Mala Necklace

 Introduction:

Mala according to the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) means 'string', (a set of things tied or threaded together on a thin cord) 'necklace' (an ornamental chain or string of beads), or 'garland' (a wreath of flowers and leaves, worn on the head or hung as a decoration). They are the journey of life and the choices we make to deepen our practice. They are deeply attached to the practice of mantra.

Mantra is the yoga-based philosophy and practice given to us in the Yoga Sutras (a collection of aphorisms outlining the eight limbs of yoga) like a tool to support our minds.

Mantra comes from the Sanskrit words manas (mind) and trai (device). Japa is the meditative repetition of a mantra or a divine name, often with the use of a mala, a strand of 108 beads.

When we practice yoga, using a mala bead to provide help to repeat the mantra, is why the whole practice becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

A mala in a mala necklace is a physical symbol of “going beyond normal limits or boundaries”, and can signify the user's hopes, goals, wants, and ambitions.

What Are Mala Beads?

Malas — are commonly known as yoga beads or Japa Malas (a loop of prayer beads commonly used in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, for counting recitations (japa) of mantras, prayers, or other sacred phrases) — Mala beads traditionally have 108 beads. The largest bead, in the center, is known as the guru. Mala, Sanskrit for “garland,” is often used to enhance spiritual practices such as (prayer, meditation, chanting, breathing exercises, and ceremonies or rituals).

Mala beads can be a vehicle for depth into meditation, and take on a variety of forms. These beads in today’s age are made from a variety of gems (a precious or semi-precious stone) and pearls (lustrous spherical mass), that hold meaning for different energies that the user may find useful or helpful to have in their practice.

In addition, another important feature of mala beads is that they can be incorporated into necklaces, it depends on what the user deems fit for them.

Why Mala Beads Are Used?

There has been a move from a lower position to a higher one commonly in people in Western culture, especially among today’s spiritual-seeking nomads (a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a well-defined territory), wearing mala necklaces.

The trend of wearing mala might be “new” to Western travelers, but it actually dates back thousands of years. The history of mala beads is believed to have originated in India around the eighth century  Before the Common Era Before the Current Era or Before the Christian Era (B.C.E). Many of today’s religions also use beaded necklaces — mala, rosary (in which five (or fifteen) decades of Hail Marys are repeated, each decade preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory Be), Subha — to help meditate and recite prayers (a vital way of connecting to God through the community of believers). The English word bead even comes from the Anglo-Saxon words bede and bidden which mean “prayer" and “to pray.” 

                   

Origin and meaning of mala beads

The term mala is Sanskrit and means " to help you focus your mind during meditation ". In earliest times, the mala was given to yoga students by their master during a religious ceremony to help them on the path to enlightenment.

Mala beads are traditionally made of specific materials and are used to provide support for japa meditation.

In this form of meditation, a specific mantra or encouragement is spoken aloud and repeated many times. To concentrate fully on the mantra - and not be distracted by counting the repetitions--- the meditator uses the mala to allow the individual to accurately count or measure when unable to do so themselves.

Structure of a Mala Necklace

Mala beads in mala necklaces traditionally have 108 beads. The largest bead in the mala necklace, in the center, is also known as the guru. The series of 108 is a special number in Buddhism and Hinduism. For example, it is said that the body has 108 energy pathways and that a mantra can only develop its full effect after 108 number repetitions.

A proper set of mala beads will have a guru bead or end bead, this is the 1 extra bead after 108. This guru bead is located at the bottom of the mala just above the tassel, it closes off the strand of 108 beads. Often it is made of a special material or has a decoration, for example, a tassel. It is not used during meditation. It also marks the start and end points of the meditation. This is due to allow you to feel how many repetitions you have done and how long the meditation will continue.

Sometimes beads of a different size or texture are located at positions 27, 54, 55, and 81.

        

Who can commonly wear a mala necklace?

Anyone can commonly wear a mala necklace - whether they meditate or not.

Mala necklaces have traditionally been used as prayer beads and have existed for a long time in Indian culture. A mala can benefit every human being regardless in anybody such as regardless of religion, color, creed, or lifestyle and act as a reminder of your positive intentions. Just wearing a mala has a calming and positive effect on many people around the world.

A mala necklace is both a beautiful piece of jewelry and an associate on your path to greater peace, a calm mind, and a positive life.

How do you wear a mala necklace in everyday life?

You can wear a mala necklace around your neck or wrap it around your wrist several times. Many people also wear it under their clothes, directly on their skin, and close to their heart.

You can wear the Mala Necklace all day long. However, you should take it off for washing or showering. This is because the thread due to less durable when wet, and soap or perfume will make the beads hard but liable to break easily over time.

according to an ideal of some people you can even wear your mala at night - but most people prefer to keep it on the bedside tables or in a small wooden box.

What makes a mala special?

After a few days, you will notice that a very special relationship forms between you and your mala, regardless of how you personally like to wear it. Many prove that wearing a mala makes them feel especially comfortable in high temperatures, that they find it difficult to take off, or that they constantly touch it without realizing it.

The beads absorb and store your body's energy, while also at the same time releasing a bit of their own energy onto you. For this reason, a mala is also a very personal object.

              

How to Use Your Malas to Meditate

You can use your miles to meditate anytime, anywhere. First, select a mantra (motto, slogan, catchword, shibboleth), intention (aim, goal, and purpose), or prayer (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) that you would like to repeat.

