Malas are more than just jewelry

Malas have a traditional meaning in the spiritual tradition. You can find high-quality malas in beautiful designs and bracelets with special meanings here at YOGISTAR. With a mala you can count the mantras you recite, just like you count prayers with a rosary, or you can simply carry it with you as a kind of talisman. It is also decorative! You can find beautiful malas of all kinds at YOGISTAR: Whether you want a classic Rudraksha mala or prefer a mala made of semi-precious stones, you will find your favorite model here.

What is a mala?

Malas are tried and tested aids for mantra recitation and can also be worn on the body. As briefly mentioned above, they are used in a similar way to a rosary: ​​the principle is the same - just as with a rosary a bead is pushed forward after each prayer, with a mala a bead is allowed to slide through the fingers with each mantra recited. Certain beads are also said to have a subtle effect that is released. This can range from strengthening the recited mantra and its power to other specific energetic effects. More on this in the next section, which is specifically about Rudraksha malas...

The traditional Mala: Beads = Rudraksha beads
Traditionally, mantra malas in India were made mainly from rudraksha seeds.

The word " Rudraksha " means "the eye of Rudra", Rudra being a name for Shiva, the great yogi and Hindu god, in his fearsome form. In fact, the beads (i.e. the dried seeds of the tree Elaeocarpus ganitrus) have little "eyes". These small indentations in the Rudraksha seeds are also called "mukhi" ("face") - and depending on how many there are, they are each said to have a special effect. The rare Rudraksha malas with only one mukhi, for example, are said to represent pure consciousness and are considered extremely auspicious. The very common 5-mukhi Rudrakshas are associated with the five elements earth, fire, water, air and ether and are also often used in the hope of wish fulfillment. 6 mukhis are also common in Rudraksha malas. These Rudrakshas are considered to be the source of the energy of Shiva's son Kartikeya. It is generally said that Rudraksha seeds envelop the wearer in a cocoon of their own energy, which can be an advantage if you are on the move a lot or are often in crowds and are therefore confronted with a wide variety of foreign energies to an extreme degree. Sages, seers and yogis of old are said to have worn Rudraksha malas.

The traditional mala has 108 beads. You can find this variant here, as well as a Rudraksha mala with 54 beads and a Rudraksha bracelet.

Individual Malas: Semi-precious stone malas and more

The beautiful semi-precious stone malas that you can get from YOGISTAR are truly a joy for the eye and also for the soul. These malas are simply exquisite and some of them have pendants with the OM symbol or the flower of life in addition to the precious mala beads. Whether amazonite, agate, garnet or quartz crystal, rose quartz, moonstone, jade or angel stone - the malas are available with a variety of stones to choose from, so that everyone can find their favorite.

Anyone who is familiar with semi-precious stones or crystal healing knows that different stones are said to have special effects. You can of course use this as a guide when choosing your personal mala if you are interested in this teaching.

Vintage Malas

Be sure to discover the designer malas in a vintage look at YOGISTAR.

The wooden beads have a special used look thanks to a special treatment, and the tassels are perfectly colour-coordinated. This makes this mala collection anything but "run of the mill"... If you're looking for a particularly beautiful mala, you'll love the vintage malas!

Bracelets: My Chakra

You can find special bracelets at YOGISTAR from "My Chakra": Similar to the stone malas, the power of semi-precious stones is used here to achieve a special effect. The bracelets are each aimed at a specific chakra, for which a specific stone has been selected to help harmonize the chakra. In addition, the bracelets from My Chakra simply look excellent - delicate but impressive!

Malas and bracelets from the YOGISTAR range not only bring a special beauty to your everyday life and look great as an accessory, they also have a special meaning that supports your spiritual lifestyle. Enjoy the elegant and beautiful malas and bracelets every day!

Interesting for everyone who wants to use their mala for mantra recitation: An article from the magazine YOGA AKTUELL...

In the rhythm of the heart

Study proves health effects of mantra recitation and rosary prayers.

Anyone who recites a mantra or prays the rosary feels how inner peace spreads, how breathing regulates itself and how the rhythm automatically harmonizes with the body's rhythm in a beneficial way. A study carried out at the University of Pavia in Italy shows that both reciting mantras and the Christian equivalent of praying the rosary bring breathing into optimal harmony with the heart rhythm as well as with other rhythms of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Both practices reduced the study participants' breathing rate to 6 breaths per minute, which is less than half the usual average.

During the study, the rosary was prayed with the Ave Maria, which was spoken in Latin and one person took on the role of the priest and another that of the congregation. The Buddhist mantra chosen was "Ommani padme om". The 23 participants knew neither the aim of the study nor had they previously been taught the mantra in a special chant, so that no distortions could have arisen. The study also measured the effect of free conversation on breathing. Here too, a slight reduction in frequency was found, but breathing did not settle into such a regular rhythm as with mantra and rosary prayer. Thanks to the regular breathing brought about by the latter, which is synchronized with the other body rhythms, well-being and receptivity are promoted, according to the authors of the study. The researchers also point out that learned lowering of the breathing frequency also slows down spontaneous breathing over time.

The similarities between the rosary prayer and the mantra recitation, which is usually performed using malas - prayer beads similar to the rosary - are striking. Although they could be an indication of the cross-cultural intuitive development of such beneficial practices, there are also indications that point to a historical connection. Christianity could have adopted the practice from India: the rosary was introduced to Europe by the crusaders, who probably knew it from the Arabs. The Arabs, in turn, had become acquainted with the mala-mantra practice of the Tibetan monks, who practiced mantra recitation according to Indian custom in accordance with their religion.

FAQ

What are malas used for?

Malas are used to assist in mantra recitation (japa). Each bead is moved forward while repeating a mantra or prayer. The guru bead marks the beginning and end of the chain.

What materials are malas made of?

Malas can be made from different materials, such as plant seeds, wood, shells or semi-precious stones. Each material has its own symbolic meaning and can be used for different purposes.

How do I choose a mala?

When choosing a mala, be guided by your intuition and the meaning of the materials used. Choose a mala that feels right for you and supports your spiritual practice.