About
Every mala and bracelet is hand crafted in Rishikesh, India by skilled artisans that put their heart and soul into creating one-of-a-kind pieces. What makes them even more unique and special is that every mala is dipped in the Ganga River where the great Divine waters spill into northern India from the Himalayan Mountains. This sacred act cleanses & purifies the mala which brings her powerful and divine energy into your home and on your body.
Once the malas arrive we perform various forms of yoga practices over them, including meditation, pranayama, mantra and kriyas, further igniting their power. It brings us great joy to share our love of malas, meditation, India and the mystical waters of Mother Ganga with each of you.
How To Use
To practice Japa Mala meditation, hold your mala in either hand with the beads between your middle finger and thumb. The middle finger represents Saturn, the planet of meditation and deeper awareness; the thumb represents one’s true Self. Hold your mala gently with respect. Move to a new bead upon each breath or recitation of your mantra.
Japa Mala Information
A mala is a string of beads used to focus awareness and concentration during spiritual practices such as pranayama or mantra meditation. Japa means “rotate”. Japa Mala meditation involves using your fingers to rotate a mala bead by bead. Japa Mala counters the mind’s tendency to wander or to become overwhelmed by the continuous stream of inner chatter. As one slowly moves along the mala, the mind becomes rooted in that same unhurried, calm movement. Japa Mala directs awareness into a clear focus, both objectively and subjectively.
A full mala consists of 108 beads. Other small, decorative beads may be used as spacers to give the mala a pattern, though one long strand is also common. With all Rebel Malas each bead is separated with a small knot so they do not touch each other. The 108 beads in a mala is significant as it represents multiples of the sacred number nine which corresponds to, among other things, the number of planets in Vedic astrology and the number of months a baby develops in the womb. The number nine represents a multiple of another scared number, three/trinity. With awareness, one will notice the numbers nine and three are evident in many aspects of science, the natural world and spiritual practices from around the world. A mala is a constant reminder of and connection with these scared numbers.
Malas are made from wood, seeds, semi-previous gemstones or precious gemstones and strung with a durable thread or cord. Gemstones embody intense concentrations of energy. They support transformation and realization by supporting the specific needs of an individual. The gemstone itself does not offer what a person needs, but rather it offers a tool for shifting in that direction.
A mala itself is not a holy or magical artifact. It is a sacred tool for yoga practice in the same way asana, food and music or other sound vibrations are tools for one’s yoga practice. A mala’s significance and power is derived from the intention and sincerity of the user. With sincerity, meditation using a mala fosters devotion and the mala becomes a portable scared space that is a physical representation of your practice and intentions. The benefits of a mala practice are numerous and unique as the individual practitioner. Malas are to be cared for and placed in loving, sacred spaces, such as your altar, when you are not using them.