 |
| One Full Mala (108x) |
How
to use your Tibetan Prayer Beads -
A working method of Enlightenment
By Bruce Conway
The
Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist malas are beaded rosaries or strings of prayer beads
used during chanting or meditation. They are employed to focus one’s awareness
and concentration during spiritual practice. The word mala means “garland” or rosary
in Sanskrit. Prayer beads have been used by practitioners from many disciplines
for thousands of years. Buddha himself recommended the mantra mala practice as
a path to enlightenment for ordinary people. Although malas have been used in
this way for thousands of years, it is only recently that they have become
popular as fashion accessories. Tibetan jewelry, clothing and beliefs are
presently in vogue worldwide. Many people have adopted these trappings as
fashion statements, yet few realize the symbolic significance or esoteric
origins of their trappings.
