Sandalwood Mala Beads~JMALASND

108 Bead Sandalwood Mala Beads~JMALASND. A Japa mala or mala (Sanskrit: meaning garland^[) is a string of prayer beads commonly used by Hindus, Buddhists and some Sikhs for the spiritual practice known in Sanskrit as japa. It is usually made from 108 beads, though other numbers are also used. Malas are used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity. These resemble the practice of the use of a Rosary in Catholicism. Mantras are typically repeated hundreds or even thousands of times. The mala is used so that one can focus on the meaning or sound of the mantra rather than counting its repetitions. One repetition is usually said for each bead. When arriving at the head bead, one turns the mala around and then goes back in the opposing direction. There are typically knots between each bead. This makes using the mala easier as the beads will not be so tight on the string when you use them. In some Buddhist traditions, Sandalwood scent is believed by some to transform one's desires and maintain a person's alertness while in meditation. It is also one of the most popular scents used when offering incense to the Buddha and the guru. sandalwood is very sacred to the Hindu, the wood is used for worshipping the god Shiva, and it is believed that goddess Lakshmi lives in the sandalwood tree. Size varies 7.7mm-8mm beads.