What Are Mala Beads? Suddenly Everyone Has Them

Mala beads are used in meditation practices. They have their roots in ancient Eastern history and ancient meditation practices. Particularly Hinduism and Buddhism embrace the use of the Mala. Different Yogi’s and other meditation practitioners use Mala beads as inventory markers. What they keep track of is up to you or the Yogi/meditation practitioner whom you choose to follow personally. They are used to remember specific mantras for things, goals, wishes, people, your life.

Each Mala is designed uniquely, and the types of stones and beads used in the composition of Mala Beads has meaning and are used in meditation for different purposes, depending on the users’ goals. But all traditional Malas, regardless of the purpose, have 108 beads. The number 108 is considered to be divinely significant in many ancient cultures.

Every Mala has a main Guru bead. This marks both the beginning and the end of your meditation, as you work your way through each bead. The Guru bead is also commonly used as a point to present a mantra to thank your teachers.

Many kinds of Mala have a tail on the Guru bead. This is not always the case. Both the Guru bead and the tail serve the purpose of adding weight, aside from the remembrance of our educators. The specific kinds of beads do most often have meaning beyond decorative and weighted value. There are very many volumes written throughout the ages about the specific empowerment of each type of material used in the construction of Mala.

Mala are commonly wrapped around the wrist during meditation, allowing a user to use their free hand to hold each consecutive bead during its mantra. Very high-end Mala beads are hand knotted. You use the knot as a spacer between the significant beads. Many types of Mala do not include knots. Particularly the recently mass-produced Mala have no knots.

Most traditional Malas are made from natural woods, seeds, beads, metals and metal-plating. Some Malas incorporate Yak bone and other significantly spiritualistic items. Modern jewelry houses and homegrown manufacturers are putting the bling on in regards to introducing Americanized Mala.

Why Are Mala Beads Everywhere in the U.S.?

Mala Beads are one of those things that have slowly crept up on our society here in the U.S. and suddenly it seems like they are everywhere. Aside from the growing number of Buddhists and Hindus in our country, we also have the Yoga instructors.

Many U.S. Yoga instructors adopt and adapt Eastern meditation practices in their teachings. Mala beads have been part of this growing trend here in the states. In addition to adding to the tools of their teachings, creating and selling their own versions of Mala beads adds a way for Yogis to support their financial needs.

Yoga has grown to great popularity in the U.S. Many school systems have adopted Yoga programs as both a form of exercise as well as a form of meditation. Here in the U.S. the pressure to compete with overwhelming population growth in areas of career, education and healthcare have caused a surge in stress, leading to all sorts of terrible consequences. Meditation has proven to help in reducing stress and Yoga has also proven to help in reducing obesity in the U.S., which is a serious health issue.

Malas have been adopted by U.S. culture, and now they are being adapted by U.S. culture. In my research, I discovered that different Yogi’s here in the states are teaching their own versions of how to use Mala Beads. But even the ancient practices of Hinduism and Buddhism have different approaches to the etiquette and functionality of the Mala. Such an ancient totem has had many incarnations and now gets Americanized.

Why Has Christianity Been the Main Religious Practice in The U.S.?

It is common knowledge that the United States was formally founded by Christian Pilgrims from England although people have always been coming to these shores from every nation on the globe. There is evidence that many cultures made it to the shores of the United States well before the famous groups of Pilgrims from England but never-the-less, Christianity has been the most common religious group in the U.S, thanks to industrious European immigrants.

The U.S. is always evolving. We are a nation of immigrants. Population growth has ensured that the world is becoming more homogenous with greater immigration, and this brings new culture, fresh ideas, and ways of looking at things differently. These are the qualities that have always made ‘America’ great. Genius comes from every corner of the globe. Any child who is lost could have been the next Apastamba, Zhang Heng, Plato, Emmy Noether, or Albert Einstein.

It is immigration that has always been the backbone of what many of us know as ‘America’. My own relatives immigrated here from France and Spain. My family history and DNA proves that. I too am an immigrant to this country but a natural born citizen. Immigrants with fresh ideas and strong work ethics make America great.

How Is the Jewelry Industry Involved in the Introduction of Malas to the U.S. Market?

One of the many wonderful cultural exchanges that is happening here in the U.S. involves the growing number of Buddhists, Hindu’s, and Yogi’s. This introduction of Eastern religious culture is another boon to our country and adds the sophistication of ancient cultures that span millennia. These are not just some new fads. These are traditions steeped in rich history and important heritage. They improve and embellish American culture.

