Mala

Since the first of the year, I have been practicing Yoga. At first I didn't know how I would feel about it. I love going to Pilates, working out in the pool and Zumba, and so I decided I would try Yoga...especially since they were not charging members of our athletic club extra anymore.

After a few weeks of Yoga....I LOVE IT!!!! I feel so good after a class. Especially the next day after a good work out in my toning or TRX class. 

My daughter, Ashley, is a Yoga instructor in south Louisiana. She is actually the one who talked me into trying a class.  I would really like to take one of her classes. I hear she is pretty good.

Ashley had a suggestion for me. Since Yogies are usually into Mala beads, why don't I make them? Okay, what are they? Well for those of you familiar with Rosary beads, they are kinda like that. Mala beads are used in prayer and meditation. They are also used as a fashion statement.

I decided to dig around in my stash of beads and come up with something. The first one I made I used acrylic beads. I actually really like them, and plan to keep them for myself.

A Mala necklace is made of 108 beads, plus one, called a sumeru or guru bead. When performing japa, you start at one end of the necklace and go around the the other end. You should never skip over that 109th or guru bead. 

This next mala is made of glass beads. I love the bright colors.

This last mala is made of bamboo. I forgot to put the guru bead on it, so I need to correct that. I love these beads though. They are very light and also very colorful.

Mala beads can also be made into a shorter necklace or wrap bracelet of 54 or a bracelet of 27. The 108 Mala can also be worn as a wrap bracelet.

So, maybe next time I decided to do a craft show, I will have some Mala beads to choose from.

By the way, if you want to make your own Mala, check out a great tutorial by my sister, Tammy Powley.