I write a regular blog describing some of the situations I have to face as someone with depression and anxiety and how I have used worry beads to help me through them.
I thought readers might find it useful if I was to describe which sets of worry beads I use. I am in the lucky position that I can try out different types on different situations and see which ones are the most effective for each situation. I do hope this will help you in making your selection.
As the title suggests I use a 1Pear, 2Pear and a 3Pear worry beads on a regular basis.
My 1Pear (Walnut pear with steel chain and 17 Moss Agate and Black Onyx stones) is my relaxer. I slowly run the stones down the chain to slow my heart rate and get a better form of relaxation. It is difficult to describe but I do feel better when using them than not. I start the day with them and use them while I am watching TV. I finish the day with them as well and find I fall asleep much quicker as I am more relaxed. I will also use them if I know I am going to get into a stressful situation. By pre-empting anxiety I find I can avoid an attack completely, well most of the time, nothings perfect! I also use the image of worry beads moving slowly when I work out. I don’t take them into the gym but by closing my eyes I can use the memory to slow my heart rate and get more exercise done. As to the design of my 1Pear, I chose walnut both for its reputation as being a beautiful wood and it being a darker colour. I am always getting feedback that traditional worry beads and our 1Pear are more for the ladies than gentlemen. I completely disagree and using walnut, with steel and a mixture of dark stones make my set look masculine.
The 2Pear I use when I am bored with the 1Pear. Due to my illness I need to “force” relaxation far more frequently than others so I have to admit I get bored with the same tricks with the 1Pear. Switching to the 2Pear and doing simple tricks with them keeps me focused on the worry beads and not on the stresses of everyday life. I do the tricks as slow as I can manage and this once again brings my heart rate down and I relax. I also use the 2Pear when I have intense anxiety. As I do not use the 2Pear all the time my concentration on the slow moving pears distracts me from whatever is driving my anxiety. As to my choice of wood I went for a yew set as yew has a beautifully smooth surface, certainly the most smooth and tactile of all the hard woods we use. It is also nice that after many months of using then the wood has mellowed with age and they are very much my own unique set and part of me. I chose a leather cord as I love the way the cord goes from stiff like a new pair of shoes to being soft and pliable purely down to the addition of warmth from my fingers and natural oil from my hands. This makes my 2Pear a part of me as with the 1Pear.
My 3Pear is a recent addition to my “anxiety kit”. I am a bit of a workaholic and much of that is done with a computer. I find that if what I am typing is stressful I will slip back into bad habits such as picking scabs (disgusting I know). I roll the three pears in my spare hand (I am afraid I type with one hand) and the slow motion keeps my heart rate down but also keeps my fingers occupied and unavailable for the bad habits. I have found using them a nice alternative to the 1Pear and 2Pear so have found myself recently using them to relax as well. The beauty of all the sets are they can be interchanged whenever you feel like it, there are no rules, just what works for you.
Kevin
The English Worry Bead Co
www.englishworrybeads.uk