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What Mala should I use for Mantra Chanting

Colleen Ferrière
Jul 4, 2016
2 min read

Im sitting here, about to begin creating a new Mala, and it suddenly struck me that its already July and Im leaving for Tanzania on the 16th and perhaps I should do another blog , as it will probably be the first and last one I do for July :)

So pondering on a topic, and playing with a whole bunch of new Rudraksha and Sandalwood Beads, I thought why not discuss them... To me they are really what Malas are about. As much as I love gemstones and creating Malas with gemstones , I have to say in my heart I always prefer to do my Mantra with Rudraksha or Sandalwood beads. Perhaps because thats how I began this journey... chanting Hari Krishna at the crack of dawn with my Krishna Mala beads... still have some and will post of pic of them. Then after my initiation, and the gift of my personal Mantra from Swami Veda Bharati in 1999, I spent some time in India, initially at the Bihar school of Yoga which was founded by Swami Satyananda... and during this time I bought lots of beautiful Rudraksha and Sandalwood Malas which I still use to this day.

So although tradition states that the material of the beads depends on the deity, e.g. , its best to use red sandalwood beads if you are chanting Shri Durga Mantras, and that Lord Shiva prefers Rudraksha seeds, I have over the years of practicing Mantra come to the conclusion that Sandalwood and Rudraksha beads can be used to chant on almost any diety.

Sandalwood beads have a major calming affect on the mind and of course leave a lingering, subtle fragrance, of the beautiful sandalwood essence, on the the palms of the hands after you have completed your mantra...

Rudraksha beads are just loaded with Prana (Vital Life Force) and are considered the embodiment of Shiva and Shakti, (the masculine and the feminine energies)...

So basically how can you go wrong using these beautiful sacred beads ...

Hopefully if you haven't already an understanding of these beads, I have instilled a need to know a little more about them and even a wish to try them in respect of your mantra practice. This is not to say I don't use gemstone Malas, of course I do, and they have their own benefits of which I hope to discuss at a later date... but don't be totally swayed by the beautiful hues of the gemstones ... when the woods and seeds have their own beauty and energy ...