Greek Worry Beads Take Your Stress Away
February 19th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Most of us have heard of a lucky rabbit’s foot. Those furry creations meant to bring us luck and fortune. Although not made from the actual foot of any bunny, they are cute and can give someone a boost they wouldn’t otherwise have. Another item that can help a person to feel better is Greek worry beads. These brightly colored strings of beads are popular in Greece and now they’re being recognized and embraced all over the world.
People who have had the luxury of traveling to this beautiful country have likely already seen a set of these. Greek worry beads are often seen strung up in the homes of those who live in Greece. They are a symbol of tranquility and the beads are said to help relieve worry. It’s not unusual to find several sets of beads hung up throughout a home.
It’s also not uncommon to see people in Greece carrying the beads with them. They may keep a set in the car. You’ll likely see some hanging from the rear view mirrors in vehicles there, and some people even keep a set in their pocket or purse. A great place to see many sets of worry beads is at the airport in Athens. Anxious flyers often hold tight to their beads during flights. It helps to relax them.
In addition to help ward off stress, many people turn to them for even more support. They are said to have helpful qualities when it comes to stopping smoking and even losing weight. Rubbing the worry beads is suggested whenever a person feels stressed or overwhelmed. When you are trying to break an addiction to nicotine or food, rubbing them can really be an important aid. This is one of the reasons so many people offer the beads as a gift to others.
Finding them outside the Greek Islands isn’t difficult at all. Many countries are now catching on to the worry bead craze. You can find them all over the world. If you are looking for authentic Greek worry beads though, ensure that’s where they were originally made. They will usually be called Komboloi worry beads. This suggests that they were indeed crafted in Greece.
If you know someone who struggles with worry and stress, buy a set for them as well. Although they may be just a tad bit skeptical of the power of Greek worry beads, once they hold them, they’ll understand their charm. They do indeed offer comfort and by rubbing your finger or thumb over them, you’ll feel the stress just melt away. In our stress-filled world, almost everyone can benefit from having a set of these unique beads.
A Review of the Book “The End Of Mr Y” by Scarlett Thomas
September 15th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
British novelist Scarlett Thomas bears the burden of being a Bright Young Thing, part of the controversial New Puritans movement, and voted by the Independent as one of the best young writers of 2001.
If any proof was needed that his 35-years old lives up to the hype, then this book is it: a breathless narrative that propels you forward relentlessly like a bullet train; meaty ideas about love, life and the universe; and a delirious valentine to the pleasures of reading.
“The End of Mr Y” is all this, and you get a crash course on metaphysics to boot.
The protagonist Ariel Manto is a smart young woman, a PhD candidate who reads voraciously, sometimes to the detriment of life and the whole business of living.
Any bookworm can identify with her when she says: “Real life is physical. Give me books instead” Give me the invisibility of the contents of books, the thoughts, the ideas, the images. Let me become part of a book; I would give anything for that.”
She soon gets her wish when she stumbles upon a rare copy of The End Of Mr Y. The book is written by an obscure Victorian writer, Thomas Lumas, about whom Ariel is writing a thesis.
She discovers within its pages the secret to accessing the “Troposphere”, a sort of universe of the collective unconscious where she can leap into the minds and bodies of other living beings. She rapidly becomes addicted to trawling through this space but there are deadly dangers afoot.
This book is like a literary equivalent of the science-fiction hit movie, The Matrix, where a rollicking adventure story conceals a sneaky raft of ideas about sub-atomic particles, existence and reality.
As she gets sucked into the pleasures of living vicariously through the Troposphere, Thomas draws adeft parallel with bibliophiles who preere the thrills of armchair travelling to experiencing real life. In introducing real world threats which cross over to the Troposphere, however, she acknowledges that reading can be the most dangerous pursuit of all. After all, it is a never-ending quest for knowledge and you know where that led Eve.
If there is a complaint about this book it is that characterisation takes a backseat to plot and ideas. Ariel, despite, or perhaps because of, her erudition, is a mixed up mess in her personal life, embroiled and completely unable to sort through her finances.
Still this is a minor quibble given the other riches in this novel. You know a book is a keeper when it has succeeded in shifting your universe a stomach lurching degree off its usual axis.
