What Are Mala Beads?

If you are not accustomed to meditation then you might not know what kind of tools you have available to you when meditating. Mala beads are very helpful for many people who meditate, but what are they?

Mala beads are a string of beads that consist of 108 beads and a single bead that looks different than the rest called a summit bead, or “Sumeru”. The idea is to keep your mind focused on the meditation and the beads help by giving you something to focus on so that your mind doesn’t stray.

There are two methods in using the mala beads. In the first method you hold the bead between the thumb and the ring finger. You use the middle finger to rotate the beads one at time toward yourself during the course of meditation.

The second method is hang the mala beads on your middle finger and the thumb is used to rotate the beads one at a time while you meditate.

Mala beads are not expensive. They are great enhancers to the practice of meditation.