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How to Make a Mala String your beads in the order you desire, knotting between each or adding your spacer beads. Using the two ends of your cord, tie a simple knot to complete the circle. Add your guru bead. Attach your tassel or additional embellishments by threading both cord ends through the loops or stringing holes.
What thread do you use for mala beads?
Silk thread is a great choice for smaller, lighter gemstones like 4mm amethyst, garnet, or citrine. (Thinking spring with those colors!) When I make my gemstone mala beads, or if you’re using a strand or two of larger, heavier beads (around 8mm in size), I prefer to use S-Lon cord.
Is it OK to wear mala beads?
More than just jewelry, malas are powerful and culturally-rich tools for meditation. We don’t believe you need to be religious or have a spiritual practice to wear mala beads—you can simply wear them as a reminder of personal intention you’ve set, or when seeking a calmer mind, body, and spirit.
How many beads are in a mala bead?
But wait, what does it actually signify and why does it have 108 beads? There has been a rise in people wearing mala necklaces in western culture and especially among today’s spiritual-seeking nomads.
What does the tassel on a mala mean?
Mala Beads are commonly finished with a tassel, often made of silk or cotton. The tassel represents connection to spirit, or your highest truth. Malas can also be made without a tassel. You may choose to simply finish your mala with the guru bead and skip the tassel, or you may finish your mala with a charm instead.
How much is a cord of a mala?
Cut a 5-foot length of cord for a traditional 108 bead mala using 6mm or 8mm size beads. If using larger beads or incorporating spacer beads between the mala beads, give yourself more cord to work with.
Why are there 21 beads in mala?
Mala beads are traditional Tibetan prayer beads used to count meditation mantras. A 21-bead mala bracelet is a small, wrist-worn version of its larger counterpart, the 108-bead mala necklace. These beads are worn by a single user and are not supposed to be touched by anyone else.
What are rudraksha beads made from?
Rudraksha Natural Seed Prayer beads are a striking sight to behold. Made from the seeds of the Elaeocarpus Ganitrus tree from the Gangetic Plain in the hills of the Himalayas in Nepal and from places all over Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Guam, New Guinea, Australia and Hawaii these beads are truly unique.
Why is 108 a holy number?
Considered to be the most auspicious number of all, 108 also happens to be the number of stitches on a baseball. In yoga, the number 108 refers to spiritual completion. Ancient yogis believed that we can attune ourselves to the rhythms of creation by completing practices in rounds of this sacred number.
What does 108 mean in Buddhism?
Why the number 108? The number 108 is considered a sacred number in Hinduism, Buddhism and yogic tradition. Malas or Japa beads come in a string of 108 and are used for devotional meditation, mantra and prayer. With each bead a mantra or prayer is repeated to meet a total of 108.
Why is 108 a sacred number in Buddhism?
The number 108 connects us both to ourselves and to the world around us. In Tibetan Buddhism, the number 108 mainly stands for the Kangyur, the Tibetan Buddhist canon, a loosely defined collection of 108 volumes of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and described as the Word of the Buddha.
What color beads mean?
Color meanings Blue: healing, harmony, insight, truth. Brown: earth, stability. Green: prosperity, fertility, abundance, hope, healing. Purple: spirituality, wisdom, royalty. Red: vitality, passion, bravery, confidence. White: light, truth, purity. Yellow: wisdom, clarity, awareness, energy, joy.
How many spacer beads does a mala have?
Marker or Spacer Beads: Spacer beads are placed evenly throughout the 108 beads to bring the user’s awareness back to the present while chanting.
How do you start a mala?
Steps to Creating a Mala Step 1: Cut a length of cord (5 feet for a 108-bead mala necklace is suggested). Step 2: Tie off one end of your cord and leave a 5-to-8-inch tail. Step 3: Start stringing your beads and pull a tight knot after each bead using your thumbnail to push the knot tight against the bead.
How do you make a mala?
How do I use them? Hold your mala with one hand. Let it drape across your fingers so you can move it easily. Complete one full breath (inhale and exhale). Move your fingers to the next bead, breathing in and out once per bead. Finish at the guru bead to complete 108 breaths.
Is it OK to wear Buddhist prayer beads?
Buddhists do not always wear their beads, some actually prefer to keep them to themselves and use them only for meditation and prayer. Some Buddhists actually prefer to wear their Mala and see other people wearing them as a good thing, as it all draws more attention to Buddhism and helps people to remain aware.
Can I use the same mala for different mantras?
Yes, you can use same Japa mala for chanting multiple mantras or single mantra. Japa malas are like tools to assist you in meditation as an object of divinity by concentration and focusing on the recitation/chanting of mantras. It helps keep a count on the number of times the mantra has been chanted.
What do Buddha beads represent?
Mala beads, also sometimes known as Buddhist prayer beads, are long necklace-type tools traditionally used for mantra practice and meditation. Mala beads typically have 108 beads on them (a sacred number which represents spiritual completion) plus a single “guru” bead to signify the beginning and end of a count cycle.
