It started with a question…

“Can you make a buddhist rosary?” And I didn’t know. So I spent some time learning about what my fellow student referred to as a buddhist rosary; what she asked me about is called a mala. Malas, or japa malas, are a series of beads or knots used in prayer, mantras and/or meditation. The beads are used as a tool to mark the number of prayers or meditations, but they are much more than a simple tool.

There are usually 108 beads in a mala, though there may be other amounts. Some malas have counters to keep track of how many rounds they have made.

I will be making one, after I do a little more research on the pieces. My intention is to create a mala in a respectful way. My plan is to use some beautiful carnelian beads, knotted as with pearls (in place of placer beads); it will look nicer and be sturdier.

Have a great week!

Kim (kim@of-the-earth.org)

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