THE PEARL MALA- GREAT COMPLEMENT TO MEDITATION

THE PEARL MALA- GREAT COMPLEMENT TO MEDITATION
6 min read
14 October 2022

A Pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk or another animal such as fossil conulariids. 

The English word “pearl” derives from the French word ‘perle’ which means leg, after the harm or mutton leg shaped bivalve. 

 

The Pearl, can also be transliterated to "Moti", a type of "Mani" from  Sanskrit and it is associated with many Hindu deities, the most famous being the Kaustubh that Lord Vishnu wears on his chest.

  

The Pearl Mala, or simply mala is a loop of  beads generally used in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism for counting recitations when performing japa (mantra or other sacred sound) or for counting some other sadhana (spiritual practice) like prostrating before a holy icon.  The Hindu tradition describes the 9 sacred pearls that are first documented in the Garuda Purana, one of the famous books of the Hindu scriptures. The pearl powder is considered great for digestion and various mental ailments.

 

Today, the pearl Mala is growing in popularity and is a great complement to your meditation practice. 

 

WHAT ARE THEY MADE UP OF?   

 

The number of beads in the pearl Mala varies by religion or use, like Islamic prayer pearl mala are known as Misbaha or Tasbih, which usually have 100 beads (99+1=100 beads in total or 33 beads read thrice & +1). Whereas Buddhists and Hindus use japa mala. The main body of japa mala consists of 108 beads (which reflects a sacred number in both Hinduism & Buddhism) in addition to a guru bead, which is larger than the rest of the beads and often has a tassel. 

 

The oldest set of pearl Mala in Western Christianity, the Pater Noster cord, traditionally consist of 150 beads for the 150 Psalms in the Bible, though Pater Noster cords of 50 beads have been made in the way that are prayed through thrice. Then Roman Catholics came to use the Rosary pearl Mala with 59 beads.

And the Greek has an odd number of beads, that is one more than a multiple of four. [Eg. (4x4)+1, (5x4)+1.]

 

HOW TO USE PEARL MALA ?

 

Many people find it difficult to keep their mind from wandering off. Here the pearl Mala is the ideal choice. The pearl Mala might be pretty to look at and soothing to touch, however these simple necklaces are more than just trendy jewellery. These pearl Mala “have the aim of keeping you focused during meditation”. 

They can help you with different aspects of meditation, which is linked to an array of health benefits.

 

There are 2 ways of using the pearl Mala which can help make meditation easier:

  1. The repetitive movement of your fingers across the beads helps ground you.
  2. Touching each bead as you say a mantra helps you keep track of how many times you’ve repeated the mantra.

 

The following is an example of how the pearl Mala may be used while reciting mantras:

  • Firstly, find a comfortable seat for yourself.
  • Hold the mala in one hand and dangle it easily.
  • Then gently touch the guru bead with your opposite hand.
  • As you move your fingers to the next bead, breathe in and breathe out and continue this in the same manner. 
  • So, each bead gets its own inhale and exhale.
  • Continue this until you feel the guru bead again.

 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE PEARL MALA

 

There are plenty of advantages to wearing Pearl Mala. For better understanding, we have shortlisted  the significant benefits of Pearl Mala. 

 

Here we are providing you a general list of benefits of the pearl Mala:

 

  • It brings peace of mind and happiness to your life.
  • It is really helpful for anger management issues and reduces stress.
  • It inspires creativity and brings wealth in your life.
  • It brings soft, healing energy while meditating. 
  • It reduces blood pressure & heart rate.
  • It reduces the risk of various illnesses (such as heart disease, stroke).
  • It creates new positive patterns in mind.
  • It enhances self-confidence & is very useful in conditions of dementia.
  • It improves your concentration and focus.
  • It contributes to growing riches and luxury.
  • It reduces negative thoughts.
  • It strengthens your mind.
  • It cultivates positive emotions. 
  • It cultivates a deep inner- strength & inner- power.
  • It increases grit & resilience.
  • It activates Shakti energy. 
  • It assists you in connecting with your spiritual energy.
  • It energises your central system.
  • It aids in attaining god- consciousness.
  • It enhances self- awareness.
  • It helps slow respiration. 
  • It encourages well being. 
  • It gives a calming effect on angered temperament.

 

When it comes to wearing the pearl Mala, they are becoming more of a fashion statement especially among the Bohemian style and flair. The tassel will hang low if worn as a necklace, so pair it with a shorter necklace or a choker.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

 

The Pearl Mala, are very popular nowadays, which are generally used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name/s of a particular deity. The recitation of mantras is a very popular practice in both India & Asia. As sacred utterances, mantras can be repeated silently or chanted for several reasons or purposes. They are used predominantly by the Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs as aids to meditation and devotion. 

 

The sound vibrations produced by mantras instil concentration in the devotee and facilitate spiritual growth.

While there are a wide range of traditions and styles of meditation you can practice, the pearl Mala meditation is the easiest and most powerful way to meditate. 

The importance of the number of beads in the pearl mala is associated with the goal of practicing a specific prayer. 

In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
Maria joy 2
Joined: 1 year ago
Comments (0)

    No comments yet

You must be logged in to comment.

Sign In / Sign Up