Mala Beads for Meditation, Yoga and Beyond

Carnelian Mala

In recent years, mala beads have shown up in many forms of

contemporary popular culture.  Mala beads have appeared in films such

as Eat, Pray, Love, Wanderlust, and television shows such as

Enlightened. Moreover, mala beads have emerged as a popular yoga

accessory, and are worn now by many yogis and yoginis as a fashion

statement of a relaxed lifestyle. Despite this surge in attention to

mala beads in American culture, mala beads are not new nor are they

just a fashion statement. Mala beads have been an important spiritual

accessory since at least the 10th century. Traditionally, mala beads

are used in both Hindu and Buddhist religious practice for counting

mantras or affirmations. Early artistic depictions of deities, monks,

and sages from the East, show mala beads being worn and used during

meditation practice.

Mala beads are a strand of 108, 54, 27, or 21 beads traditionally used

for keeping count of mantras or affirmation. Traditional mala beads

are made from natural materials such as rudraksha seeds, tulsi seeds,

Bodhi seeds, rosewood and yak bone. Mala beads can also be made from

gemstones, and historically gemstone mala beads were reserved for

monks in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Uses of Mala Beads

There are many uses for mala beads.

While some practitioners restrict counting each in and out breath

during a meditation sit, others choose

to wear their mala while practicing yoga. Some people like to coil

their mala at the top of their yoga mat or in their lap while in

seated meditation, and many believe that the mala beads absorb the

energy of their practice. Other people choose to wear their mala as a

mental reminder or their affirmations or spiritual and emotional goals

of their practice. For example, some people will wear a mala bracelet

to remind them to stay present and keep breathing throughout the day.

Some people like to place their mala in a shrine or in a sacred place

in their home. Finally, some people wear a mala bracelet as the

quintessential fashion accessory of the a casual chic and boho fashion

style, and feel that their mala beads are both a statement of

lifestyle as well as a spiritual piece of jewelry.

Benefits of Gemstone Mala Beads

Any type of material can be used for a mala however gemstone mala

beads have the added benefit of holding the metaphysical properties of

the gemstones that they are made from. If you like to use healing

crystals, a gemstone mala is an excellent accessory to add to your

spiritual practice, especially if you meditate or practice yoga. For

example, if you are working on improving your strength and stamina, a

black onyx mala can help focus your attention and mind in this

direction. Black onyx is believed to improve strength, discipline,

stamina, and aid in the regulation of weight gain. If you are working

on increasing your balance, physically, mentally, or emotionally, a

mala made from tiger eye mala beads can help as this gemstone is

believed to improve overall balance. If on the other hand you are

working on chakra clearing and balancing, a mala made from white

tourmaline quartz would be excellent, as this gemstone is believed to

aid in aligning the chakras and centering the auric field.

Choosing a Mala

If you are interested purchasing a mala there are a range of materials

and qualities to choose from. If you want your mala to last a long

time, and you are purchasing a gemstone mala, be sure to purchase

stones that are at least AB grade. The quality of the gemstones will

impact the durability of the piece. It is also important that you

choose a mala strung on premium wire, quality braided thread, or

durable stretch cord. Some malas are strung on low grade cord which

can reduce their durability. Finally, when purchasing a mala check

that the seller has a product guarantee. You may also want to consider

working with a mala maker to select the perfect gemstones and symbolic

guru for a mala designed especially for your practice.

If you have any questions about purchasing a mala please contact the author.

Author Bio

Jacqueline Medalye is the designer and owner of Salt Spring Malas and

Yoga Jewelry. She has been practicing yoga for 10 years and she has

been making beaded jewelry since 1993. After traveling throughout

India she began making malas. She specializes in gemstone mala beads

and custom malas. Jacqueline feels that Salt Spring Malas is her path

of right livelihood given her passion for yoga, beads and jewelry

design.

You can contact Jacqueline through her

Webpage: www.saltspringmalas.com
or

Facebook

A big thanks to Jacqueline Medalye for her very informative article.

We appreciate her contribution to our blog very much and hope we 

will be hearing more from her in the future!