Focus Your mantra

Your mantra can be directed either inward or outward. Either in Sanskrit or English, there are plenty to pick from. Proceed with the option that best suits your needs. Your malas will absorb the energy of your prayer and mantra through practice. Remember that some practitioners think there is only one special mantra or prayer associated with each mala. Here are some suggestions:

• May all beings be happy, calm, and free from suffering
• I am loved, I am loving, I am love
• Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu
• Om mani padme hum

Feel the Count

Find a comfortable seat and hold your malas in one hand. Start from the largest bead in the mala necklace, situated in the center, is also known as the guru bead, the large bead at the bottom. Hold it between your thumb and middle finger, then start moving your fingers along each bead and repeating your mantra aloud or silently. Try closing your eyes & repeating your mantra, & feeling for the guru bead, which signifies you have reached 108.

The Importance of 108

The number 108 has a range of significance across many different cultures and  fields of study. For example, this number informs the constructively of holy texts that are central to yoga and on the east side of philosophy. As a devoted scholar of yoga and tantra, Shiva Rea explains in Tending the Heart Fire, “There are 108 chapters of the Rig Veda, 108 Upanishads, and 108 primary Tantras.” These texts are written in Sanskrit, a language comprising 54 letters, each with a masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) form, 54 x 2 = 108.

                

Benefits of Using Mala Beads

Using the mala to track a "Japa," or mantra meditation, is a popular use for it. It can be peaceful and transformational to repeatedly recite a single sound, like "om," a few words, like "om mani padme hum," or a longer mantra, like the Gayatri Mantra. You can keep track of the japa by using your fingers to trace the beads of the mala while you chant aloud, whisper, or repeat a phrase silently. To translate "Japa" into Sanskrit is to mutter.

It has been demonstrated that using a japa mala for meditation can help slow respiration and promote well-being, much like using rosary beads for prayer. By repeating your mantra, you can introduce constructive thought patterns and divert your mind from everyday obsessions. Similar tools have been employed for many years in various spiritual traditions, such as:

• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Jainism
• Sikhism
• Christianity
• Islam

Practitioners of meditation report feeling calmer, having more focused attention, and having a greater sense of self-awareness. Meditation has a positive impact on the brain and mood. Think about the yoga pose known as Malasana, or "Yogi Squat." The yogi is small, distinct, and one-of-a-kind. She squats and raises her hands to her heart, symbolizing a single bead on the mala necklace. The yogi is intimately connected to all other beings, just as each bead is intimately connected to every other bead via the mala's string. This serves as a reminder that, even though each of us is unique, our combined strength is greater.

            

Unique Ways to Use a Mala Necklace

Malas can be a significant part of your meditation practice. Here are some unique ways to use a mala:

Gift a Mala

To celebrate a special occasion, buy (or make) a mala and give it to a loved one. Examples of such occasions are:

•           Getting a degree completed
•           Completing the training to become a yoga teacher
•           Birthday
•           Anniversary
•           "Just Because" special treat

Honor Yourself

Set your mala at the top of your yoga mat as an ode to your intentions as you practice yoga asana. You can also wear your mala necklace to honor whatever it means for you, like an:

•        Accomplishment
•        Intention
•        Desire

Celebrate Creativity and Community

Make your own mala: 

•            Choose a special stone or color.
•            Gather a group of friends and string the beads in the community.
•            Let the creative process be its own mindful experience.
•            Bless your mala with an intention or wish.

Enhance Your Pranayama Practice

Bring more intention and concentration to your pranayama practice by using the beads as cues for breathing:

•           Find a comfortable seat.
•        Hold the mala in one hand and let it dangle easily.
•        Touch the guru bead with your opposite hand.
•        As you move your fingers to the next bead, breathe in and breathe out.
•        Each bead gets its own inhale and exhale.
•        Continue until you feel the guru bead again.

Practice Japa Mantra Meditation

Try practicing a japa mantra meditation, setting an intention and allowing the beads to be a grounding element as you follow them while reciting your words:

•             Find a comfortable seat.
•            Choose a mantra that speaks to you. Some examples to get you started: om, so hum, om shanti shanti shanti, om Namah guru dev namoh, I am enough, I love being me, I am in the right place at the right time.
•            Hold the mala in one hand and let it dangle easily.
•           Touch the guru bead with your opposite hand.
•           As you move your fingers to the next bead, repeat your mantra out loud, as a whisper, or silently in your mind.
•          Continue until you feel the guru bead again.

                       

Conclusion

A mala in a mala necklace is a physical symbol that can signify the user's hopes, goals, wants, and ambitions. Mala beads in mala necklaces traditionally have 108 beads. The series of 108 is a special number in Buddhism and Hinduism. The largest bead in the mala necklace, in the center, is also known as the guru. Mala, Sanskrit for “garland,” is often used to enhance spiritual practices such as (prayer, meditation, chanting, breathing exercises, and ceremonies or rituals).

There has been a move from a lower position to a higher one commonly in people in Western culture, especially among today’s spiritual-seeking nomads wearing mala necklaces. The trend of wearing mala might be “new” to Western travelers, but it actually dates back thousands of years.

To concentrate fully on the mantra - and not be distracted by counting the repetitions--- the meditator uses the mala to allow the individual to accurately count or measure when unable to do so themselves. Sometimes beads of a different size or texture are located at positions 27, 54, 55, and 81.

Anyone can commonly wear a mala necklace - whether they meditate or not. Mala necklaces have traditionally been used as prayer beads and have existed for a long time in Indian culture.

Your malas will absorb the energy of your prayer and mantra through practice. Remember that some practitioners think there is only one special mantra or prayer associated with each mala.