What Are Mala Beads?

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Most people have never heard of Mala beads and don’t know what they are. They don’t realize that these special beads have been used for thousands of years and were created in India over 3000 years ago. We are here to help clear up any questions you may have.

Mala beads are traditionally used during meditation, more specifically a special kind of meditation that means, “to recite” or Japa. Mala originates from an old Sanskrit word that means meditation garland. It’s used by Buddhists, and used in Hinduism and some other religious ceremonies but they are traditionally most used during meditation. These beads always come in groups of 108 with one larger bead that is used to help remind you of your positive intentions, thoughts, desires, dreams and wishes. You can hold the guru bead in the palm of your hand or you can wear it around your neck to feel its energy and have a constant reminder of the journey you are on and where you are going. They will help you communicate with those forces outside yourself and they will also help you keep count of your mantras. You don’t even have to be into yoga, or mediation, or the latest and greatest new-age system to enjoy mala beads. Even if you aren’t using these beads as a way to connect with something bigger than yourself, you may just want to wear them as beautiful jewelry or as a fashion statement. It’s ok too. There is no right or wrong way to wear these beads. But don’t underestimate these beads either. They can help you transform your life.

The moment you decide to finally start living the life you were destined to live is the moment when magic starts to happen. This can be a subconscious or a conscious choice. You can choose what kind of destiny you want to pursue and your mala beads can help you along the way. You get to design your life and every opportunity that presents itself will be another choice you get to make. You can feel good about the decisions to make that push you in the right direction. These beads will help you remember what your goals are, what you are trying to achieve, and what you are willing to do to get there. They will remind you of the positive affirmations you’ve been telling yourself and will give you a source of strength to pull from when you need an extra hand. Every experience you encounter is merely preparing you for the next experience; connecting, meeting and you are the creator of it all. You hold the power now to experience exactly what you want to get out of life. These special mala beads have been used for centuries to help people live genuine and robust lives full of joy and intention.

No dream has ever been too big, to impractical, too over-the-top or too grand. If you want it, go get it. You should absolutely be able to obtain whatever dream you desire and our mala beads can help keep you grounded and centered in your pursuits.

People often wonder why the mala beads always have 108 beads. That is done very intentionally and we’ll explain more about it.

  • Each mala bead is handcrafted with love, and positive vibrations to set the tone for your life.
  • There are also stones, gemstones, colored or marked beads or accent beads to make each and every set of mala beads unique and special to you, you can put whatever kind of meaning or intention you’d like into these beads and they will be special just for you.
  • The beads can be made out of glass, dark rosewood, rudraksha seeds, sandalwood, quality stones, gemstones, they are all natural and ethically sourced from the best quality locations around the world.
  • There are 108 different lines of energy that form the heart chakra, which is why every strand of beads uses 108.
  • There are a total of 54 Sanskrit alphabet letters that signify either a masculine or feminine quality. Add up and you get 108.
  • The normal japa meditation cycle says that you should repeat your mantras and have one on each bead. They suggest that you repeat your mantras a total of 100 times.  The extra 8 beads are just in case you forget a little, which is bound to happen. 
  • The number 108 has long been held as a sacred number in Hinduism. Broken down even further, we’ve heard accounts where the number 8 stands for timelessness and infinity, the 0 stands for humility in spiritual practice and emptiness, and the 1 stands for your highest truth, the universe and God.
  • It’s a very wearable reflection of your own personal journey and belief in something more powerful than yourself. It’s a visual representation of whatever the wearer wants it to be.  Whatever their belief is and whatever their intention is. 

Every gemstone or bead that is used has different meanings and properties and are full of different energies. You can use other semi-precious stones or pearls to empower your beads with a very specific intention or emphasis. Pearls have long been a fantastic representation of grace- and the grace we create in the midst of chaos. If you look at the life of the oyster as the example, you will see that they create the most beautiful pearls out of the beginning of irritation. Our greatest personal works of art may come from the same place. We love even though it breaks our hearts in the process, but still we love anyway. We parent even though being parents is the hardest thing most people will ever do, and yet, we still continue to do it. Again, your mala beads are extremely personal to you and can mean whatever you want them to mean. They are to be worn for you and your journey, not anyone else’s. As you engage with the energy of your beads, you are essentially engaging with your dreams, your hopes, your prayers and your desires.

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