what-you-don't-know-about-Mala-Bracelets

What you don't know about Mala Bracelets

The mala bracelet is a Tibetan prayer rosary used in the Buddhist religion and sometimes among Hindus. The name "Mala" means "meditation garland".

Today, it is often worn as an elegant jewel or as a protective amulet. If the symbolism is strong and well known, the way of using its mala is less widespread in our western cultures.

So here are 9 things you certainly don't know about mala bracelets. Let's start with how to use this spiritual object, then let's talk about its many symbolism in the respect of the Buddhist tradition.

 

Why is the mala composed of 108 beads exactly?

The traditional Mala in the form of a necklace normally has 108 pearls. Today there are variations to allow the mala to be worn as a bracelet with 21 or 27 beads. But there is a real usefulness and spiritual symbolism behind this number 108 which was definitely not chosen at random!

Mala of 108 pearls: symbol of the three Buddhist principles

The mala is composed of 108 pearls, this number is very important in Buddhist symbolism and was not chosen at random. It represents the three fundamental principles of Buddhist thought:

The 1: The unity of all things. God is unique, he is one and is found in all things including every living being, the unity of the divinity.

The 0: emptiness, impermanence. This complex concept explains that nothing lasts forever and that nothing has an independent existence, because everything is linked.

The 8: symbol of the reversed infinity. Cyclic life is an eternal beginning where everything is interconnected.

Linked, these three definitions take up the great truths that lead to the calm of the mind, the tranquility of the soul and the serenity of each living being (the Buddha's path for Buddhists).

 

mala-necklace-bracelet

 

 

Use of the Mala: 21 minutes to reach mental calm

108 beads, because each of them represents a repetition of a mantra. The best known of all the mantras and the most used is the original Om Mani Padme Hum. 108 repetitions of this mantra also represent a cycle of about twenty minutes to recite them.

The symbolism of the 21st: The great spiritual masters and monks who regularly practice meditation explain that the state of mental calm can be reached on average about 20 minutes after entering the meditative state. 21 minutes to be precise: the number 21 is also very important in Buddhist symbolism because it represents the sacred trinity (3×7 = 21) and the number 7 is recognized and symbolic in almost all religions.

The sacred utility of the 21 minutes: Calm mind is described as a peaceful state of mind where thoughts no longer jostle in our consciousness. 21 minutes is therefore the time it takes for the mind to decant the daily restlessness and resume slower brain wave frequencies that are conducive to cell regeneration and beneficial to the body and mind. This state allows us to distance ourselves from our perception of situations and no longer allow ourselves to be carried away by our conditioning, but to follow the voice of the heart and wisdom.

 

The mala, a precious aid to meditation

Meditating with your mala and the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum thus allows you to easily reach your 21 minutes of meditation without having to watch your watch or to leave your meditative state by a sudden wake-up call.

Obviously any type of mantra (other than Om Mani Padme Hum) can be used for meditation and the 21 minutes do not have to be respected. Everyone is free to adopt the mantra that corresponds to their needs of the moment and to adapt their meditation practice to their available time. The main thing is to take a moment for oneself, to reconnect to one's system of thought and inner peace.

introducing-3-minutes-meditations

 

 

What is the use of the big pearl that stands out from the others and closes the circle of mala?

Called "Pearl of emptiness", it is the symbol of the end of a cycle and the beginning of the restart. Life is an eternal restart, the mala represents this truth present in most of the spiritual currents of the world. Thanks to the pearl of emptiness it is easy to identify even with closed eyes and in a state of great concentration, the end of a cycle of 108 repetitions. The meditator is free to choose to stop his practice here, to continue with another type of meditation or to start a cycle of mantra recitation again.

 

Pearl-of-emptiness

 

How is a mala used, why is it indispensable for mantra recitation?

Although the mala can be used as you wish, traditionally it is held in the right hand and the beads are always pulled towards you. With each repetition of the mantra, the thumb is then used to slide the beads one by one over the folded index finger. This ritualized gesture has its source in two reasons:

For the Tibetans, each time a pearl slides towards oneself, therefore each time a mantra is repeated, the fact of passing a pearl towards oneself represents the action of bringing a living being out of hell. By reciting mantras equipped with its mala not only one helps oneself by alleviating its spirit, but one takes part in the improvement of the order of the things, the universe and humanity by helping with each recitation a living being to leave its own hell.

Hell among Tibetans and in Buddhism is not perceived as a place full of flames and demons to which one goes after death. Hell is a state of mind in which unhappy beings live daily. Any living being can therefore be in hell, and each repetition of a mantra with a mala allows a person to get out of this situation which is harmful to his or her development.

Thus the Buddhist monks in the remote monasteries of Tibet and the Himalayas, contribute to the improvement of the world through their meditation.

 

The mala: a practical meditation tool in all circumstances

The mala can also be used while walking or doing another activity. Thus slipped into the hand or wrapped around the wrist, the mala can be used discreetly in any circumstance and without making noise to disturb the meditations of other people around.

Expert advice: how to choose your mala bracelet?

Take a look at this article which will give you several tips on how to choose your mala bracelet.

If you wish to use your mala for meditation, it is interesting to get a mala bracelet with rather large beads (8 mm) and with a little space between the beads so that you can slide the beads between your fingers.

Some mala bracelets have knots between each bead but this is not ideal for meditation. This does not take away from their charm.

 

buy-mala-necklace