The Bead Cage is an Ohio store that markets its jewelry & design classes by highlighting their spiritual effects.  Here's the impression it made on one reporter:

As I focus my attention on a handful of pretty beads, the outer world fades away. Time slows down and my mind becomes quiet. Working out a new jewelry design won't solve the day's problems, but will at least improve my attitude toward them.

And my experience isn't unique. "You can work through your troubles with beads," Julie Walker says.

The owner of The Bead Cage says people from all walks of life come to her store, take jewelry classes, heal and grow. "You can see the physical/spiritual transformation," she says.

The process of beading can indeed comfort the soul, and the results can be stunning.