FEEL: sustainable ~ abundant ~ fulfilling

I have worn this intention bracelet since my friend Sam and I each picked one up at Wanderlust Stratton in 2017. Our jewelry making friend Lyn showed me how to tie a special knot in the string so I could remove it when I wanted to, but I decided that that was defeating the purpose of the bracelet.

I assigned each rudraksha bead a word—sustainable, abundant and fulfilling. They seemed to fall together in a natural way, and I felt they were equally important for successful and meaningful endeavors. Those three words soon became a mantra for me, and a litmus test when faced with new opportunities. This three-legged stool has been a source of daily stability for me for more than a year.

My bracelet fell off quite unexpectedly Saturday night. Countless times over the past several months I would stare at the single thread that held the beads to my wrist. So many days I thought “today’s the day … is my bracelet’s work done?” But it wasn’t until a year and a half after I chose it that the strand fell into my washcloth while I was showering.

The idea of an intention bracelet is to be constantly reminded of that which is most important to you. Bracelets like mine are meant to be temporary, falling off when they’ve done their job.

All losses require time for adjustment. My arm feels naked, and I stop myself before I chant the three words I repeated to myself daily since June of 2017. There were days that my string of rudrakshas frustrated me, because it would get tangled with the mala bracelets I like to stack on my arms. And lately the thread has looked dingy and stretched out. It was really just a matter of time, but … was I ready?

I think I’ll wait for my next intention bracelet to come to me. I have a word for 2019 (see the video below), and I kind of like the idea of finding out what the Universe has in store for me. For now, I give thanks to the focus these beads have provided me, and look forward to what’s next.