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The Road to Enlightenment

I've been fortunate enough to visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Beaux-Arts de Montreal) quite a few times over the years and the one sculpture that invariably captures my complete attention every time is  "The Road To Enlightenment" by British Sculptor Marc Quinn.  It's not just the startling appearance of the yoga-like figure that always draws me in, but also how the sculpture radiates a complete sense of peace and calm.  The Road to Enlightenment is a really good study in juxtaposition.

The Road to Enlightenment was one in a series of bronze sculptures that was originally created as part of the series, "Sphinx", that premiered at the Mary Boone Gallery in New York in 1997.  If the figure in the piece looks familiar, it's supermodel Kate Moss.  Quinn often depicted the images of real, recognizable people his sculptures.  He was interested in using their images to help him convey various ideas and emotions that he wanted to explore.

Coincidentally, a few months ago, I ran across another an image of Kate Moss enshrined in a hologram at the Alexander McQueen Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Seeing her image used by two different artists, in two different exhibits, within a few months time was pretty interesting. And reflecting back on Moss as a central figure in fashion almost 15 years later, I think the general public tends to forget the muse she played for so many important artists and designers.

As with all artwork, the Quinn sculpture leaves itself open to a number of different interpretations depending on the viewer.  I wanted more information about the piece and after some research found an interview that Quinn had given Jason Shulman in 2009.  He discussed some of his ideas and how they worked their way into this particular series. Copied below is an small excerpt from Quinn's interview which pertains specifically to "The Road to Enlightenment". 

"JS:  Your sculptures often depict real people, such as Kate Moss, Alison Lapper, Thomas Beatie, your wife, your son and so on.  Do you want to depict the subjects as they really are, or do they symbolize an abstract idea?

MQ:  Is is not only Kate Moss who is a real person and an image, everyone has both qualities as well.  Although they may not be articulated in a public way, in a sense my job is to find people who can represent ideas and emotions which can make sense in my art, and be themselves and somehow refract something about the world as I see it....  So they are about both, and people are both the real and conceptual representation, it depends on the person, how far away from the real person the image is.  For instance, in the case of Kate Moss, the image I would say has a completely autonomous and complex life.

JS:  So Siren is a continuation of this idea of mapping people and their images?

MQ:  Yes, the continuation and the extreme......... 

JS:  You made a series of sculptures of Kate Moss in the past few years which seem to culminate in Siren.

MQ:  Yes I suppose because you had this image which could be anything at all, which moulded by our collective device, and yet moulds us too.  It's very interesting to explore it properly.....
.... In The Golden Road to Enlightenment  you have the other ascetic extreme where the body is withering but the face is unchanging, that idea that people live in the fourth dimension of time, where images are out of time.  In the Buddha life story there is a part where the Buddha to be joins a group of Ascetics and renounces food to the point almost of death but then rejects this as a road to enlightenment and chooses the middle way.
My sculpture is based on a fabulous Gandharan period sculpture of the same subject in the Lahore Museum, however in a modern, fucked up sort of way, that ascetic impulse has been corrupted into the idea of being thin and extreme anorexia, which is an addiction to control really and of course our bodies and lives are really out of our control.  In that way we can't stop time, we have to roll with it".

If you would like more information about artist Marc Quinn and his work you can visit his website.
And if you are ever visiting Montreal please visit their wonderful art museums.  They are well worth a few hours of your time.

~ diane fergurson


Interview "link"

You might also enjoy:
Beaux-Arts de Montreal and the Folkert de Jong Sculpture


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The Five Tibetans by Christopher S. Kilham - Mind Body Spirit Odyssey Book Review

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The Five Tibetans, an up-close-and-personal look at five core Tibetan yoga traditions, is an ideal text for both the novice and advanced yoga student alike.  Written by Christopher S. Kilham - The Medicine Hunter - the book offers a detailed yet congenial account of what are commonly know as the Five Rites, or the Five Rites of Rejuvenation, which are central to traditional Tibetan yoga.    

            The author begins with a charming colloquial introduction to his own first experiences with the Five Tibetans, and even gives a brief history of the rites and their import to the West.  He goes on to provide an entire section on breathing techniques, which he indicates are central to experiencing the benefits of yoga, and then carefully provides an informative and intriguing description of the seven chakras and their functions.  The text includes an easy-to-understand diagram and concise lists that will allow students of all levels to benefit.

