I practice yoga three times a week… sometimes even more. That’s how much I love the process
But just like new yoga students, I had a hard time focusing and getting my mind to clear. Albeit the aim of meditation isn’t about clearing the mind, I was adamant to do so
I talked to my yoga teacher and asked her some tips on how I can improve my meditation practice and she said that I should try doing it with some Mala Beads
HOW I GOT STARTED WITH MALA BEADS*
Mala Beads work like a rosary, but it’s meant for meditation. Some people call it prayer beads as well. One thing that I love about them is that I get to wear them during meditation everyday in my home, and my dogs seem to enjoy them as well :)
So these Mala Beads are made various materials. You can find ones made of wood, stone, or other materials. Mine are wooden because I find them more earthly, which matches the grounding of meditation. A Mala Bead consists of 108 beads and one head bead
These beads are representative of the 108 worldly sins in the Buddhist Tradition. The number of beads is always a multiple of 9. Nine is a sacred number in the Hindu Tradition
Now, the head bead, mine has a Hamsa Hand - let us meditate through the beads without the need to watch or open our eyes while doing so
It’s easy to feel when we’ve reached the head bead, and that means the first “round” or the meditation practice is completed. I got the Mala Beads with the Hamsa Hand because of it’s symbolism. The Hamsa symbol is an open hand with an eye in the middle of the palm
It’s a sacred symbol to many cultures and religions, but what i love most about it, is it’s widely recognized as a symbol of protection
It is also representative of the Hand of God. my yoga teacher also said that it can promote health, happiness, good luck and fortune. I also read online that one of the ancient beliefs around the Hamsa symbol is that it can intercept negative or evil energy
HOW MALA BEADS ENHANCED MY PRACTICE
SO, HOW IS IT HELPING ME?
Well I have trouble concentrating. There are a million things going around in my head all the time. So, meditation is really a challenge for me. But I know that I needed to practice it because I don’t want these thoughts running in my head all the time
My mind needs a break too! That’s why when I get into yoga, meditation followed suit. I was determined to practice and be better at it, and trust me, it works wonders in your overall well-being
I used Mala Beads because I find that I work better when I have “additional” tools around. It makes me feel more motivated and at the same time, it makes the entire thing feel more “real” so if you’re in the journey of meditation and you need help, I highly suggest that you get yourself some prayer beads. You can get as many as you want!
this is where i got my prayer beads with Hamsa Hand