Using Mala Beads for Meditation
As you probably know, I am a big fan of meditation. In my Mindful Mama course, I share how to do a variety of meditations from Zen to Journey. But recently, I found a new tool for my meditation that I want to share with you. It is using mala beads for meditation. These are a great way to add a tactile tool for your mindfulness practice.
Photo credit from Mala and Mantra
The funny thing is how I stumbled upon mala meditations. I admired some beautiful beads on a woman at a party. I introduced myself and found that she was the founder of Mantra and Mala. I learned that these beads are not only beautiful but functional. They have been used for thousands of years to aid in meditation and mindfulness.
Malas are traditionally a strand of 108 beads with a “guru” bead. Truthfully, I don’t know how many beads are on mine nor do they all have a guru bead. The general concept is to move your fingers over the beads as you breathe or set an intention. I’m guessing it’s quite similar to praying with a rosary.
Each gemstone on the mala holds different properties. You can learn about the healing energies at http://www.malaandmantra.com/gemstone-guide/
Here is how I am using mala beads for my meditation.
I get comfortable in my seated position. I set an intention for the meditation. At Mala and Mantra, each mala comes with an intention.
I hold my mala in my hand, with a bead between my thumb and forefinger.
On each bead, I breathe in and then out, holding the intention in my mind.
I use my thumb to move to the next bead. Repeat. Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus on the intention.
When my mind wanders (and it always does), I simply come back to the beads.
