“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
— Thomas Merton

So, what is a Mala?

A mala (which means garland in Sanskrit) is an ancient meditation tool made from gemstones, seeds or other beads used to count mantras, prayers, or intentions. Malas are also used to count breaths or focus on gratitude during contemplative practices. They are often thought to embody healing intentions for the wearer based on the energetic qualities inherent in their gemstones. True malas have 108 mala beads on each strand. (Malas can also be made with any number divisible by 9). Depending on the particular spiritual tradition using the mala, different bead design patterns are used. The number 108 also carries numerous spiritual meanings dating back to the origins of Buddhism and Hinduism in India. Although many different cultures and disciplines ascribe spiritual significance to the number 108, there is also wide spread interpretation grounded in science, math, and philosophy. Here are some of the meanings I find most interesting:

  • Ancient Sanskrit Texts: There are 108 chapters of the Rig Veda, 109 primary Tantras, and 108 Upanishads.

  • Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) energy. So, 54 X 2 = 108.

  • Sun Relation to Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

  • Moon Relation to Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

  • Stars: Some Buddhists believe that there are 108 sacred stars. Lotus seeds, called rudrakshas whose name means “moon and start” are often used in mala designs.

  • Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.

  • Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2x2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

  • 1, 0, and 8: In numerology (as separate numbers),1 signifies Spirit or higher Truth; 0 stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice; and 8 means infinity or eternity.

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”
— Peace Pilgrim

Mala Making as a Contemplative Practice

The actual art of making a mala is itself a contemplative spiritual practice which can bring peace and calm much like a meditation practice. Eastern culture teaches that the act of creating each knot in the mala is an opportunity to “unknot” thoughts, tensions, or difficulties in the mind. Chanting the Om Shreem mantra while creating each knot calls forth the energy of oneness, wholeness and abundance. Making a tassel at the end of a mala also carries spiritual energy. When creating the tassel, a piece of string is wrapped around the top of the bundle of threads five times. Each rotation honors the natural world: one for the sun, one for fire, one for air, one for earth and finally, one for water. Next, the strings are tied once for the left side of the body or receiving energy and once for the right side of the body or giving energy. Finally, cutting the ends of the tassel signifies cutting through the darkness of the world and all negative energy. The tassel represents the oneness and connection of all.

 Stone Meanings and Healing Intentions

For thousands of years, ancient civilizations have been intrigued by the beauty and energy contained by elements in the natural world. Gemstones, in particular, have been revered by royalty and spiritual traditions for their beauty and talisman like qualities. Below is a brief list of some of the gemstones I typically use in making my malas and their energetic meanings:

  • Agate: balance, strength, courage, protection

  • Amazonite: harmony, balance, truth telling, communication, wisdom, clarity

  • Amethyst: tranquility, calmness, peace of mind

  • Autumn Jasper: comfort, tranquility, connection

  • Black Network Agate: strength, courage, protection, self-confidence, inner stability

  • Black Zebra Jasper: courage, motivation, calmness, absorbs negative energy

  • Blue Aventurine: luck, abundance, success

  • Brown Zebra Jasper: nurture, tranquility, wholeness

  • Carnelian: warmth, joy, courage, compassion, creativity, protection

  • Chinese Rainbow Jasper: creativity, love, protection

  • Citrine: imagination, clarity, manifestation

  • Crazy Lace Agate: encouragement, optimism, focus, laughter

  • Dalmatian Jasper: healing, spirit, discourages negativity

  • Fancy Jasper: well-being, lightness of being, connection to nature, nurture, calm

  • Fire Agate: courage, strength, inspires action

  • Flower Stone: optimism, joy, liveliness, happiness

  • Fluorite (rainbow): clarity, focus, order

  • Garnet: self-worth, healing, grounding, courage

  • Green Aventurine: opportunity, luck, creativity, motivation, abundance

  • Gray Agate: stamina, vitality

  • Howlite (White): rest, worry free, releasing

  • Iron Zebra Jasper: courage, motivation, calmness, absorbs negative energy

  • Labradorite: intuition, spiritual abilities, clarity

  • Lava Rock: grounding, calming, rebirth, healing

  • Leopardskin Jasper: harmony with nature, protection, tranquility, spiritual discovery

  • Mookaite: self-esteem, communication, calm, balance, protection

  • Moonstone: intuition, balance, woman's stone

  • Morganite (Beryl): peace, joy, inner strength, connection to divine love

  • Ocean Jasper: joy, happiness, aids in releasing negative energy and feelings

  • Picasso Jasper: transformation, renewal, clearing

  • Picture Jasper: harmony, creativity, comfort, alleviates fear

  • Pink Opal: emotional healing & balance, matters of the heart, peaceful energy

  • Pink Zebra Stone: contentment, joy, relaxation, spiritual connection

  • Purple Aventurine: spirituality, connection, balance

  • Red Banded Agate: protection, courage, energy, determination, grounding

  • Red Creek Jasper: balance, relaxation, grounding, protection, mental clarity and focus

  • Red Tiger Eye: motivation, self-esteem, confidence, balance

  • Rhodonite: confidence, calm, well-being, forgiveness, unconditional love, balances emotions

  • Rose Quartz: inner peace, harmony, love, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, open heart

  • Sodalite: harmony, balance, truth, strengthened communication

  • Sunstone: creativity, vibrancy, lightness, happiness

  • Tiger Eye: luck & money, strength, courage, vitality

  • Unakite: grounding, balancing, release of pain/anger/past, patience, cleansing

  • Yellow Agate: courage, confidence, happiness, prosperity