For the first time, America and the entire Western Civilization has the ability to take control of stress, bad tempers, and high blood pressure. If what I am saying sounds all to familiar and recognizable from late night infomercials then you have already made up your mind. It is beneficial for everyone to learn about the unique unfamiliarities that are around us, how we may benefit from them, and the cultures from which they come.

We all can recognize the Chinese balls that are in most gift shops. The balls, when mastered, are hardly noticed when in the control of your hand movements. You may notice that your mind begins to intensely focuses on the circular transfer of the balls in harmonious balance. It is at this time that your mind and body are interacting at profound levels, which as a result allows you to experience a sense of calmness and relaxation. You are intensely focussing on something that does not preoccupy your mind or body because it is done subconsciously, similar to the way you may twirl your car keys around in your hand while your mind subconsciously focusses on the jingling and steady motion of the twirling keys. The Chinese have always been credited with developing holistic and alternative remedies for common ailments, so why does this product having nothing to do with the Chinese but focus totally on the Mediterranean and their culture?

Komboloi: Derived from the Greek word kombos, meaning knot, specifically a large number of knots, and loi, meaning a group that sticks together.

It would sound safe to assume that the the Greeks adopted the principle of the Chinese balls and redeveloped them into a concept that was slightly more discrete and easily managable, however that is not the case. A few theories suggest that worry beads were first used on Mount Athos in northern Greece, where strands of beads made of woolen knots were tied on a string. These knotted prayer strings are called komboskini. Komboloi or komboskini are still used to count prayers by the monks in the monasteries on Mount Athos. The monks make their worry beads from handy, inexpensive materials such as wood, shells, hazelnuts and olive pits. Another theory suggests that worry beads traveled across the Aegean Sea from the Asia Minor. While the Turks occupied Greece after the fall of Constantinople, from 1453 to 1821, the rebellious Greeks used to mock the occupying Turks as they used strands of 40 beads for prayer. The beads then simply assimilated into the Greek culture. The string with marbles attached then acted as a way to keep a firm grip on the little balls, twirl them around methodically, and welcome in the calming, relaxing, serenity that they deliver.

The Greeks realized that through the momentum of the twirling and the distinct feeling of having each marble pass through their fingers, they could take their mind off of what ever it was that was ailing them. Today throughout Greece these beads are used as a way of taking ones mind away from particularly bad feelings and or habits such as excessive eating, and smoking. Many times you will hear a Greek man/woman even today refer to their beads as their cigarettes, that is because in order to give up one particularly bad habit they instead picked up beads which stopped their smoking and is used to relax their mind and body as well. Not only do these worry beads prove to relief stress and take your mind away from bad habits but they are a symbol of status, style and fashion as well. The tradition of carrying your beads has gone from history, to cultural tradition, and is now being introduced for the first time as simply the best form of helping people all over the world cope with, and change some particularly bad or annoying habits that could ultimately result in high blood pressure and possibly even death.

Retail prices for "Worry Beads" can vary anywhere from just a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars for an elaborate set in gold or sterling silver or natural resin materials. There are many different types available today. There are types that have religious meaning to them, home decorative, car decorative, and of course the most popular type, the kind we can pull out of our pockets and use whenever we feel the need to. There is a specific style for whatever it is that you are into and desire and Worryknot.com is the bridge that connects the Mediterranean to the rest of the world.

Enjoy the relaxation and peace of mind they bring you and we look forward to your letters of thanks.

Sincerely;

Evan A Vangelis
President of Worryknot.com.

 ~---------Craving Control---------~

Alternative to stress Relief, anxiety control, stop smoking, stop biting your nails, possibly even lose weight.....? Is this too much, have I gone too far?  What am I talking about.  Well, I am referring to a principle that supports craving control.  When you occupy your mind for longer than 4-7 minutes, you start to think about other things hence forgetting about doing whatever it was you were just about to do.  Maybe you were going to reach for a drink, maybe a cigarette bite the tips of your nails, grab a piece of cake. 

The same principle is applied to a set of keys in your hand.  When you walk around with a set of keys in your hand you play with them.  You are tossing, flipping them, enjoying the subtle, clanking sound of them moving around in your hand.  Find yourself in an uncomfortable situation and you will see how much faster you play around with that key ring.  Fidgeting is a form of occupying your mind.  When you occupy your mind you will not necessarily be motivated to so something else to pass your time.

 Well, there is no medical breakthrough here just a centuries old object of fascination more commonly referred to as Worry Beads or locally in Greece, where they are from, Komboloi. (Pronounced Kum-Bo-Loy)

These Worry Beads come in amazingly beautiful styles, shapes, colors, and best of all, THOUSANDS of materials.  Most common are the compressed, synthesized materials such as porcelain, ceramic, and acrylic.  The more valuable and even heirloom pieces that go passed down from generation to generation are made from natural Amber, Lava, and Agate stones, Emeralds, Gold and Silver

These pieces are considered not just novelties to hang around your rear view mirror, or office or home, but also used as an everyday source of stress relief and style.

I guarantee, if you are interested in beads, stones, jewelry, and history, you will never have seen any quite like this.  We also feature an attractive and chic selection of "Byzantine" style jewelry straight from Greece.  All of the products we offer are imported directly from Greece, nothing made in China in this store.  We also offer your favorite Greek Delicacies such as Baklava, Kataifi, Koulourakia, Kourabiedes, Melomakarona, Mastic or Mastica Gum (from the Island of Chios, Greece) as well as Tsoureki Bread.