the other day I finally got new malas [rosaries] to my yoga web shop and to the botique at my yogastudio.

they are from one of the real holy pilgrim cities in northern India.
I bought from this contact before and I was equally happy this time : )

I had ordered a few different ones:

ebony - black wood that are traditionally used to make hindu gods statues for example.

white sandal wood - has a divine status in India

rosewood [red sandalwood] - by many used when doing prayers for Ganesha, a lovely aroma arises from this traditional wood

quartz crystal - this mountain crystal is said to cleanse the body and mind

tulsi [holy basil] - the most sacred of the woods used in Indian worship

rudraksha - the beads you see the sadhus and yogis wear by tradition "tears of Shiva"

these malas are often called japa mala, that is when they are used in meditation or worshiping when you repeat the name of your diety or when using your personal mantra.
and the most usual type from far back in the tradition is the rudraksha seed.
the real ones have as orogin allways 108 beads [plus one "Meru"]
but some traditions allow also smaller as long as the amount of beads are allways able to be devided with the 108 [54 & 27]

when using the mala for cuonting your mantras you should hold the bead between thumb and long finger, dont let the index finger touch the beads when doing this.

a "famous" 108 mantra that is common also on CD's etc is often especially in deeper serious practices to repeat the whole gayatri mantra 108 times.

to give the power to your mala you should practice your mantra with the mala each day for 40 days in a row.

I also like the mala as a nice looking necklace, and some use it as a decorative bracelet - all with an spiritual touch : )

they are all up in the studio in the shop, and comming week I will get them up also on www.namaste.se