WHAT ARE MALA BEADS?
A Mala or ‘garland’ is a sacred prayer necklace made of 108 beads + 1 Guru bead and comes from the south east asian religion and is used similar to a rosary, and has been used for thousands of years in traditions like Buddhism, Hinduism, like yoga and prayer for keeping count during mantra meditations. The word "Mala" is a Sanskrit word and it is traditionally used to repeat a mantra or a affirmation along each pearl/bead to get a more calming, interconnected and spiritual state of mind.
The ‘garland’ symbolizes our unity with one another and our higher power, it is a sacred vessel that connects you to the divine through prayer, meditation and mantra practice.
The beads
The 108 beads that a mala consist of can be made of many materials, such as seeds, wood, or precious metals and stones. It is said that some materials have properties that may be desirable, such as agate that are said to be earthy or they have compounds with a certain chakra, as is the case with jade. The 108 beads that a traditional grind consists of represent the universe (1), nothing (0) and all (8 or infinity).
Why 108?
Marker beads
While meditating the mind often wanders off in one of those stories that we tell ourselves and it takes us away from the very moment of mantra. Once the mind wanders off you will continue to count the beads but will “forget” what you are doing because the mind is somewhere else and once you come across this marker bead which is different from the rest it is like a little reminder to tell you to come back to the mala, your mediation and your mantra. The marker bead works as it acts as a “wake up call” or a “check” to make sure you are aware of what you are doing.
The Guru bead
The guru bead is the pearl that the tassel attaches directly to. The guru bead is often the 109th stone and is said to symbolize the Guru from which the student has received a mantra used or recited, representing the student guru relationship. It is said to be disrespectful to cross the guru pearl so if you want to do more than 108 repetitions, you can wait back along the template.
The knots/space between the beads
A clear sign of a traditionally designed mala is that it has a knot och a smaller bead between each gem. This not only makes the mala stronger, it also provides the perfect space for Japa Meditation – a meditation that uses each gem to count on a repetition of a mantra. A bonus that comes with having a knottedmala is that you will not lose your beads or gems if you mala would break! If your mala breaks, it may be a sign that you have new intentions in your life and that the mala has done the job it was supposed to do.The tassel has several meanings. The one that resonates most with us at My Mala Garden is that the strings that go through the mala gathered together as one to become part of a whole. It represents our connection with the spiritual, divine, and to each other. It represents unity and overall.
The tassel
The tassel has several meanings. The one that resonates most with us at My Mala Garden is that the strings that go through the mala gathered together as one to become part of a whole. It represents our connection with the spiritual, divine, and to each other. It represents unity and overall.