I’m excited to announce that I have officially created an Etsy store and the Malas I make are now available to buy!
Meditation has been an important part of my journey. It has been the one thing that has made the biggest impact on my life. If you’ve never practiced you should start. I practice daily. In the Bhavaghada Gita it says, “To those who have conquered themselves, the will is a friend. But it is the enemy of those who have not found the Self within them”. Although I haven’t conquered myself, I couldn’t agree more.
I’ve put together some tips to get your practice started.
- Be patient. Taking time to just be in your own company can be intimidating.
- Set a timer. There are meditation apps out there with timers you can set.
- Try a guided Meditation. Susan Sly and Lori Harder have some great guided meditations!
- Keep a notepad at your side. Write down any pressing to do things or any thoughts that come up. Once the pen and paper soak the thought up go back to being still.
- Sit up comfortably tucking your chin slightly under. This helps to align your chakras.
- Just breath and focus on your breath.
- Try and focus on the space between your thoughts. Imagine that gap getting wider and wider, less thoughts and more space.
- Enjoy your own company.
- Give yourself gratitude when you are finished. Even if you start with a couple minutes a day, this can be a daunting task, make sure you thank yourself.
If you’re having trouble concentrating try picking out someone in your life that needs a little extra love and just close your eyes sending them love. I like to imagine my heart chakra opening and sending out hearts to that person. If you’re really brave, try sending love to someone you don’t particularly care for. Either way, you’ll come out of the meditation feeling fantastic!
So..what is a mala?
Malas are meditation accessory that help you to stay focused in your practice. Typically a Mala would have 108 beads with a knot between each bead. The malas I make are made out of rudraksha seeds, sandalwood or rosewood prayer beads. There will either be a tassel or a guru stone which is typically a healing crystal or pendant. A Mala may or may not come with an intention or mantra already, you can either use this mantra or create one of your own.
There are a bunch of different ways to use your mala. You can just wear it around your neck to remind you of your mantra or intention. You can place it on your yoga mat to bring focus and awareness to your practice. You can wrap it around your hands as you meditate. Or perhaps you want to use it in a traditional sense; starting at the guru bead or the tassel and repeating your mantra as you turn each individual bead. Pull the beads backward until you are at the guru bead. Saying your mantra 108 times can have a major impact!
You’re probably wondering what’s SOoooo special about 108. I’m sure there are many reasons besides the ones I have read about but here are the reasons that have stuck out to me.
- Feelings – it is said that there are 108 feelings. 36 directly relate to your past, 36 to your present and 36 to your future. How many of these feelings do you think you’ve encountered?
- Space – There are 12 astrological signs and 9 planets… 12 times 9 is 108. Scientists also state that the distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the sun.
- Upanishads – Ancient text, there is said to be 108 of them. Texts of wisdom from the ancient sages.
- The Breakdown – I’ve read that 1 stands for God or the diving. 0 for the emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice and 8 Stands for infinity.
There are some others that I can’t recall right at this moment but 108 is a very important number.
I’ll probably dive into meditation more specifically in the coming months. I’ve been tossing around the idea of writing about the meditation of the month I am practicing.
A HUGE thank you to my dearest friend Mariette. She put her magical touch on my photos! If you haven’t done so already, check her out here! She’s very inspiring!
You can check out my Etsy shop here!