Medi tation can sometimes be a tricky spiritual practice because it is common for the mind to wander and become distracted. If a persons energy is particularly low it is even possible to dose off during the meditation. For these reasons a mala can be a very useful meditation tool. Malas are strings of beads that contain one hundred and eight beads on the bracelet string. A mala is made from wood, crystal, seeds or semi-precious beads and are commonly used by Hindus and those who follow various Buddhist traditions such as Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism.
Malas are used during a mantra meditation so that a person can focus on the meaning of the mantra rather than having to keep track and count off each mantra in their head. Typically one mantra is said for each bead of the mala and the mala beads are moved in rhythm with the persons breathing and the mantra recitation. Traditionally the mala is held in one hand (the right hand for use in the Hindu tradition and the left hand in the Buddhist tradition) and is used in one of two ways. In the first method the mala hangs between the thumb and the third or ring finger with the middle finger being used to rotate the mala during the mantra recitations. In the second method the mala hangs on the middle finger and the thumb is used to rotate the mala. In both of these methods the mala is always rotated toward ones self, one bead at a time and the index finger is never used in touching the mala. The mantra chant always begins using the sumeru or guru bead, which is the one hundred and ninth bead, and continues until the sumeru is reached again. The sumeru bead is never passed over though, so if a person plans on doing more than one round of the mala, the mala is turned over after one round and the person will proceed in the reverse direction.
Malas used in Mahayana Buddhism sometimes have less than one hundred and eight beads but are often a divisor of this number, such as twenty-seven. This smaller type of mala is also known as a wrist mala. In Tibetan Buddhism the number of beads is one hundred and eight with the first one hundred beads being used for mantra recitation and the last eight beads being used as a dedication to all sentient beings. In Hinduism the significance of the number one hundred and eight represents the cosmos in which the sum of the twelve zodiac signs is multiplied by the nine planets.
The substance or color of the mala beads is meant to correspond with the deity or practice associated with the mantra. For example, a mala that is used to recite mantras that are associated with appeasement will have beads made from pearl or crystal. Sandalwood is associated with peace and may be used in a mantra meditation to help promote peace and tranquility. Hindus who follow Shiva ritual worship will use malas with beads made from rudraksha, with the word rudraksha meaning Shivas tears.
While using a mala, the mantra may be recited aloud, whispered or be kept completely private within ones mind; much of this depends on the tradition and the type of mantra being recited.
