First created in India over 3000 years ago, mala beads have been worn for thousands of years by yogis and spiritual seekers from all over the world. Pre-dating the rosary, the history of mala beads is rooted in Hinduism, Buddhism, Tibetan culture and yoga, as it is an ancient modality used for prayer, meditation and ultimately, for a focused intention. The word mala in Sanskrit means "meditation garland," and originally, mala beads were used in a special style of meditation called Japa, which means "to recite."
Traditionally, mala necklaces have 108 beads. Why 108? The number 108 is a very auspicious and spiritually significant number, and there’s a reason why. Throughout history, the number 108 has held multidimensional meaning, manifesting itself in our universe in many more ways than we realize:
Sun and the Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108x the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108x the diameter of the Sun.
Heart Chakra: Chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, the sushumna, leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to self-realization.
1, 0, and 8: Many believe that the number 1 stands for God, or the higher truth, 0 stands for completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity.
Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 x 9 = 108.
This Chakra Mala Necklace combines the power of the mala necklace with 7 crystals and Rudrashka beads.
