MICHAEL MAKES MALAS!
I have been making my own malas since 2017. I love making them!
Mala beads are used by practitioners to track their position as they move through the meditative practice. “Mala” means “garland” and is a loop of beads held together with string, usually made of 108 beads, joined by a head bead (also called a guru bead). As the mantra is spoken, the beads are cycled through. This frees the mind from having to count. The coordinating of speaking the mantra with the movement of the hand on the bead introduces an embodiment and focus to the practice.
When I make malas, each design combination is singular and is an expression of the moment in which it was created. There is always some design variation in the creations: from the color schemes and combinations of the many beads, to the joining bead, to the tassel, and the adorning thread. Something about each one is different, even ones that might look similar at first glance!
Two malas that are nearly finished!
Nature, and our nature too, is very creative. My making of malas is my creative expression. Creativity is a spiritual practice.
But that’s only half of the story. The other half is where you, the user comes in …