PEARLS OF LIFE
© 2014, 2015 Johan Dalman, Thomas Lerner (interview with Martin Lönnebo), Ann Lagerström (interviews) and Verbum AB, Sweden Translated by Rachel Stenback Bible verse quoted from King James Version Frälsarkransen™ 2008: Verbum AB, Sweden Originator of Frälsarkransen/The Pearls of Life: Martin Lönnebo Bible verses quoted from King James Version Quote from Dag Hammarskiöld’s Vägmärken/Markings translated by Leif Sjöberg and W. H. Auden, Faber & Faber, London Martin Lönnebo has opted to let his royalties from books related to The Pearls of Life, and from the sales of the prayer garlands, be transferred to Individuell Människohjälp (IM) where he has made a foundation named after his son Jonas to benefit children and young people with intellectual disabilities. DESIGN: Destrito (original cover), Åsa Ulfvebrand (cover adaption and insides) PHOTOS: Sara Danielsson (prayer garland), Johannes Frandsen (Tara Projects),
AnnaLena Ahlström (Martin Lönnebo) Printed and bound by Livonia, Riga, Latvia 2015 ISBN: 978-91-526-3472-1
Verbum AB, Box 22543, S-104 22 Stockholm, Sweden www.verbum.se Phone: +46 (0)8-743 65 00 Frälsarkransen/The Pearls of Life is a trademark at Verbum AB. For more information, please write to pearlsoflife@verbum.se
CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Pearl of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Pearl of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 I-Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Pearl of Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Pearl of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Desert Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Pearls of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Serenity Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Pearl of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Love Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Pearl of Sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Pearl of Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Night Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Pearl of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Resurrection Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Pearl of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 A Life of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 The Pearls of Life with Bible verses . . . . . . 59 Martin Lรถnnebo and the Pearls of Life . . . . . 65 Four Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 The beads build community . . . . . . . . . . 92
6
INTRODUCTION I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. In Walden, his famous novel from 1854, American nature philosopher and writer Henry David Thoreau puts his finger on a few of life’s major questions. What do I expect from life? What does life expect from me? Give yourself a moment of rest – be at peace. Life is difficult to fathom, difficult to grasp. The Pearls of Life would like to help you app roach the biggest questions of life and touch its very core. By moving bead by bead along the length of the Pearls of Life you will be able to reflect upon your life.
7
The beads have no power. They are more like litt le slips on your refrigerator door, reminders of words and feelings which are inherent in every person. Life does not always grant us time to consider and pray about them. This is also why the garland is called “the pearls of life”: its focus is on life, not on the beads them selves. The garland is like a trellis with a series of attach ment points from which life’s green shoots can reach towards the light to draw energy and to develop, mature, and bear fruit. Bear fruit… The Pearls of Life make no demands, nor do they nag. They help strengthen something which is al ready within us: a desire to bear fruit. I move along the trellis because I am human. Because I am human I am driven by a natural desire to do more with what I already have: my ability to reason, my feelings, and my gifts, so that when my time on Earth ends one day I can rest in the convic
8
tion that I have striven to live my life in an honest and reflective way, and that I have not been a listless wanderer in my own life. I live with the Pearls of Life for support because that is how I have been created. They help me and strengthen the parts of me that wish to produce, experience, understand, and be more meaningful – areas that want to make a difference. It all stems from who I am, the real me.
9
PEARL OF GOD There is Someone who holds everything in his hand, Someone who seeks me out and watches over me: God – the origin of everything, and the ultimate goal of everything. God is not an impersonal power, nor is he a logical necessity or a devout escape. God is the friend who knows me from the inside and out, outside and in, who never betrays and whose power is love. He is the God Dag HammarskjÜld refers to: Thou, Whom I do not know, But Whose I am. Thou. Touch the golden Pearl of God and pray: You are infinite You are near me You are light and I am yours.
10
11
PEARL OF SILENCE As I approach God I also approach life; I cannot simply keep talking. Before God I can be silent, open up, rest, listen. Silence is a welcome friend when words seem unnecessary, when they miss their mark, or when they run out. Pausing a moment, resting along the way, and reflecting are some of the most important things I can do. In the world of faith it is sometimes referred to as “listening with the ear of your heart” – the ear which understands the heartbeat of love. Touch the first Pearl of Silence and rest in silence.
12
13
I-PEARL My life comprises so many roles, spanning from personal to professional, roles within my family, my circle of friends, and at work. I am my parents’ child, my child’s parent, my partner’s significant other, my friend’s colleague, and my colleague’s manager. But who am I – the real me – beyond all of the responsibilities, beyond my roles? Touch the little white I-Pearl and reflect upon this.
14
15
PEARL OF BAPTISM In different ways we are all searching for apprecia tion, for something that confirms that we are correct, and for signs that we are good enough. Baptism tells me that I have already received all of that. From the very beginning I was loved. I am not complete – I will never be. Life is a journey towards maturity and greater clarity. Yet baptism reminds me of the fact that I never wander alone. God is always with me, at my side. Baptism also reminds me of a child. A child gives trust, and a child receives trust. How is the child within me? How do I take care of what is entrusted to me? How do I demonstrate that I trust other people? Touch the white Pearl of Baptism and reflect upon this.
16
The beads have no powe1: They are more like little slips on your refi·igemtor do01; reminders ef w01ds andfeelings which are inherent in every person. Life does not always grant us time to consider and pray about them. Thefacus ef the pmyer garland is on life, not on the beads themselves.
When Martin Lönnebo introduced The Pearls of Life (Frälsarkransen) in 1995, nobody could predict how his prayer garland would spread over the world, how be loved it would become, how much it would be put to use. For the 2oth anniversary of the prayer garland Johan Dalman, who for many years has used the garland to pray and meditate, has written Peads ef Life. Each one of the eighteen beads has a task: to help us find a way. They remind us of love, night, baptism ... and of our secrets and a new life. • Introduction to the Pearls of Life • Meet four people who wear and use the prayer garland • Martin Lönnebo tells the story of how the Pearls of Life came to be
VERBUM
, lfl]f!Ul1Jl l�W!1!1