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Malamalama is a Polynesian word that means light of knowledge, clarity of thinking or explanation, enlightenment; shining, radiant, clear. These handmade, hand-knotted mala necklaces are made by me in Hawaii with the hopes of bringing these qualities and a sense of peace to the people that own them. I hope you enjoy them in your mindfulness and meditation and as objects of beauty.


ABOUT MEDITATION MALAS

108 BEADS

From 108 earthly desires and 108 lies, to 108 energy lines which meet to form the heart chakra and the many astrological connections to the number 108, 108 is a certainly a very sacred and sanctified number, devoted by many different faiths too. There are 108 beads in your mala that are your stations for your meditation.

SPACER BEADS

Spacer beads are used to bring the mind back to the practice during meditation. When we are meditating the mind can wander off as you focus away from the meditation itself. So what the spacer bead does is bring our awareness back to our mantra and our practice. When our finger runs over the spacer bead because it is of a different size or texture, one would notice that they are at the spacer instantly. So, it stands in place as a reminder. They are there to help our practice and almost whisper to us "are you still here?" during our meditation.

The intervals that the spacer beads are placed have importance too. In Tibetan style malas the spacer beads are usually placed at every 27th bead. Other variations of this are used too, and there is no right or wrong, but generally they would divide equally into 108. Malas can contain no spacers as well, usually reserved for those who are well practiced in their mediation.

THE THREAD

The thread itself represents the bond that we have to the Universe. It holds the beads together, it is the thread of the Universe. The beads come from the Universe and so do we. The thread symbolizes that everything is interconnected and is without separateness.

THE KNOTS BETWEEN THE BEADS

The knots placed between the beads ensure that the beads do not touch each other and therefore they don't distract us during meditation with a sound. They symbolize our connection to the divine Universe and helps us to keep our distractions separate from ourselves in the same way that the beads do not touch each other.

THE GURU BEAD

The Guru bead is the 109th bead. This bead symbolizes our Teacher or the Divine. When practicing our meditation it is tradition not to cross over the Guru bead. Instead you should turn the mala around 180 degrees and go back the way you came, in the reverse direction. Since the Guru bead is not counted during meditation, and is separate to the rest of the mala it illustrates that our Teacher or the Divine is beyond ourselves and our Universe.

THE TASSEL

The tassel represents our connection to the Divine as it is the link between our meditation beads and Guru bead and holds all of the threads and beads together. It also represents the state of enlightenment - the state between deep sleep, dream and wakefulness.

THE TYPES OF BEADS USED

Each type of bead whether it be a crystal, seed or wooden bead has a meaning and significance. See each individual listing for special significances in the stones used. If you are looking for a particular stone or need to uplift or support a special need feel free to contact me and we can work together to make the mala you are seeking.