How to Tie Prayer Knots
The tying of knots for counting prayers has been a traditional spiritual practice within Christianity for hundreds of years. According to Kimberly Winston, the use of knots as opposed to beads in prayer ropes has been most prominent within the Eastern Orthodox faith. However, the practice of tying prayer knots can be employed by anyone exploring approaches to repetitive meditation. Prayer knots are simple in design and can be created within moments.
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Instructions
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Hold the ends of both strings horizontally, side by side between the thumb and index finger of your left hand.
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Use your right hand to pick up the bottom string and pull it over the top string to create a loop that is 3 to 4 cm in diameter. Use the middle finger of your left hand to hold the loop in place. Be sure to continue holding the ends of both strings horizontally between your thumb and index finger.
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Use your right hand to pick up the end of the end of the bottom string again. Pull the end over the top string once again to create a second 3- to 4-cm loop on the left side of the first loop. Use the middle finger of your left hand to hold both loops in place.
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Use your right hand to pick up the free end of the bottom string again. Place this end through the center of the two loops from the left side, then pull the length of the string through the right side until only 7 to 8 cm remain.
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Use your left hand to pull both strings that you have been holding between your left thumb and index finger. At the same time, use your right hand to pull the last 7 to 8 cm of slack through the two loops. Keep pulling with both hands until you have a tight knot in the shape of a cross.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider using string of two different colors to help you differentiate between the top and bottom strings.
