What's a "mala bead"?

2009-01-28T21:26:00.003-05:00

One of the most common questions I get asked is "what's a mala bead"? In the Buddhist tradition, mala beads are prayer beads used for meditation. Traditional malas have 108 strung beads. The number 108 is said to represent the number of days the Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree before he became enlightened.

I haven't become enlightened since I have been beading (!), but it certainly is form of relaxation for me. As a college professor who teaches courses on Stress, I know how important it is for people to find something that helps them to reduce stress. Besides, Mala is my first name so "Mala Beads" was a perfect name for my business.