Submitted by Tirgereh
The rosary prayers use the decade format of prayer beads, since it is by far the easiest to obtain in North America. Many catholic churches have a small amount of token rosaries that they give out to guests and children. Christian and catholic stores carry beautiful rosaries for under $10 and as high as $100. I would recommend being friendly, but vague with store owners when purchasing rosaries. Assure them the rosaries will be well loved and used, refraining from mentioning anything about witchcraft.
The wooden beaded rosaries
are especially simple to alter for pagan use. The wooden beads may
be easily painted if you so desire to attune with the individual witch's
workings, the elements or the god/dess honored. The crucifix or cross
is usually
connected with a metal ring
that may be easily opened with a pair of pliers to replace it with something
more in tune with nature-based religions.
The Chaplet is divided into five decades with four Dividing Beads and a fifth one called the Medal, which may be of the same sort as the Divider Beads or a charm. The Terminal will be linked to this Medal or Divider Bead.The Parts of the Rosary
The Divider Beads: There are four (or five if no Medal) larger or differently sized beads separating the Decades. For pagan use, I highly recommend using charms representing the four phases of the moon: full, waning, waxing and new.
The Decades: are five sets of ten beads dividing the Chaplet. For pagan use instead of using the Mysteries of Mary, divide each decade into one of the five elements, the witch's individual tradition or path will dictate the order for the rosary or the pentagram order listed below.
The Medal: This may be easily
replaced by a crystal or totem animal. Craft stores often have crystals
wrapped with wire with two ringed ends for use in creating bracelets and
necklaces, these are perfect for use as a medal. Other charms, like
totem animals
such as a bear or bird are
plentiful in craft stores. This may be the perfect chance to pilfer the
jewelry box for charms from unworn treasures!
Pendant: is connected to the necklace-like chaplet by a Divider Bead or Medal with three to five beads in between the pendant and the medal. In Christian rosaries, the Pendant is often a Cross or Crucifix. For pagan use, I highly recommend using a Pentagram, Star, Moon, crystal or Goddess image instead of the cross, which in Celtic runes symbolizes restraint and is not at all in keeping with the 'unbound' nature of witch prayers.
