How to Use

Do’s and don’ts for mala wearers:

There are purists out there and if you encounter one, I don’t want them to be too hard on you. Sometimes we become so ingrained to the ‘right way’ of doing things that we forget why we originally began the journey. To that end, I have put together a few do’s and don’ts, but it is not all-inclusive. Just remember, if you are praying from your heart there is no right or wrong way. It is your intention and dedication that is key. A few other key points to remember:

Be respectful of your mala. While undercover as jewellery to the outside world, this mala is a manifestation of your intention, your journey to your higher self, and should be treated with reverence and not thrown on the bathroom counter at the end of the day. I sleep with mine under my pillow or in a special place just for malas. If troubled during the night, I easily soothe myself to sleep by quiet meditation. It’s also there first thing in the morning to remind me of my intention and to take it with me.
If you are going to wear it on your wrist, it should be worn on the left hand. It will stimulate the left side of your brain which is your feminine/receptive side. Who knew? If you have been wearing yours on your right hand, take comfort in knowing you are a giving kind of person! And now move it over to the left, enough giving.
The jury is still out on which hand to use during meditation. Some say use the right hand to manipulate the beads and others the left. You figure out what works for you. What they do agree on is the use your middle finger (sky) to hold the mala and using the thumb (earth) to move the beads along. Peter pointer is not invited to this practice as it represents the finger of blame (finger pointing).
Do not count past the guru bead at the end of the mala. I have heard one theory that that is where the energy of your mantra is being stored. Instead count to the guru bead and then work back in reverse.
Take the time daily to manipulate those smooth stones through your fingers as you bring yourself back to a safe place of contemplation. Really connect with the surface of the stones. It always surprises me at how I enjoy the tactile experience during meditation.
Do not recite your mantra like a parrot, or fly through it as if it were a tongue-twister. Speak kindly and slowly to yourself and the universe.
Try to do your best to practice your mantra with the mala at least 21 days. That is what it takes to ingrain a habit, so let’s stay with the Western philosophy shall we? It will also ensure that your mala is very clear of your intention.
For longevity, try not to expose your mala to water or rough handling.
Most importantly, please be patient with yourself and your intention. Some stones have a slow quiet energy and change may occur without your awareness.

Intention Setting:

The most important task ahead of you, before you select your mantra or affirmation, is to set an intention for your mala. You will need to take a little personal inventory. What? Okay, very simply, think about what you want your life to be or would like in your life: is there something you would like to invite into your journey, something you feel deep within your being beckoning to you? Once you have it narrowed down, try to come up with a sentence that describes what you want. Start simply and with love. I believe in “Keeping it Simple Spiritually” (KISS) so use positive words in the present tense. For example, if wanted to change the quality of your language when communicating with people (perhaps with more loving kindness), you could set an intention to ‘to speak with gentleness and love’. Energy follows intention and you know this because if you ever believed you were having a dreadful day….it continued…and when you were having a good day, voila…it did too. We have great power in manifesting if we only focus! Know that your intended speech pattern will spill-over to your self-talk as well. We begin our best intentions at home in our hearts, our sacred sanctuary. Setting an intention fortifies our resolve, which is a super powerful word leading to decisive action. This intention statement defines a action plan for you to achieve your bliss so be kind and be reasonable during the creation process!

Once cleansed, (see section on ‘Laundry’) you are going to take your cool mala, find a quiet place away from the maddening crowd, where you can relax, and ‘program’ those stones. Sitting with your mala in both hands think of your intention, and if you’re feeling it, state it aloud. I know it might sound ‘out there’ but you will be bonding with your mala throughout this process, so communicate with kindness and compassion. Some people envision a white light, some commune with astral travelers or angels during intention setting…. you find your method. That’s it. You are done. The earth will not move, but be sure the universe and those little circles of energy heard you. The positive energy is yours to use and embrace. Don’t presume your way is any less than another’s! You are perfect.

Affirmation Setting:

Now that you have set your intention for your mala, you could also create an affirmation for yourself if utilizing an already proven mantra is not ‘up your alley’. This is a crucial time to keep it simple. When you recite an affirmation, you are creating dissonance…you are telling your subconscious something it cannot possibly believe. By using your mala to recite affirmations, you bombard your subconscious into hearing a new truth, your truth! We easily tell ourselves ‘not nice’ things; flip the speech and hear compassion. Make your affirmation something you can believe, something easy to say, and lastly something you can say with passion and conviction. Keeping with our original example, we could reinforce our intention by slowly rubbing each bead and stating, “I am kind, loving and compassionate”. Keep sending that message to your sub-conscious which deals in the here and now, and the internal vibrations will cause a great revolution within. If we send positive energy within this will manifest itself in our actions. This is my belief and I am sticking to it! And if you don’t believe me, do it anyway. You will feel lighter taking 5 or 10 minutes to pep-talk yourself.

**Please Note: None of this information should be interpreted as medical advice. Please see your health care provider before starting alternative therapies or new regimes. **