Mala Beads Importance For Meditation and Types
Malas, apart from the fact that it is a beautiful adornment, is a powerful, sacred and symbolic tool traditionally used to count breaths or recite mantra or prayer while meditating. The use of these prayer beads during the recitation of mantra or counting breaths is a common phenomenon in Buddhism and such mantras are recited for different purposes that involve how the mind works. And these Buddhist prayer beads are increasing in popularity in the United States especially in these modern Yogi times. Something similar to these have been in use for many generations in some other religions like Christianity especially the Catholic, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, apart from the Buddhism already mentioned. Some other uses of these beautiful malas include jewelry, decorations and for adorning the wrists, necks, top of mats of Yoga practitioners and the altars of meditation devotees.
There are so many prayer bead stores online, if you don't have any close to you, where you can get the best malas for your meditation needs. They are also referred to as prayer beads or Buddhist rosary.
The mala is made up of 108 beads strung together with one "guru bead" usually larger than the remaining beads. The function of the guru bead is for the finger to feel and mark the beginning and the end of the necklace when used for meditation. And sometimes, there could be special or beads with another shape placed at every 27th bead so as to make it easier to track the mantra.
The number of the beads, which is 108, is considered a sacred number in Hinduism, in which the number 1 stands for God, the universe or your own highest truth; the number 0 stands for emptiness and humility in spiritual practice; and the number 8 stands for infinity and timelessness.
It is worth nothing that while selecting your beads to be used for meditation purposes, go for those ones that the properties and characteristics that will benefit you the most. This is important because you may have a different reason for meditating which could be to reduce stress and make you calm, for sexual energy, or to increase your creativity.
There are various bead stones that will help you achieve those purposes. Also, the bead stones can be characterized by the colors, metal types, stones types or wood types but I will randomly pick and briefly discuss five of such.
Bodhiseed Beads:
Mala beads made from the seeds of the Bodhi tree are thought to promote concentration and awareness. They are commonly used by the Buddhist monks for meditation and the recitation of mantras.
Crystal Beads:
When used during meditation, crystal beads are thought to protect and heal by eliminating negative influences, have a balancing effect on energy Chakras or help with cellulite and cysts.
Parad Metal Beads:
These beads are thought to bring purity, success, and has been in use since ancient times for religious and medical purposes like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
Lotus Seed Beads:
These are valued for their cooling effect and Mantras chanted with lotus seed malas are thought to improve financial conditions or bring spiritual wealth.
Sandalwood Beads:
These are also thought to have cooling and medicinal properties like promoting tranquility and positivist as well as for therapeutic purposes.