My Mala Beads Changed My Life

I’ve always been fascinated by mala beads and, in fact, all things meditation and yoga-related, even before I did yoga or got into meditation.

The serenity of the people using them, the mystical aura around their use, and the fact that they looked absolutely beautiful.

I guess my curiosity peaked when I was living in the South of Spain, the home of the tallest Buddhist stupa in Europe.

It was a short drive from my casa, and on an almost daily basis, I’d head up and wander the grounds, taking in the tranquil atmosphere and heady scent of incense.

Just next to the stupa was a small gift shop, chock full of Buddhist paraphernalia, including prayer flags, literature, and those mystical mala beads.

I remember being like a kid in a candy store, bedazzled by the array of things on offer, and I bought my fair share of souvenirs, but not mala beads.

I looked at them a good few times, and even handled them, particularly a set of sandalwood beads with their earthy aroma, but I never made a purchase.

I’m a big believer that things come to you when you need them most, and at that time, I guess I didn’t need them, but the seed was well and truly planted…fast forward to now.

Although I’m a yogi, (or one who practices yoga, as it sounds far less pretentious), and meditate, mala beads had never entered my mind as far as an aid for furthering or complimenting my practice.

I’d still gaze at them longingly on various websites and imagine how lovely it would be to have a set, but I didn’t really know why.

I started researching them, discovering the history, uses, and traditions behind them.

Combined with the innumerable choices on offer, I felt even more excited to find a set to call my own.

I found a fantastic UK company and spent a lot of time deciding what kind of beads I wanted to purchase, as I wanted them to be meaningful and aesthetically pleasing.

Finally, I settled on a wonderfully grounding set penned ‘The Earth Star Mala’, made with a selection of gloriously dark, muted crystals, pertaining to the lesser know Earth Star chakra.

At the time, I honestly have no idea why this set spoke to me so loudly, especially since my first instinct was to go with the most traditional of materials, sandalwood, as I recalled how much I loved the natural scent.

However, as things so often come to pass, in doing further research, I found this particular collection of precious stones held a strong meaning for me, in helping me to become more grounded, an area I’d been focusing on in my yoga practice.

I always trust my intuition and believe what we need will appear when we need it, and lo and behold, my mala was chosen.

At first, glance, deciding what mantra to use was just as vexing as choosing the beads themselves, as I waded through Sanskrit translations eager to get started on a new path of mediation and spiritual discovery.

In fact, all the mantras I researched held positive meanings and intentions, and it was just a case of learning how to pronounce Sanskrit words and confidently say them in my mind.

My favourite and most used mantra is OM MANI PADME HUM, translated as Praise to the Jewel in the Lotus.

According to the Dali Lama, it has “the power to transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a buddha.”

Simply put, it’s a mantra that brings one closer to enlightenment, encompassing OM, the primordial sound of the universe, MANI, which dissolves jealously and attachment to fleeting pleasures, PADME, that dissolves our attachments to judgments and prejudices, and lastly, HUM, which works to dissolve our attachment to hatred and aggression.

Powerful stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Having worked with my new mala for a few weeks now, I can honestly say my life hasn’t changed in any earth-shattering way, but I know it wasn’t supposed to.

Rather, I have gotten into a new morning habit of using my mala as a means of focused meditation, feeling each bead glide beneath my fingers as I silently recite my mantra.

It’s a beautifully gentle and loving practice for morning and sets the tone for my yoga practice, as I set out to move, and breathe with more intention and self-awareness.

This has been the life-changing part, the subtle shift of increased focus and awareness, including being aware of when I’m not aware, and that’s entirely the point.