 

            He then goes on to describe, in great depth, kundalini.  This section was perhaps the most in-depth yet concise description of kundalini that this reader has experienced overall.  Kundalini is, according to the author, the most widely misunderstood element in yoga practice, and Kilham endeavors to provide the reader with a careful understanding of its nature and importance.    The remainder of the text hinges on the reader's understanding of this energy and its central role in yoga.

            Then Kilham brings us to the Five Tibetans themselves, and his description of these rites is positively stellar.  For the novice, this section will enlighten and inform, and for the more seasoned student, this section will serve as a refresher, a re-introduction of sorts.  Kilham provides photos of the exercises, which allow the reader to visualize the exact nature of each exercise.  He gives ample descriptions of the physical responses of each rite, and this aptly prepares the reader to experience the fullness of each application.   He follows this with more technique descriptions and the remainder of the text serves to provide a layout of tips for where to practice, how to practice and when to practice these rites.  Kilham gives advice on what to wear, how to behave, and more.   

            Readers of every background will benefit from reading this text.  It is informative but endearing, and the colloquial nature of the Medicine Hunter's no-apologies, straightforward discourse will enlighten those who are already practicing students, and those who wish to become so.  Everyone - even those who feel they don't have time in their busy schedules for yoga - should read this book.  

  ­­

The Five Tibetans by Christopher S. Kilham

Inner Traditions 

Publication date 8-17-11

Reviewed by Christina Dudley

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Mudras: Gestures of a Different Kind

