The Mandala Mala
📿🌸The Mandala Mala📿🌸
Materials: Natural gemstones (Lapis Lazuli & ruby ) hand-knotted with 100% pure Royal Blue silk, with an excellent quality carved lapis mandala focal bead and solid 14k gold spacer beads.
*please note: While every attempt is made to portray the gemstones / jewelry accurately, color differences in monitors and lighting will always be a factor.
Also, any magical/ healing properties mentioned are included because they are interesting, provocative, and inspiring. While I personally do believe in the magical properties of material substance, all evidence is anecdotal and unproven. It is never meant to replace medical, legal, or financial advice by trained professionals.
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This beautiful mala was inspired by the mindful and meditative mandala—a geometric pattern that repeats in a circular motion. These often intricate patterns represent the universe and the many beautiful and interlocking patterns that it creates.
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What are malas?
Malas, also called mantra beads, meditation beads, or Buddhist prayer beads, are spiritual tools used to count intentions, prayers, mantras, or breaths during periods of focused meditation. They consist of 108 beads, not including the meru or “mountain” bead (also referred to as the “guru bead”) at the end.
This last bead is usually the largest and signifies the beginning and end of the counting process and meditative session. Focusing on the Meru bead before and after meditation is a way to pay respect to the personal teachers or gurus we have been blessed with throughout our life, but it also helps us stay grounded. It reminds us to remain humble as we seek out our innate connection to the True Teacher to which we are all connected: the divine, creative, universal, energy of life itself.
Why 108 beads?
The mala consists of 108 beads, not including the Meru Bead and/or any decorative spacer beads, which are simply used to aid in the counting process. These 108 beads can be stylistically broken up in many different patterns according to preference or adherence to a specific tradition, but typically there will always be 108 main beads in total. This is because 108 is a sacred number in many traditions, and it was because of this renowned sacred number that I also made 108 cards, corresponding Sigils, and affirmations in The Nameless One (A Tarot & Oracle Deck).
This number 108 is sacred for many reasons, here are just a few:
- The diameter of the Sun is about 108 times the diameter of the Earth
- The distance from the Sun to the Earth is about 108 times the diameter of the sun
- The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is about 108 times the diameter of the Moon.
- In astrology, there are 12 signs and 9 planets. 12 x 9 =108
- In some Yogic traditions, there are said to be108 pressure points in the human body, as well as 108 names of the goddess, and 108 energy lines throughout the body that become one as they connect at the heart
- In numerology, the number 1 represents the Self, The Ego, as well as the singular universal energy that connects all of life/ creation, and Higher Truths, while 0 represents potential, the cosmic void, the beginning /end of all things, as well as spiritual completeness or emptiness, while 8represents infinity, eternity, and universal abundance.
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Spirit of Structure:
This mala has a unique structure, repeating segments of three ( ruby, lapis, ruby) until 108 beads are used. There are segments of gold breaking up the mala in an 8, 18, and 28 segment. This is because 8 is a number representing infinity, and infinite possibilities, 18 represents health, vitality, and life force, and 28 breaks down to the number 10 (2+8=10), implying the path of 1 (1+0= 1), but with a now elevated perspective or purpose. It is the completion of one cycle which begins the next.
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Metaphysical properties of the materials used are as follows:
Gold is connected to the masculine sun energy. It is said to bring wealth, prosperity, and recognition, as well as mental clarity. The alchemists considered gold to be the highest pinnacle of material matter, and believed that one could transmute lesser metals, such as lead, into this lustrous substance through a series of alchemical processes… This was a metaphor representing the process by which a mind is brought forth from the lesser realms of obscurity / instinct into the higher realms of enlightenment via the separation and re- integration of the real and unreal, seen and unseen, emotional and logical.
Lapis lazuli is a stone long since connected to enlightenment and spiritual attainment, as well as psychic protection… In old texts, the much sought after philosopher’s stone is sometimes referred to as the lapis stone.
Arguably the only other stone with such a renowned history is the ruby. Said to also hold protective powers, as well as heal the heart, help one to attain riches, as well as restore passion, and Vitality, the Ruby is one of the most sought after stones in all the world.
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All the malas here at Xia Hunt Studios I have made by hand, using personally selected, top quality, all-natural gemstones, which were imbued with intention during the knotting process. The thread is 100% natural genuine silk. They come in a beautiful pouch, with a handwritten thank you to show my appreciation for your support. Please know that these malas are made with love, attention, and intention. They are made to last.
Rest assured knowing that if for any reason your mala breaks or is damaged, you can send it back to me and I will repair it for you free of charge. You handle the shipping, and I will handle the rest. ( This includes replacing any damaged gemstones and reknotting the mala using new silk if needed.)
Blessed be,
- Xia
