The shining centrepiece of the 'Reconnect' collection, this stunning contemporary take on a rosary necklace is inspired by Damon Gameau's powerful Ted talk: The Story That Shapes Your Relationship with Nature. Featuring all 16 of the Reconnect charms and four 'prayer' beads which represent the four elements of water (blue Aventurine), fire (yellow Calcite), earth (green Jade), and air (white Jade). This is a truly breathtaking piece, intended to encourage thought around the impact we have on the world, and how every species is interconnected and dependent on each other.
We live in unprecedented times, with climate change, constant unrest, and the destruction of the planet on all our minds. Rather than praying to whatever God you do (or don't!) believe in, as you run the handmade rosary bead charms through your fingers, think about the small and big steps you (and all of us) can take to help. We already have solutions to halt climate change and environmental destruction and if we don't pursue them, the 4 'element' beads are a reminder of how nature will take back control with floods, wildfires, and worse.
There are 16 charms altogether, each one representing a different issue:
A FOX to call out the atrocities committed in the fur trade and in hunting as "sport"
A DOG (specifically a mongrel) to remind us to adopt pets rather than buying them
A FLY representing all insects so desperately needed in our ecosystem
A BUNNY as a reminder to only buy cruelty free products
AN OCTOPUS - one of the most fascinating creatures on earth and we simply eat it
A MUSHROOM for the mind blowing mycelium networks beneath our feet
A KOALA for the many species losing life and habitat due to wildfires caused by human driven climate changes
A JAGUAR to represent the rainforest and all its inhabitants on the brink of extinction due to us buying meat, dairy, eggs, palm oil, wood...
A PIGEON to remind us that there is no such thing as vermin, just certain successful species that thrive on our excesses
A SOW to call out the grim treatment we subject animals to in farming
A TOAD to represent amphibians rapidly declining due to climate change
A SCALLOP SHELL for the most destructive and unnecessary industrial fishing practice - bottom trawling
A SHARK to change the narrative of a dangerous predator to an important member of the food chain, keeping our ecosystems in balance
A TREE to remind us that without trees we will not survive
A WOMAN and A MAN to symbolise us humans who can change course now.
Every charm has its own story to tell and is of the same weight (pretty tricky considering each rosary charm is hand carved from wax!) to symbolise the idea that all life on earth is equally important and mankind should not seek to exploit but rather live in harmony. This personalised rosary necklace helps us to remember that every action we take has consequences. If we eat bacon, not onlydo we support the needless suffering of pigs, if you dive deeper you'll also find that it contributies to the destruction of the rainforests and thousands of species.
Unlike a traditional rosary, there is no cross or central charm. And you won't find a beginning or end (there's no clasp), showing that none of the charms are more or less important. With an additional connector, this necklace to be worn doubled up around the neck and/or wrapped around your wrist multiple times.
We can make this piece as either a recycled gold rosary necklace or a silver handmade rosary, using solely recycled precious metals and sustainable practices. These are just some of the changes we've introduced to make Jana Reinhardt greener. But there are small steps we can all take to make a positive difference in the world. You could boycott big corporations that pollute our planet, go vegan, say no to fast fashion and mass consumerism, protest against the things that matter to you, organise some guerrilla gardening, educate your children, reconnect with nature, and so much more...
You can listen to Damon's story, which inspired Jana to create this contemporary version of a rosary charm necklace, here. It is Jana's hope that these tiny charms will inspire those who wear them to 'do something' to make a difference and to spread the word. What that change or action is, is up to you.
