More than just accessories, Mala beads are meditation tools that have been used for thousands of years. They encourage us to pause, breathe and realign with our deepest intentions. They motivate us to invest in moments of self-care and compassion. They’re our spiritual forget-me-nots, and they’re also beautiful. One of the questions we get asked most is “How do I choose a Mala?”. Choosing by intention is a great way to get started, there are other factors you should also consider when choosing a Mala.

Intention

Hold the vision and trust the process. This is the most personal part of the process. What do you want to create in your life? What are you working on? What do you truly desire? What are you struggling with? Ask yourself these questions and see if they guide to what you want to create as your intention. Once you get clear on what you want your intention to be, you will create a clear path. Intentions are all about you + what you want to achieve in your life!

Beauty

Things that you are attracted to are an integral part of your healing process. Whether it be a beautiful landscape, a cute animal or a gorgeous mala; stop and take a moment to observe the things you find beautiful. Develop your own personal aesthetic. Meditate on this and strive to see beauty in everything. Surrounding yourself with beautiful and uplifting things is very powerful. Reflect on the power that beauty has over our attention; when something is so aesthetically pleasing it takes over your consciousness and moves you to a new place.

Color

What is your favourite color, and what colors are you typically drawn to? What colors of clothing do you wear most often? What colour are your favourite foods and scents? Life is full of color, and like other things on your spiritual path it has meaning. You want to choose a mala that you will use and wear often, so it’s important to choose a stone color combination that you are drawn to and can see being a staple in your wardrobe.

Shape

Find a Mala guru stone with a shape you connect with. Some Gurus stones are circular, teardrop, or oval shaped. Others have a raw edge. Ever heard of sacred geometry? The strands of our DNA, the galaxy we spiral within, the air we breathe, and all life forms as we know them emerge out of timeless geometric codes.

Energy

Each gemstone that we use in our Malas are believed to emit their own special vibration + healing energy. There are gemstones for every mood, trouble or desire you can imagine. Gemstones are to be worn near the chakras, which are energy centres of the body. Make sure that this energy aligns with your intention! A lot of Malas will assist everyone on some level – see if you can find something that you connect with individually.

Intuition

When in doubt, trust your vibes! Which Mala were you originally drawn to? Which mala do you keep thinking about? Which one jumps off of the page? This is most likely the perfect mala for you! The more you trust your intuition, the stronger it gets. Choosing a mala is a combination of all of these factors – most importantly follow your intuition and follow your heart.

Timing

What’s going on in your life right now? Maybe you’ve just come out of a breakup and could use a reminder of self-love. Maybe you’ve just left your office job to pursue your career as a yoga teacher and you’re seeking the confidence to push forward in the direction of your dreams. There’s a Mala for that! Our Malas are created and named with the combination of properties within each gemstone in mind to best help guide you in your life journey – whatever that might be!