Hand mala with rose quartz beads
Hand Malas
Our malas are hand malas for prayer or meditation. Hand malas are held in one hand or over the hands in prayer pose during prayer or meditation. They are either strung or knotted with silk thread, typically have 19 - 21 beads with a "guru" bead and tassle. Our malas comes in a beautiful pouch.Before using a mala, it is very beneficial to ask a lama, guru or priest to bless it. Generally, don't pass it around. Your mala is sacred, and it will get imbued with your divinity, intentions and your energy. Do not let other people handle it simply out of curiosity. Touching someone with your mala as an act of blessing or healing may be appropriate, if they ask you to. Do not lay your mala on a chair, the ground or floor. If you drop it on the ground, clean it off say a prayer of blessing from your native tradition. If you have a mala restrung, remember to have it blessed again. You may have your mala blessed before it is placed in the pouch and sent to you.
Mala offerings
See our sample mala selection below. Most malas are made to order. Please contact us if you would like a hand mala made with particular beads.
About malas
The mala or rosary is a tool used to aid prayer and meditation, especially for reciting repetitions of prayers or chants called "mantras," and help to facilitate ritualized meditation practice. It allows one to focus on the meaning of the mantra as it is chanted without having to also concentrate on counting the repetitions. Each time the mantra is repeated, the fingers move to the next bead.The large bead on the Mala is called the Guru Bead or Mother Bead. One never crosses over this bead, just as one would never step over something precious and rare. Out of respect and gratitude, one reverses direction. Malas have been used for thousands of years in Tibetan, Indian, Chinese, Japanese Buddhism and Hinduism. Prayer beads in different forms are used in Christianity and Islam as well. Malas are typically made with 19, 21, 27, 54 or 108 beads.
In Tibetan Buddhism , a hand mala is most commonly used for prostrations, which is an active meditation form of bowing. In Chinese or Pure Land Buddhism, the 27 or 36 beads mala called a Juzu is most common. In Japan the 27 or 36 bead handheld mala is called a Juzu or Ojuzu, and is used in prayer, wrapped around hands in prayer and bowing called "Gassho." Gassho is the gesture of closed praying hands, held at the heart. While reciting mantra, it is auspicious to hold the mala to one’s heart. This is symbolic of “protecting one’s heart” with meritorious and virtuous activity. Recitation of a mantra or prayer while holding your mala will benefit a greater number beyond yourself alone. Use as often as you can with whatever time and level of commitment to spiritual practice you now possess. Malas also serve as a portable "sacred space"; after several months of use, you begin to relax and enter the space as soon as you pick them up.
You do not need to hurry when reciting the mantra/prayer. It is important that you use the sound of your voice. Doing so helps resonate the vibrations throughout your body: the atoms, cells, organs and subtle parts of your bodies. The sound of sacred mantra or prayer also calms and protects the mind. At the same time, mantra/prayers said aloud help awaken the creative aspect of your being. Using the Mala in this way will purify not only your speech, but mind, emotions and body too.
The Mala, rosary or prayer beads are not jewelry and should not be considered such. Simply wearing a Mala all the time does not produce power, as it must be used with thought. Also, how frequently you wear it and on what part of the physical body will produce different effects. Semiprecious stone malas should not be worn on the wrist or around the neck for days on end. It may interfere with your own electrical system, or Qi ("Chi") as called by the Chinese. There are many names for this, but you must be careful how often you keep it on your body so that your natural currents and nervous system are not constantly interrupted. On your altar would be a good place to keep your mala when not in use.