From time to time we like to highlight the very special work of others who bring their Love & Light to us through their creations. In this case, we would like to introduce the Bodhi Tree Mala Company for their gorgeous and contemplative Prayer Beads!

Malas can be used during meditation, they are often made from gemstones that match the intention of your practice, they are commonly placed on shrines or altars as a reminder of affirmations. Malas are also referred to as mala beads, Buddhist beads or Buddhist prayer beads. Mala beads have been used in Buddhism and Hinduism for centuries and the traditional Rudraksha mala dates back to the 10th century.

Malas from the Bodhi Tree Mala Company are handmade in the Tibetan tradition. This means they have 108 beads, plus a guru bead, which is the pendant, and that they have a marker bead for every 27th bead. Traditionally, the beads are used to keep count of mantras during meditation. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the practitioner recites their mantra 108 times, using the guru and marker beads to keep track.

Commonly in yoga, certain stones are used to help Chakra wheels to turn and those Chakra stones are often used in making malas. The mala is typically worn around the neck during a gentle practice, wrapped around the wrist during a more active practice or held during Savasana (ending meditation) and used as a focal point for meditation or again with intention to open a particular chakra or achieve a specific goal.

Here are some beautiful examples of Bodhi Tree’s Malas, made with one of Soul2Shine’s pendant focal beads as the Guru Bead. The seed and wood materials are all lovingly selected with great care and also bode special meaning.

Transformation Mala: Copper Chalcedony, Lavender Amethyst, Aventurine, White Jade and Sandalwood

A stone with the beauty of a watercolor painting, this rare Copper Chalcedony is reminiscent of the evolution of the human spirit. Like the copper crystallizing beneath the surface of the quartz, change happens within. The Transformation Mala facilitates inward reflection and connects the Third Eye and the Throat Chakras (Ajna and Vishuddha). The wearer may use this mala in meditation to enhance their ability to manifest and nurture their own truth and to share it with others. This allows for personal growth and evolution of the spirit.

Indian Sandalwood is one of the most sacred herbs of Ayurveda. Sandalwood is renowned for its many medicinal and spiritual uses, and for its wonderful fragrance. Calming Sandalwood is a wonderful meditation tool. Its sedative property clears stress from the nervous system. Essential oil applied on the third eye awakens intelligence and lifts depression. Burning incense and using a sandalwood mala for japa helps to quiet the mind.

Due to its numerous healing properties and now more limited availability, pure sandalwood elements are as precious as gold.

Upala Mala: Pink Opal, Moonstone and Rosewood

Sanskrit word for “precious stone”, our beautiful Upala Mala holds a Peruvian Pink Opal. Pink Opal is a stone often used for healing the body, mind, and spirit. It is also a stone that is said to open the heart Chakra, Anahata. This mala could be used in meditation for healing and opening of the heart, be open and ready give and receive love.

Rosewood is a very special and rare wood that is considered holy and prized in India. This Rosewood mala is a protective wood and believed to shield one from negative energy. It is also known for healing, improving circulation and aids in manifesting what you desire, dream, and need to heal.

Eternity Mala: Fossil Coral, Rose Quartz, White Jade, Hematite and Sandalwood

Beautiful and complex, like all of us, this mala holds a pendant of rose pink and black coral fossil. A life etched in stone, this mala connects the heart and root chakras, Anahata and Muladhara. Worn, or in use for meditation, this mala facilitates openness, compassion and strength of body, mind and spirit. The fossil markings serve as a reminder of impermanence and the brief nature of our existence. We each have an opportunity to create an everlasting imprint on this earth, manifest love and light.

Sandalwood is a highly valued material for beaded jewelry and other crafts. These beads were handmade in India. Sandalwood is known for it's wonderful fragrance.