A 108-bead prayer strand of deep black tourmaline beads with a decorative brocade pouch – the traditional stone of grounding and protection in a meditation companion.
Black tourmaline
Tourmaline is a complex borosilicate mineral family; its black variety, schorl, is among the best-known semi-precious stones, often with a finely striated surface. Its hardness is about 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale. Tradition knows it as a stone of grounding and protection, and many associate it with keeping negative energies at bay. These are traditional ideas, not medical effects. The deep, full black beads lend a serious, steadying mood to practice.
The 108-bead prayer strand
A mala is the prayer strand of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, originally used to count mantras in meditation. A larger meru or guru bead closes the 108 beads, standing for wisdom and the completeness of the circle. The beads pass one by one between the fingers while attention rests on the meaning and vibration of the words. This slow, repeating motion has helped practitioners gather their attention to a single point for centuries.
How to use it
Hold the mala in your hand during meditation or mantra recitation, and move from bead to bead between the index finger and the thumb; on reaching the guru bead you turn the circle back rather than crossing it. Through the day it can be worn wrapped around the wrist as a quiet reminder.
Material and care
A 108-bead strand of natural semi-precious stone beads. Being a natural stone, each piece is unique: shade, veining and pattern may vary slightly from the image. Keep it dry, wipe it with a soft cloth and avoid harsh chemicals and perfumes. The meaning attached to it comes from tradition, not from any medical effect.
The strand arrives in a decorative brocade pouch and is about 43.5 cm long.