How to Use a Mala

Full 108 mala with white jasper gemstone and sterling om drop

      Malas are beautiful.  A strand of beads, all the same size, and one larger bead, or tassle, at the end.  The word mala in Sanskrit means "garland".  A mala is a set of beads often used by Hindus and Buddhists during prayer.  Malas are usually made from 108 beads or some smaller number, usually divisible by 9.  Malas are used for keeping count while praying, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity.


     In the Hindu tradition, the mala is held with the right hand, using the thumb to move from one bead to the next, with the mala resting on the third finger. The larger bead on a mala is called the guru bead.  Counting begins with the bead next to it.  If more than one round of japa is practiced, the person stops at the guru bead and goes back in the other direction.  This way the guru bead is not skipped over by the hand.


     Wrist malas, or mala bracelets are a best-seller in my shop.  To see my mala collections, click on the following links:

Full 108 malas

Womens malas

Mens malas

   Every year during the month of September, Moondog donates 54% of all sales of mala bracelets to charity. She does this in honor of the Global Mala, an incredible annual yoga event that was set into motion in 2007 by Shiva Rea to raise awareness and funds for causes that affect our planet. See www.globalmala.org or www.yogamonth.org for more information.

    Shop now at Moondog Treasures.  Questions?  Contact me at moondogtreasures@live.com.

What is a mala?

I sell malas and mala bracelets in my shop and I often get asked the questions, "What is a mala?" and "How do I use a mala?" Full malas remind me of the rosaries that I use as part of my Catholic faith. For each bead, a prayer is said. A mala is a set of 108 beads. Each bead stands for a mantra, a word, or a prayer.  Repeating prayers on a rosary can be very meditative.  The repetition of mantras on the beads of a mala is a form of meditation as well.

Full 108 mala with jasper gemstone and rudraksha bead

 

Mens' mala bracelet with earth jasper and wood

It is traditional of Tibetan Buddhism to recite mantras 108 times. Many malas have 108 beads, or are also made smaller but are divided into 108 to come up with 27 and 54 bead malas. The mens' mala bracelet above contains 27 beads. 

 

Mala gift box with scroll

Each mala from Moondog Treasures comes in a gift box with an explanation of a mala rolled into a tiny scroll.

To see my mala collections, click on the following links:

Full 108 malas

Womens malas

Mens malas

Every year during the month of September, Moondog donates 54% of all sales of mala bracelets to charity. She does this in honor of the Global Mala, an incredible annual yoga event that was set into motion in 2007 by Shiva Rea to raise awareness and funds for causes that affect our planet. See www.globalmala.org or www.yogamonth.org for more information. 

I'm the creator behind this blog and Moondog Treasures: yoga jewelry for women and men, mala bracelets, Sanskrit mantra necklaces, and wire-wrapped beaded crosses. I use this blog to share what I do and to feature other talented Etsy artists whose work I admire. Contact me at moondogtreasures@live.com.

Coming soon:  What do the different gemstones represent on a mala?  Why the number 108?