A 108-bead prayer strand of light wooden beads with three decorative beads and a dorje (vajra) pendant on an elastic cord – wearable wrapped around the wrist.
The wooden mala and the dorje
The warm-toned wooden beads are light and sit pleasantly in the hand; natural, plant-based beads keep attention on the practice through their simplicity. The strand is set off by a dorje (vajra in Sanskrit), the distinctive symbol of Tibetan Buddhism, uniting the unbreakable purity of the diamond with the piercing force of lightning. Three decorative beads punctuate the circle. These are traditional, cultural symbols.
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
108 wooden beads, three decorative beads and a dorje pendant on an elastic cord, about 33.5 cm long. Thanks to the elastic cord it can also be wound around the wrist. Keep it dry and wipe it with a soft cloth; wood is natural, so each bead's grain is unique.