Symbolism color zen beads5/17/2023 Bless your mala with an intention or wish.īring more intention and concentration to your pranayama practice by using the beads as cues for breathing:.Let the creative process be its own mindful experience.Gather a group of friends and string the beads in community.You can also wear your mala necklace to honor whatever it means for you, like an: Set your mala at the top of your yoga mat as an ode to your intentions as you practice yoga asana. Purchase (or make) a mala and give it to a loved one to commemorate a special occasion like: Here are some unique ways to use a mala: Gift a Mala Malas can be a significant part of your meditation practice. This is the reminder of this pose: though individually we are special, together we are stronger. Just like each of the beads that are intimately connected to all the others through the string of the mala, the yogi is intimately connected to all other beings. Consider the pose Malasana, commonly cued as “Yogi Squat.” The yogi squats and brings the hands to the heart, representing a single bead on the mala necklace, the yogi is small, individual, and unique. Meditation positively affects the brain and mood and practitioners reportfeeling relaxed, having better focused attention, and enhanced self-awareness. Similar devices have been used for generations in a variety of spiritual traditions including: Repeating your mantra redirects the mind from daily obsessions and introduces positive thought patterns. Similar to praying with rosary beads, meditating with a japa mala has been shown to help slow respiration and encourage well-being. “Japa” translates to “muttering” in Sanskrit. Whether you’re chanting out loud, whispering, or repeating a phrase silently, tracing the beads of the mala with your fingers can help you keep track of the japa. The repetitive recitation of a single sound, such as “ om,” a few words, such as “ om mani padme hum,” or a longer mantra, such as the Gayatri Mantra, can be calming and transformative. Nowadays, malas are made out of a variety of materials including wood, seeds, stones, pearls, and crystals.Ī common way to use the mala is to track a “japa,” or mantra meditation. You’ll often also find bracelets and decorative necklaces with 54 or 27 beads, half and a quarter of the 108 respectively. Sometimes there are special or different shaped beads placed after every 27 th bead to make it easier to keep track of the mantra. The guru bead is used as a place marker for the fingers to feel for the end or the beginning of the necklace for meditation or mantra chanting. Traditionally a mala-which means “garland”-has 108 beads strung together and one “guru bead,” which is larger than the rest. These beautiful necklaces often hold special significance for the wearer based on where they got it, why they chose the stones, and the energy resonance they feel with the beads. Malas are often used as decorations, jewelry, or during seated meditation. You can find mala necklaces and bracelets for sale at many yoga studios, online through specialty retailers like Silver and Sage and Tiny Devotions, and handmade, one-of-a-kind creations by local artists on Etsy. Learn about the benefits of using a mala and unique ways to use one. Malas are growing in popularity and can be a great complement to your meditation practice.
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