Interspecies Prayer Beads
- Aurora
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
I’ve always been fascinated by the different methods of prayer since I was a child. My first introduction to the Catholic Rosary came through a classmate whose family prayed it regularly. Although I wasn’t raised Catholic, I was immediately drawn to the feel of a string of beads in the hand and the idea that each bead could hold a different prayer.
In my teens and early twenties, I learned about malas and their use in Hinduism and Buddhism. I still remember walking into a Tibetan shop one afternoon and being completely amazed by the variety of malas on display — each one carrying its own lineage of devotion. As an earth-based practitioner, one of my first sets of prayer beads was made of amber. Its design echoed the structure of a Catholic rosary, except that a acorn hung where a crucifix would traditionally be.
Creating a Prayer Garland
For my Interspecies Practice, I decided to try my hand at creating a prayer garland. A prayer garland is a single, continuous strand of beads. This one is made of thirty‑one prayer beads. Between each bead sits a small seed bead as a spacer, giving my fingers a clear way to move from one prayer bead to the next without confusion — and, I think, adding a quiet beauty to the overall design.
Along the strand are sets of four matching beads I call the Species Beads. These mark the prayers that shift and change. Between each set of Species Beads are the Creator Beads, which hold a repeated prayer — the steady rhythm that anchors the whole garland.
Devotion in Every Bead
1 large Glass Heart Bead (Beginning and Ending Prayer)
3 Brass Beads (Divine Creator Beads)
4 Green Glass Beads (Plant Kingdom Beads)
3 Brass Beads (Divine Creator Beads)
4 Reddish Glass Beads (Pollinators Beads)
3 Brass Beads (Divine Creator Beads)
4 Blue Glass Beads (Aquatic Life Beads)
3 Brass Beads (Divine Creator Beads)
4 Brown Glass Beads (Land Dweller Beads)
3 Brass Beads (Divine Creator Beads)
So, Let’s Begin:
Take a moment to settle your thoughts.
Breathe easily.
Now, let’s try a foundation breathing exercise that goes like this:
Inhale for the count of four,
Hold for the count of four,
Exhale for the count of four,
Pause for the count of four.
Repeat.
The Practice
Using Your Interspecies Prayer Beads
When you feel settled and relaxed, pick up your prayer bead garland and hold it in your dominant hand. Let the strand drape across the backs of your fingers, resting lightly. Gently hold the large Heart Bead between your index finger and thumb. This position allows you to move from bead to bead with ease, drawing each one over the inside of your fingers and letting the strand lengthen across your palm.
With time, you may discover a hand position that feels more natural to you. For now, begin with this method and let your body learn the rhythm of it.
The Heart Bead
While holding the Heart Bead, recite the opening prayer:
“As I am part of the Divine Creation, with my own inner world and life; so are all species, part of that Divine Creation, with their own inner world and life; connected and yet separate, each whole and sacred.”
The Three Divine Creator Beads
Gently move the Heart Bead down with your thumb until your index finger and then your thumb rest on the first of the Three Divine Creator Beads. Recite one line for each bead, moving it gently with your thumb as before.
“Divine Creator of all life”
“Grant me wisdom and compassion”
“For all species of the earth”
First Species Group: The Plant Kingdom
Move gently through the next fous beads, drawing each bead across your index finger. Recite one line for each bead:
“For the plants and trees of the deep forest”
“For the plants of the dry desert”
“For the plants of the treeless plains”
“For the windswept vegetation of the regal mountains”
Return to the Three Divine Creator Beads, and recite:
“Divine Creator of all life”
“Grant me wisdom and compassion”
“For all species of the earth”
Second Species Group: The Pollinators
Move gently through the next four beads, drawing each bead across your index finger. Recite one line for each bead:
“For the tireless buzzing bees”
“For the moonlit glistening moths”
“For the vibrant colored butterflies”
“For the soft-winged beetles”
Again, return to the Three Divine Creator Beads and recite:
“Divine Creator of all life”
“Grant me wisdom and compassion”
“For all species of the earth”
Third Species Group: Aquatic Life
Move gently through the next four beads, drawing each bead across your index finger. Recite one line for each bead:
“For deep ocean invertebrates”
“For windswept lake gill-bearers”
“For still pond amphibians”
“For winding marsh habitats”
Return once more to the Three Divine Creator Beads:
“Divine Creator of all life”
“Grant me wisdom and compassion”
“For all species of the earth”
Fourth Species Group: Land Dwellers
Move gentle through the four beads, drawing each bead across your index finger. Recite one line for each bead:
“For the small mammals who burrow and shelter in the earth”
“For the four-legged wanderers of field, forest and meadow”
“For the seed keepers, soil turners, quiet foragers.”
“For all who walk, crawl, or scamper upon the earth”
Again, return to the Three Divine Creator Beads and recite:
“Divine Creator of all life”
“Grant me wisdom and compassion”
“For all species of the earth”
"May It Be So."
