The beauty of a Mala

MALA

Mala's are a type of prayer bead used in many parts of the world. This style of necklace & bracelet continue to be a very popular item and can be made out of any of the beads found in our store. It is the number of beads used and the intention behind them that makes the piece a mala.

For Buddhists, there are 108 beads on the mala which are used to count and recite a mantra. Although any bead can be used, traditionally, mala's are made with round beads of wood, Rudraksha seeds (also used for prayer beads in Hinduism), or a semi-precious stone.

There is no set rule for the type of beads needed to create a mala. Choose beads that suit your intentions or ones that appeal to you. Creating a mala in you own style will result in a piece that is unique and personalised.

Tips to remember when creating your own mala:

1. Pick beads that appeal to you - natural wood and seed (Rudraksha seeds) are great starting points if you dont know what to choose. Semi-precious stones contain different properties and can be used to complement the wooden beads.

2. When stringing your mala start and end at the center point of your design. Mala's are intended to start at the beginning, flow around creating a circle and end where you started to finish the loop. Often a larger focal bead is used at the start/end point through which each cord passes.  When choosing your focal bead, ensure that the hole large enough for 2 strands of cord to pass through.

3. As you string your beads, think of the things that are important to you - you are putting your intentions into the mala. Think of the things you will meditate on, your loved ones, qualities of deity, your intentions, and the state of mind and body you are hoping to achieve. Let love and peace flow as you work!

 
 4. Cord - knotting cord, waxed linnen, silk or waxed nylon are all possible choices for string mala beads. They come in a range of different colours that can further personalise your design. Stringing mala beads usually involves knotting between each bead, this allows a small space to be left between each bead making it easier to keep track of you meditation mantra.



5. Keep the length of your mala in mind as you string the beads - the number of beads you use can vary depending on your beliefs and traditions. 108 beads is a common length to have a mala, this can become quite long if you are using large beads - using a variety of sizes can keep the length down. You may choose to string a majority of 6mm beads and incorporate 8mm or larger size beads at different intervals in your design. A strand of 108 6mm wooden beads knotted on waxed linnen will give you a length of 108cm/43" from end to end.

Shorter versions of mala's can be created as bracelets or hand held prayer/meditation beads. These may consist of 9, 22 or 27 beads. Shorter bracelet style malas are good to wear while traveling, while at work or while studying. 

6. Don't forget to have fun! With some many choices picking your beads can be overwhelming. Remember to choose colours, sizes and stone properties that appeal to you or the person you are making the mala for.

These are some of the more popular beads that are used by us and our customers to create unique and personaised malas.

Rudraksha seeds - seeds from the Rudraksha tree.

Semi precious stone smooth rounds.

Smooth round natural wooden beads

Still not sure or just wanting to try it out? Grab one our Mala style necklace kits to get started and be inspired!