Posts Tagged ‘meditation tools’

Sandalwood Mala Beads For Daily Meditation

Thursday, August 26th, 2021

The Sandalwood tree is known for its fragrant aroma as well as the beautiful wood it produces. The oil contains a lovely fragrance commonly used in incense, soaps, colognes and even cosmetics. In India, it is also used for medical purposes.

Grown mainly in India, Australia and Indonesia, the trees can grow as high as 25 to 30 feet tall. The evergreen thrives in poor, dry soil conditions and needs little water. The lifespan can reach 15 years when the maximum yield of oil and wood may be harvested. The bark is smooth and grayish-brown in color. The Indian government tightly regulates Sandalwood. Because of the high demand for religious, industrial and commercial purposes, it generates a lot of income for the government.

When the wood is ground into a powder it is commonly used in incense. When the incense is burned, a soothing woodsy aroma fills the air. Whether in powder form or oil, the scent is popular in aromatherapy, air fresheners and even health products.

Another dominant use of the tree is producing furniture and wood carvings. Sandalwood is sometimes considered the most expensive wood available in certain parts of the world. The wood is prized for its tightly dense grain, beauty and ability to maintain its fragrance for many, many years.

Besides furniture and artistic carvings, the wood is used to make Mala beads. A Mala bead necklace can be used for spiritual enlightening, meditation practice, prayer, religious ceremonies or simply worn as jewelry. Centuries ago, Sandalwood was burned at funerals with the belief that the scent would carry the soul to the next path of the universe.

Buddhists have used Sandalwood for hundreds of years. A strand of polished wooden beads, can speak to your soul, help clear the mind and open the heart to an abundance of love and good feelings. Sandalwood is believed to enhance and increase the power of your wishes leading to good fortune, deeper meditation, protection and success.

Buddhists also believe practicing with Sandalwood Mala beads increases their awareness, stimulates love, sensuality and deeper inner relaxation. Among the Chakras, the scent is geared towards the Base Chakra and promotes self-identity and inner trust. The aroma may build your enthusiasm for life and positivity. If you seek peace, passion and serenity, Sandalwood is a great choice for your meditation practice.

Among the traditional Buddhist Mala beads and Shamballa bracelets available at www.chopa.com, the Sandalwood mala necklace is one of the most popular sold. These Mala beads can be used to count mantras during meditation practice. One holds a bead between their thumb and forefinger and cites the mantra once per bead. Passing the beads through your fingers, allows you to focus on the mantra rather than counting the beads.

These Japa Mala contain 108 finely polished and aromatic Sandalwood beads. These natural 8mm beads are hand strung on a stretchy cord, finished with a guru bead and tied in an endless knot symbolizing wisdom and compassion for life. Two dangling tassels compliment the necklace and enhance the look when worn as a necklace. A free mala bag is included with every purchase to store and protect your beads when not in use.

Chopa Zen Home was established in 1994 and focuses on Zen Inspired Living. Whether browsing their wide selection of Japanese Kimono and yukata or perusing their offerings of Buddhist Mala beads and Shamballa bracelets you are sure to find something meaningful to enhance your life. Kimono and Yukata robes are perfect for loungewear and to wear around the house, to relax, cover up after a refreshing shower or to wear during a meditation session. The symbolism found in these gorgeous Japanese robes will inspire you to become your best. Don’t forget to add a Sandalwood Mala bead necklace to your shopping cart. Priced at just $14.00, they are affordable and beautiful to wear. Use as an accessory or let it help you focus and grow your own spiritual and mediation practice. Namaste.

sandalwood mala beads for meditation

                     Sandalwood Mala Beads

 

What is a mantra?

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

A mantra is a tool for protecting the mind from the habitual, unconscious cycles of thought and action we get caught up in. In ancient Vedic philosophy, these imprints on our subconscious mind are known as samskaras.

These impressions that get stored in our mind through cultural conditioning and past experience directly impact how we perceive our conscious experience in the present. Mantras are ancient techniques that we can use to protect our mind from getting stuck in the bottomless well of samskaras. The sounds themselves, even before they are assigned meaning, resonate in different parts of the body and mind, increasing sensory awareness.

The first mantra that you have been exposed to is most likely Om (Aum). It is a universal mantra and the primordial sound of nature. The A (pronounced Ah) resonates in the lower part of the body, the O in the middle part, and the M (pronounced Mmm) in the upper region. The vibrations of OM evoke movements of energy, beginning at the base of the spine and moving upwards to the crown of the head. For the spiritual seeker interested in ancient literature, the Mandukya Upanishad elucidates the syllable of OM and its four states of consciousness.

Mantra recitation guides the practitioner in finding their sacred inner sound – the internal music that has had the volume turned down. Sanskrit scholar Nicolai Bachman explains that Sanskrit originated as the language of mantra and that each mantra has specific or general effects on oneself, others and the world. When pronounced properly, this scared sound energy intimately connects the individual with nature. Swami Sivananda has taught that a mantra practice transforms the mental substance by producing a particular thought movement. According to him, these rhythmical vibrations regulate the unsteady vibrations of the five koshas (sheaths or layers). The koshas are believed to veil our inner Self. Meditation and mantra practice allow the practitioner to peel away the layers, diving deeper into the core of our being.

Daily practice of mantra meditation will make one centered in the core sheath. Developing a japa (mantra repetition) practice with the use of mala beads can take the practitioner into higher states of meditation. As we delve deeper, we use the mantra as a sanctuary that houses the source of power to manifest our intention. When we work with the sound energy of Sanskrit mantras, we tap into an ancient practice that has been performed for thousands of years as an expression of the pattern of nature.

~ Mihir Garudmt