Komboloi beads greek worry beads22:31 Jul 28 2008
Times Read: 599
Komboloi worry beads resemble prayer beads, but, unlike them, bear no religious significance. They are merely an instrument of relaxation and stress management.
The Greek word for worry beads: kompo~loi (Greek: êïìðï~ëüé) also derived from this expression: "in each knot he says" which in Greek language is translated to "se kathe kompo leo" "Greek: óå êÜèå êüìðï ëÝù".
Home Go back
Worry Beads - Komboloi & Begleri - Tons Of New Worrybeads!!!
We just received a huge shipment of worrybeads from Greece in all different colors and styles. All of our worry beads are authentic and made in Greece! Worry beads are the perfect gift for a Greek gentleman. Browse below our large selection of worry beads, komboloi, begleri and beberia.
Need a large order of worrybeads? Please contact us and we can obtain large orders of 100 or more worry beads for your special event.
Evil Eye Worry Beads Classic Worry Beads Glass & Metal Worry Beads
Worry Beads With Tassles Worry Bead Gift Packs & Sets Silver Worry Beads
Begleri
Worry Beads History
Worry beads first appeared in India, invented to help count prayers. They consisted of a series of fruit pits, punctured and stringed on a piece of string. By the time fruit pits were replaced by amber, ivory, coral, semiprecious stones, or other precise stones and noble metals. Then a tassel was added and a “papas” (the bead that marks the beginning and end of its cycle). They embellished them in various ways and thus created a work of art. A collectable jewel , that soon became a symbol of wealth, prestige, power and culture. they were used by Maharajahs, Sultans, Pashas, Emirs and generally those having and keeping. They were something between jewel and sceptre.
The Greek word for worry beads is kompoloi (Greek: êïìðïëüé), often spelled koboloi, komboloi, or coboloi and was first introduced by the Turks. From the Turks it became popular, as an accessory at the hands of the dignitaries and sovereigns as symbol of force, wealth and power. Soon kompolois became popular among the common people as means for meditation and companion in lounging and to calm the pain.
Because kompoloi is a accessory able to cover various human needs, it passed to the hands of antisocial elements. For them it became symbol of independence, freedom and reactive and rough behaviour. The above, in addition to the intensification of the production and the rhythms of life after the second World War, lead to the decay of kompoloi, since the new conditions and ideologies created societies of people struggling to success and survive. During that period worry beads were only popular among religious people. They used names such as Deitiko Stefani tis Panagias (Greek: äåçôéêü óôåöÜíé ôçò ÐáíáãéÜò), meaning "Praying Crown of Virgin Mary" or paterimi (Greek: ðáôåñÞìé). However the most common name for the religious worry beads is worry knots or komposkini (Greek: êïìðïóêïßíé), meaning a rope with knots, because the religious persons in each knot say a prayer. The Greek word for worry beads: kompo~loi (Greek: êïìðï~ëüé) also derived from this expression: "in each knot he says" which in Greek language is translated to "se kathe kompo leo" "Greek: óå êÜèå êüìðï ëÝù".
In our age, when rhythms of life are exhausting and stress, shopping, drinks, smoking, depression and antidepressant drugs have become a matter of everyday life, kompoloi makes a dynamic come-back and offers many solutions to the "dead ends" of contemporary life. Because kompoloi is:
- a way of giving up bad habits, such as smoking, nervousness or comfort eating, or biting our nails;
- a jewel, when it is strung with valuable beads made of amber, semi-precious stones or precious metals;
- a remedy, when it is made of semiprecious stones, which radiate a health-enhancing energy;
- a piece of art, when it is designed with high standards of aesthetics;
- a collector’s item, as it can be rare, beautiful, and precious;
- a symbol of strength, power, when it is artistic and precious;
- an amulet, when it contains symbols of our beliefs and good luck;
- a psychotherapist, because the massage to our fingers can relax our neural system;
- a home decorative for our the furniture, table and the walls;
- a joy for our senses, with its purling beads, silken touch, vibrant colours, and the magical scent of amber and aromatic wood;
- our personal trainer, because we can use it to train our fingers' skills.
- a heirloom, redolent of our forebears’ lives and the tales they told, and bearing the story of our own lives forward to generations to come;
- a medium between man and God, because it can be used as a rosary to count prayers
- a symbol of wealth; it points out that we have plenty of free time;
- a reflection of our personality, as it reflects our ego, in the same way as our car or our house does
This is why we are not exaggerating if we say "show me your worry beads and I’ll show you who you are".
In order for a kompoloi to be functional as a toy, it should consist of an odd number of beads, with a sum always equal to a modulus of four, plus one. So functional kompolois are only those with (4x4)+1=17, or (5x4)+1=21 etc beads.
So I have a pair with eyes made out of wood from Greece I made one out of amber so Max could have this pair since he is greek he might as well have it lol. Hehehe Thought I would share this new knowledge much like the mala bead just to relax and be with one with the universe. I loved the idea so of course I had to share with everyone... Could not find prayers or chants but who knew there are so many views on worry beads? I didnt hehehe
COMMENTS
-