Okay, so I’ve been getting into meditation lately, and I decided I wanted a mala. You know, those beaded necklaces that people use to count mantras? I thought it would be cool to make my own, but then I hit a snag: how many beads do you actually need?
I started digging around, and let me tell you, it’s not as simple as just picking a random number. It’s kind of a rabbit hole.
The classic Choice
I found out the “classic” number is 108. I found out the “classic” number is *,People use it for different * people divided it by two and use 54 beads,or divided by 4 and use 27 beads.
My Experiment Begins
First, I grabbed some string and a bunch of beads I had lying around. Just random ones, different sizes, different colors. I was going to string them up and see what felt right.
- Attempt 1: I just started stringing, not really counting. Ended up with, like, 70-something beads. It felt… incomplete. Too short, definitely.
- Attempt 2: I decided to aim for that 108 number. I meticulously counted out 108 beads. The first time, I strung like normal and got 110.
- Attempt 3: I thought, “Okay, maybe I miscounted.” Did it again. 109 this time! How did I fail to achieve 108?
- Attempt 4:I count the beads again and divide them by 4.I strung 27 beads,It feels too short in my hand.
- Attempt 5:I count the beads again and divide them by 2.I strung 54 beads,It is OK for me.
Honestly, it was a bit frustrating at first. I was going for that “perfect” 108, but I kept messing up. Then I realized, it’s my mala. It doesn’t have to be textbook perfect. I tried a few more times, finally get 109 beads in my own mala.
So, how many beads should be on a mala? The “right” answer is probably 108, or 54,or 27. But honestly? It’s whatever works for you. It’s about the intention, the process, and what feels right in your hands. Don’t get too hung up on the numbers, just like I almost did!
