A string of mala beads consists of 108 individual beads, of which one is referred to as the “summit bead.” This particular bead is known as a Sumeru.
Mala Beads Meditation
Mala beads are an aid that may be used for the purpose of keeping one’s attention focused on the process of meditating. Mala beads are traditionally crafted from a variety of materials, such as tulsi (basil) wood, stone, sandalwood, bone, crystal, and rudraksh seeds. Each kind of bead material has its own unique qualities, which provide a nuanced distinction in the effect that it has on the unconscious mind of the person who is meditating with them.
Mala Beads Benefits
After all, meditation is a demanding and challenging discipline, especially considering how the mind may be similar to a mischievous child at times. During meditation, a person’s mind has a natural propensity to wander, which may lead to a loss of attention on the part of the person who is meditating. In addition, if your energy levels are low when you are attempting to meditate, you may even find that you fall asleep. On the other hand, if your energy is too high, you are more likely to indulge in daydreaming, fantasizing, and other distracting activities, which might make it difficult for you to practice meditation. When you find yourself in a situation like this, using mala beads might give the aid you seek; they act as a kind of anchor for your meditations.
The practitioner of meditation makes use of the mala beads by moving the beads in time with his or her breath and the mantra being spoken. Because of the motion that is taking place upon the beads, this guarantees that neither sleep nor distraction will occur.
How to Use Mala Beads?
There are several applications for the usage of mala beads. When using the mala beads, one of the most typical methods to suspend the string is to do so between the ring finger and the thumb of the same hand. Each time a person takes a breath and repeats the mantra, the mala beads are brought closer to the body by rotating them inward by one bead using the middle finger.
The mala beads may also be strung on the middle finger, and the thumb can be used to rotate the mala in the same manner as the first technique, by moving one bead at a time. This is referred to as the “hanging” method for the mala beads. The index finger is never placed on the mala beads, and it is never employed in any of the procedures for working with mala beads. The coiling of the hanging mala may take place either on the ground, with the practitioner’s right hand resting on the knee, or in front of the heart, in the middle of the chest.
The beginning of the mala practice is at the peak of Sumeru, and it goes all the way around the circle until one returns to the summit for a second time. The Sumeru must under no circumstances be circumvented. Therefore, if the intention is to conduct more than one circuit of mala beads, the string has to be turned around so that the meditator may continue, but this time in the opposite direction of the previous round.
