Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Japa Mala Beads is a small business that offers astonishingly beautiful malas that can be used for mantra meditation and traditional prayer. Each mala serves a purpose for the wearer that is based on their focus or goal, from peace and clarity to positivity and strength.

All of the gemstones and wood beads at Japa Mala Beads are 100% genuine, meaning not any plastic, glass, or any type of fake beads are used in their malas. Their mala beads are made with 100% genuine gemstones, hand-carved bone, Rudraksha seeds, and sacred wood beads. Their malas have been meticulously crafted and blessed to be highly potent for spirituality as well as mind-body healing. Japa Mala Beads’ inception began in 2004 when the founder Timothy Burgin grew tired of not being able to find any malas locally or online. He was so pleased with his results that he decided to share his newly found craft with others.

By October of 2005, his company increased to 13 unique gemstone designs and they started importing traditional malas from India. Today, their company is continuing to grow and expand their line of mala beads. They now currently have over 100 different malas available! There’s no denying that you’ll be looking relaxed and recharged, whether you’re trekking to and from yoga class or embarking on your next traveling adventure.

Wedding planning, moving, deadlines, debt, lack of sleep, first dates, vacation planning, overwhelming workload, job interviews, or simply the everyday hustle and bustle of life can pack on varying amount of stress! We have all experienced stress at some time or another. With the demands of everyday life, stress is inevitable. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of Americans regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress. Stress has a major impact on mental health as its symptoms can lead to depression, anxiety, or cognitive issues.

Needing to find calm in a sea of chaos? Look no further than the Larimar and Moonstone Full Mala! It is perfect for those who strive for a sense of clarity, tranquility, patience, and acceptance. The Larimar and Moonstone Full Mala ($106.65) beautifully empowers self-expression! Mindful pieces like this mala help express facets of myself in a meaningful way, yet of course, it serves as more than just a beautiful accessory. The Larimar and Moonstone Full Mala encompass and enhance both the spiritual and physical well-being of the wearer. I always feel a sense of calmness every time I wear it, thanks to its emotional healing properties!

Larimar, also called “Stefilia’s Stone”, is a rare form of pectolite that has the embodiment of the energies of the tranquil sky and sea. It is known to help guide the wearer away from emotions that are weighing heavily on their mind, from fear and hurt to depression and trauma.

The Moonstone works harmoniously with the Larimar in managing emotional balance and spiritual concord. Considered sacred in India, the Moonstone is known for its healing health properties for women.

The practice of chanting a mantra while using mala beads is called Japa meditation. This style of meditation is used frequently in the yoga and spiritual traditions. Sitting in a comfortable position, with your eyes closed, the mantra is repeated silently or aloud. The mind is focused on the mantra, the thoughts are let go of, and the breath is slow yet deep.

Hold your mala in your right hand and use your thumb to “count” each mantra. This can be done by touching the bead during the recitation and then lightly pulling the bead towards you to move to the next bead and recitation. The index finger is extended and should not touch the mala. The large meru (mountain) bead should not be counted or reached by the thumb. The “mountain” is used as a starting and ending point of the recitation. If you have a wrist mala of 27 beads, you’ll need to repeat this 3 more times. Continue by pulling the beads and going backward until you arrive at the meru again. You’ll need to continue until you have done 108 repetitions or multiples of 108.

To empower the mala and mantra used, Japa (mantra meditation) should be practiced each day for 40 continuous days. When the mala becomes empowered, it can be worn, lightly placed oneself, or others to transmit the energy of the mantra as well as the energetic qualities of the mala. When you use a new mantra with a mala, this energy becomes replaced, so it is recommended to use a new mala with each mantra if possible.