WHAT AND WHY OF MALAS
Mala beads, or japa malas, are a string of beads that traditionally have been used in meditation. Many cultures have some form of beaded meditation aid, such as the mala, in the form of prayer beads, worry beads, and rosaries. The beads act as a tool to guide your focus. Meditation can be difficult to master at any time, and especially now in our hectic modern days; we are swarmed with thoughts running through our minds and are prone to thinking about the next appointment or task. We ruminate about the things that have troubled us during the day.
With meditation you can take a moment to find a respite from the hectic and to touch on living more mindfully and spiritually.
Malas traditionally have 108 beads that are counted. These are the beads on which a practitioner would focus their intention, or mantra, and repeat as they move their thumb and forefinger over each bead. The 108 counting beads may or may not be interspersed with other beads that serve as markers or spacers. These marker beads often have a different shape or size so that they would be recognizable as separate from the 108 beads. They can serve as a moment of pause and as a reminder to return focus to your intention and meditation and be in the present moment.
The guru bead is traditionally the 109th bead and is usually seen set apart from the counting beads. It represents the Teacher, the Divine, or the Spirit. In practice, you start at the guru bead and focus your mind on your intent, i.e. "I am Love" and when ready start around the mala holding each bead and repeating your intent or focus.
Then, once you have made your way around the mala and return to the guru bead, you turn the mala around and go back around the strand without jumping over the guru in order to continue your meditation.
Malas are tools to aid us in our meditation practices. They serve as reminders to be mindful during our day. Malas are beautiful representations of our intentions and spirituality. The materials chosen to construct your mala may have their own significance or healing properties. They may simply bring you joy. Therefore, traditional or not, I believe there are no hard rules in mala construction or in use. This is supported in my research on them. It is up to you to decide what your mala will look like and how you will use it because, in the end, what works is what is right. I believe that the malas we choose are as individual as our needs and ourselves. For myself, crafting malas is a form of meditation that allows me to make each piece with loving energy and intention. I love wearing my Mala to yoga and when I pick up my children from school.