WHAT IS A MALA?
The word "mala" means garland in Sanskrit.
Malas (sometimes called mala beads, yoga beads, or japa malas) have been used for thousands of years as a tool to support meditation.
Just like you and I, ancient seekers and sages wrestled with their chattering minds during meditation and adopted the mala as a means of steadying their focus, soothing their worries, and keeping track of the number of times they chanted their mantras (or prayers).
Additionally, wearing a mala around your neck was believed to keep you connected to your meditative state and to serve as a symbol of your spirituality.
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Malas are traditionally made up of 108 beads plus the guru bead (at the base of the strand). There are numerous theories around the theological significance of the number 108 but one of the most broadly accepted suggests that there are 108 energy lines that converge to create anahata, the energy center of the heart (or heart chakra).
However, malas can be made of differing lengths as well, For example, you can have a shorter mala of 54, 27, 18, or even 9 beads, which you would turn through the requisite number of times to reach 108.
Today, many people have adopted malas not just as tools for meditation but also as beautiful totems for their own personal spiritual practice. Indeed, for some, their malas are not even used during meditation, but they are instead worn as a reminder of a commitment or intention or even placed upon an altar as a special symbol or reminder.
There is no requirement that your Miraculous Mala must become a spiritual tool or symbol, your mala has been made specifically for you to use however if feels best for you to use it.