How to use a Mala
One supportive way to use your mala is to meditate with an intention. It isn’t about eliminating your thoughts, but about creating space between them, allowing yourself room to connect and reflect. Your Mala can be a tactile guide on that journey.
Remember it’s ok to have your mind wander — but if it does...you mala is a great tool to bring yourself back! Release judgement, and treat yourself with patience, grace and love as you move through this practice!
𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝟏. Sit comfortably, Taking a few deep breaths to center and align yourself with your intention.
𝟐. Hold your mala in your right hand, draped between your middle and index fingers. Starting at the guru bead (big bead at the bottom) use your thumb to each smaller bead, moving up the mala. On each bead, inhale “I Am” and exhale a word that embodies how you want to feel. (i.e abundant, strong, patient, intuitive, loved, enough, worthy, etc.)
𝟑. Do this 108 times, traveling around the mala, until you once again reach the guru bead.
𝟒. The guru bead signifies a moment to pause and sit in reflection. Don’t miss out on such an important part of the process!
𝟓. If you want to continue the meditation, instead of passing over the guru bead, simply reverse direction and begin again. If you can’t make it through all 108 beads that’s ok. Mark where you left off and continue again when you can!
Don’t have a specific intention? Use your breath! On each bead, take a deep inhale and exhale. Then move to the next bead.
Mini Mala
A compact size mala (made with 54 or 27 beads).
You would simply count the beads 4 times (27) or 3 times (54) during meditation or use, as is, one round, to practice shorter meditations (especially if finding undistracted “you” time limited)
Perfect to keep in your pocket, dangle from your vehicle mirror, wear on your wrist or lay on your yoga mat!
HOW TO WEAR A WRIST WRAP MALA
1. Hold the guru bead between your thumb and forefinger, wrap the mala loosely around your wrist (1-2 times depending on wrist size), then take the guru bead and twist it into a figure eight and slide it over the wrist. Gently adjust.
2. Place guru bead on the top of your wrist. Wrap the mala around your wrist (1-2 times depending on wrist size), on the last wrap twist the mala into a figure eight + one additional twist and slide over wrist. Gently adjust.
Tassel Love
A well worn and frequently used mala will have a tassel that may need some love. You may view this as seeing beauty in that which is imperfect. Alternatively, you can refresh your mala by lightly putting warm water through the tassel, then carefully smoothing it out or gently combing it and then rolling it up in a dry towel and block, allowing it to sit overnight to dry. (The towel is important as it keeps your tassel from getting hard.) You can also tidy up a frayed tassel by trimming the end of the tassel using sharp scissors if needed and applying a new coat of fray gel to the ends.