A recent visit to the Rubin Museum of Art in New York brought to mind the wonderful blog post about Mudras that Indira Govindan had written for us last year.  I decided that I definitely wanted to re-read it, and that maybe some of you would enjoy reading it again (or for the first time) too.
~~~

If you did yoga, you may have used a few in your practice. If you were a Buddhist, you may have seen them on the icons. If you ever sat on a slow crawling traffic, you may have been tempted to create a few of your own. They are hand gestures or _hasta mudras_ as they are called in Sanskrit.  Of course, there are hand gestures and _hand gestures_. Gestures have culturally specific meanings and in Asian cultures the word mudra raises the meaning of the hand gesture to a spiritual and artistic plane.

In the image worshipping Asian faiths, the deities are portrayed in their multifarious aspects with the use of _mudras_. In the photo collage above, there are eight basic mudras. The two mudras that are common in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography are the _abhaya_ and the _varada_. The abhaya is the gesture of “fear not” and is indicated by the right hand raised to shoulder height, the palm of the hand facing outward, the fingers upright and joined. The varada is the gesture of granting wish and is represented with the left palm facing down and outward. Symbolically, the two gestures speak to the salvific aspect at the core of these two faiths of  “surrender to me” and “I will protect you”. Along with abhaya/varada, two mudras that are specifically associated with Gautama Buddha are the _dharmachakra_ (turning of the wheel of law) and the _bhumisparsha_ (touching the earth). The dharmachakra mudra symbolizes the preaching of the first sermon in the Deer Park in Sarnath after the Enlightenment. The bhoomisparsha mudra symbolizes Buddha taking the earth as witness to his transformation from Gautama (ordinary human) to Buddha (the Enlightened one).  My personal favorite in the collage is the _dhyana_ (meditation) mudra where the back of the right rests on the palm of the left with the tips of the thumbs slightly touching each other with both hands resting in the lap. In the collage, it is stylistically represented with the knuckles touching. Another one worth noting is _vitarka_, gesture of discussion or argument where the index finger and the thumb touch each other in a circle and the remaining fingers are held straight and joined together. The palm faces outward in abhaya motion. Contrast this with the modern gesture of argument in which the index finger is held straight while the thumb rests on the other three fingers. The collage has a couple of variations of vitarka and vajra (strong, confident).

The meanings conveyed by mudras are simultaneously simple and multi-layered. If you are a scholar looking to write a book on mudras, they are a treasure trove. But, for the faithful, the mudra’s appeal is transcendent. For me, as a practicing Hindu, the appeal of abhaya/varada is direct and immediate.

The *yoga mudras* are used for healing purposes. The hand is considered a source of energy (_prana_) with each finger representing one of the five natural elements—the thumb is fire, the index finger air, the middle finger ether, the ring finger earth and the little finger water. An imbalance in any of the elements causes diseases and, can be corrected with the use of mudras. The most familiar one is the gyana mudra, in which the index finger and the thumb are brought together with other fingers held straight. This mudra is used for developing concentration, memory and spirituality. This is the same as vitarka and founders of religious faith such as Buddha are often depicted in this pose. This mudra is also practiced for developing extra-sensory perception. The other familiar ones are the _prana_ and _shunya_. If you want to read more about healing mudras, there are two popular books:  Healing Mudras by Sabrina Mesko  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0345437586/1000markmindb-20 and Getrud Hirschi:Yoga in your hands http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/1578631394/1000markmindb-20.

Finally, there are the dance mudras used in the classical south Indian dances such as _Bhartanatyam_, _Kathakali_ and _Kuchipudi_. The classical Indian dance places a great importance on _bhava_ (expression) and it is conveyed through _abhinaya_ (gestures). There are a total 52 basic hand mudras and a number of permutations and combinations have been created out of these basic mudras (see photo for a sample of Kathakali mudras).

This blog was written by Indira Govindan of www.dharmakarmaarts.1000markets.com. She is a member of the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace.

Photos courtesy: www.creativecommons.org and Indira Govindan

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Namaste - An Explanation of a Very Old Greeting

The first time I read this beautiful explanation of the greeting "Namaste" in artist PattyMara Gourley's blog, I knew I was destined to re-post an excerpt of it on The Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.  Thank you for sharing Patty!  To read more wonderful words by PattyMara and experience all her fabulous creative work, you can visit her at her shop on Etsy!

                                                                                                      ~ diane fergurson


                                                                       

NAMASTE represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture acknowledges the soul in one by the soul in another. Pronounced nah-mah-stay', it is a traditional Sanskrit greeting translated loosely as "The divine within me greets the divine within you"
NAMA means bow
AS means I
TE means you.

Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to You." To perform Namaste, place the hands together at the heart chakra, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.

Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.

I've made painted clay Namaste tiles for the past ten years. They hang in homes, offices, meditation centers and yoga studios. I've created a new Namaste Painted Clay Collection
I make them now with white mica clay from New Mexico, and they shimmer with luminous sparkle and shine, a perfect reflection of two hearts connected.

 PattyMara's Etsy Shop!  Take a look!

Related Posts:

The Lotus

Mudras:  Gestures of a Different Kind

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The Lotus

One of the pleasant challenges of running an online shop is coming up with a name for your shop or website and for each of your creations. I became a merchant just a month ago and as I began to apply to the task of naming my designs, I was amazed to see so many products named lotus. Not surprising, since lotus instinctively evokes a sense of purity and serenity.

In the spiritual traditions originating from India, the lotus is a sacred flower symbolizing creation, divinity, and the purity of soul. Though all deities are depicted as holding a lotus in hand or seated on a lotus, it is most explicitly associated with the Goddess figure. In the Hundred-eight Chant of Goddess Lakshmi (which is actually an invocation for the Goddess), she is referred to as “Padma” (lotus), Padmalaya (residing in lotus), Padmapriya (one who loves lotus), Padmahasta (lotus like hands), Padmakshya (lotus-eyed), Padmasundari (beautiful like lotus), Padmodbhava (emanating from lotus), Padmamukhi (lotus-faced) and finally Padmamaladhara (one who wears a lotus garland). These descriptions also have subtler meanings. The picture above, a painting of the Goddess by a 19th century artist called Raja Ravi Varma, is in many respects a literal rendition of the lotus section of the 108 chants. Here the Goddess is shown emerging from a fully blooming lotus above the water, holding lotus flowers in her hands and clad in rose-colored sari . Since Ravi Varma’s time, this painting has become an iconic standard for pictorial representation of the Goddess.

In southern part of India it is a common practice to name children after gods and goddesses. However, during my mother’s generation, Padma became an unfashionable name to give to daughters. When I named my daughter Padma, back at home everybody was a little scornful of my choice. My most gratifying moment came during a temple visit when my daughter was four years old. As the priest recited the 108 chants her eyes kept getting bigger with every utterance of her name. She is an adult now and not particularly religious, but, I will say with some certainty that it was then that she became proud of her name.

~ Thanks to Indira Govindan for giving us this lovely blog post. Her shop DharmaKarmaArts can be found on Etsy.

Related Posts:
Mudras: Gestures of a Different Kind


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