I am in love with using malas for meditations, mantras, and recitations. I have been doing alot of daily meditations for the past year but the malas have taken me to another level which I felt I needed. The basic idea is that much like rosaries, you would use the malas (or Buddhist/Tibetan prayer beads as they are also called) and say a mantra for each bead. There are 108 beads on the full mala and 27 on the wrist mala usually with a bigger bead (guru bead) which is your stopping point to flip it and keep the mantras going. A full round is considered a buhm and the idea is to recite 10 full buhms per session (108 x 10). I haven't reached that level just yet, but it's what I am working towards.
I have several recitations I use for different purposes. You do not have to be a Buddhist or do it in the Buddhist way in order to feel the power of this practice. Reciting the "So Hum" or the "Om Mani Padme Hum" is wonderful but there are other options for the non-Buddhist practice too. For example, I have some friends that are dealing with serious health issues. For them I say "Health be to (insert name)"for each bead while I hold their smiling face in my mind and the connection I feel for them in my heart. The spoken words with the visual image and the emotional energy/connectedness is very powerful to me. It focuses my heart on my intention, my mind on the one intention, and connects my feelings to these in a beautiful way. And it's a practice/ritual which discplines me for the greater good. Over time it has resonated with me and I believe it helps me focus on the beauty of life without the negative interferring.
Some people connect with certain gems and stones on their mala. I like to choose mine by weight and feel. I have been wearing mine on my wrist to remind me of my focus each day. Most advise against wearing them as it being either sacrareligious or adding undue wear and tear on your beads and string. It is true that they can break. But when I hear the beads jingle it reminds me of how special the moments in life are and reminds me of my intentions with my prayers/recitations. So I will wear one a day to maintain my focus. So if you are walking by my office when I have my door shut, now you know what you are hearing and when you see my bracelets, you know what they are for. And my new obsession is timely for me as I am getting ready to mark my one year anniversary of my neurosurgery. This year has been about healing but not just my body. The highs and lows of recovering from a major health issue can take it's toll in many ways. Meditations and malas have been such wonderful parts of my journey and I plan to keep them going. And you know with the holidays around the corner....umm..hint.
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"Om Amideva Hrih"*********************