Change is never easy. Ask any corporate manager about change management and they will groan. It’s a real thorn. Nobody likes to change. Wars are fought over refusal to change. Here in the United States, the change always happens slowly. Sometimes so slowly that suddenly it seems there are new ideas, processes and things that just appear out of nowhere. Then it takes a long time for foreign ideas to become mainstream.

You can see great examples of this in the U.S. jewelry industry where suddenly the rush is on to create the next trend-setting Mala that becomes a cash cow. Charm bracelets that were so hot for so many seasons are beginning to slump in sales. The next new hot selling item in jewelry includes the Mala. They have often been made of semi-precious stones and metals but mostly more natural and readily available materials. A huge homegrown retail market already exists.

With the gangsta’ hip hop craze now an accepted fashion staple here in the U.S. and abroad, it only makes sense that the Mala, like the Christian Cross, will be introduced with diamonds, rubies, cubic zirconia, and blinged-out in every imaginable way.

Since Malas are designed for meditation and remembrance, unique beads have always been a staple in any Mala. Designers are creating Malas for specific things such as teaching, sports, personal goals, education, and every imaginable area. With a bead in the specific shape of something you wish to meditate on, it is easier to remember the mantra for that item.

How Can I Make My Own Mala Beads?

Using our memory is vital as we age. Eastern practices such as meditation are proven to exercise the memory and brain and engage us in breathing patterns that are beneficial to our overall health. You don’t have to be spiritual to use a Mala. They are only significant to the specific owner, unlike the idea of totems from other examples.

You can create your own Mala for whatever purpose. The power of positive thinking is well known. And creating your own jewelry around a personal goal, area of personal concern, areas for personal improvement, family well-being or anything that is important in your life, will help you to concentrate more exactly on those specific goals.

Finding a Mala that is right for you is a personal journey, just like finding the right fit in religious belief or following. Whatever they are created for, or whatever materials they are made from, they are all works of art and culture that come from the heart. A Mala can be an inventory of the blessings in your life, or an inventory of the hopes for your future. Or you can just enjoy the idea that these are pieces of art with deep meaning, cultural heritage, and natural beauty.

As a fan of culture, art, history and jewelry, I have a large collection of Mala beads in very many materials and styles. I often layer them on with other pieces for a Boho fashion look. I do respect their heritage and their meaning however in my personal journey, they are artwork that I enjoy wearing and looking at throughout my day. They add color, charm, sophistication, and beauty to my life.

I do use my Mala beads for meditation but not in any standard way. I also use all of my pieces of jewelry for meditation. When you examine the purpose and design of Mala beads, as a jewelry collector I realize that each piece in my collection serves the same purpose. Most pieces are tied to specific places, times, and events in my life. Wearing them often causes me to meditate on that specific experience. What did I learn? What did I take away that I should remember? Who was there that I love?

Like choosing Mala beads for meditation, I choose daily pieces of jewelry for daily needs. If I have to go out into the community then I feel I need protective totems. I turn to my staples such as Thor’s Hammer, the totem for the Norse God Odin. The Egyptian Gods Isis and Horace also feature heavily in my jewelry collection as do Pharaohs and Sphinxes. They are all Mala of sorts. I collected them in world travels. They remind me to show strength and to remember who I am.

Whenever I wear jewelry that was given to me as a gift, I feel that person is with me in spirit. It reminds me of that person throughout the day. I meditate about my relationship with that person and why it was that they presented me with that specific gift. Sometimes I find that I want to show more appreciation to that person, and not for the gift of jewelry, but for the other blessings they bring to my life. Sometimes it makes me reach out to catch-up. Sometimes they are people that are no longer in this universe. More cause for meditation.

Any piece of jewelry can serve the purpose of a Mala and they always have. How many of us have pieces of jewelry given or passed down from loved ones that cause us to meditate? How many pieces of beloved jewelry have you picked up on explorations or vacations that remind you of the emotion, joy, or overall experience of that place or time?

Meditation can be about thankfulness or forgiveness. It can about remembrance or improvement or self-achievement. A Mala is any item at all that reminds you of a goal, experience, blessings, achievements, people or places. If it causes you to meditate, then it technically serves the same purpose as a Mala. It doesn’t have to be traditional. Make it your own. There are no Mala-Police.

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