The rosary begins to be prayed starting from the cross at the end of the rosary, and each bead is held with the fingers until a prayer is finished and the next bead is passed on. After praying, follow the heels to the left around the chain on each bead, until you reach the cross again.
The beads, 59 in all, are divided into five decades (or five sections), with each decade representing an event in the life of Christ. These events are grouped into a "Mystery" (there are four mysteries), which is a truth in the life of God, and are recited on certain days of the week.