combining all the beads as I did, we now have an original wall hanging that mirrors human brokenness and being tossed aside. Yet, no matter how broken we may become, someone will come along and appreciate us for who we genuinely are. Finding beauty in the broken is my secret to keeping my soul happy. Give me a box of tangled up discarded and broken jewelry, my tools, and I'm sitting on a step to Heaven.
The wall hanging doesn't have a title yet, but I'll come up with one.