ALL ABOUT MALAS

WHAT IS THIS PRETTY PEARL NECKLACE FOR?

Many yoga objects are diverted from their primary roles into fashion accessories, especially for the mala, so let's get back to the basics and the primary purpose of the mala. Let's first clarify that a mala, yes it is very pretty and although we can wear it to protect ourselves from certain situations, a mala should not be exposed to the eyes of others, traditionally we put it in a small cloth pouch worn around the neck or wrist.

The term "mala" means garland (Malasana, the posture of the garland), crown, necklace, row, series and is a feminine noun, we should say a mala. This necklace of 108 beads, is a meditation aid that is used to count the repetitions of the breaths or mantras. The repetition of the mantra promises a satisfaction of desires or a cure thanks to their special powers which transform the conscience.

A mala is a series of 108 beads of the same size aligned with a larger bead, or even a tassel, called a Guru or Meru bead. The beads must be of the same size but they can be of different materials, such as sandalwood, semi-precious stones, teeth (!), to generate different energies. For example, for female deities rock crystal stones are used, while to awaken the kundalini, rudraksha beads, the seeds of an Indian tree, are used.

USE HIS MALA CORRECTLY

Before concentrating on the repetition of the mantra, we need to find a comfortable posture in which we can hold the back straight for a long time, with a neutral spine, without hardening the groin and with relaxed arms that can be supported by a rolled blanket or cushions. The ideal posture is Padmasana, the Lotus posture, but it is not necessarily accessible to everyone.

Next, hold the mala in your right hand between your thumb and middle finger and use your thumb to count bead by bead each time you recite the chosen mantra out loud, in a whisper or silently, pushing the bead to move on to the next one, keeping your index finger relaxed and not touching the mala. The Guru bead serves as a starting point for the counting and when we reach it we start again in the opposite direction if desired and until we have made the multiple of 108 chosen.

In order to stay in a comfortable sitting posture and to do yourself some good, we recommend you to practice a session that relaxes the buttocks muscles and opens the hips.

ENERGIZE ITS MALA

With time and repetition of the mantra, the mala becomes impregnated with the properties of the mantra, which is why we dedicate a mantra to a mala that we will use for many years. The more we recite a mantra, the more powerful it is. The recitation of a mantra reinforces the previous one and so on, repeating a mantra only once is useless, but reciting a mantra a thousand times a day gradually leads to a real transformation of the individual. Nowadays, it is recommended to recite one's mantra for 20 to 30 minutes so that it can generate its energy.

When the mala is not in use, place it in a special place for you, like a personal altar or a statue of a deity (Buddha, Ganesha, Shiva, ...).

A little tip: if you don't have beads, you can make a mala by making a series of knots to make a necklace with a big knot to close it.

THE ASHTANGA MALA

"Pattabhi Jois offers with the Ashtanga yoga series a new kind of mala, which is an ancient tradition, as sacred as prayer and as beautiful as flower crowns. Her mala is a yoga garland in which each vinyasa is like a sacred pearl to be counted and focused on, and each asana is like a fragrant flower hanging on the thread of the breath. Just as japamala worships the neck and push pamala worships the gods, this yoga garland, when practiced diligently, also worships our being, with peace, health, radiance and finally self-knowledge." Yoga Mala, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

This notion of a garland of postures can also be applied to the Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga Prana Vashya series.