Boho Malas

A mala is a string of 108 beads used for centuries across Hindu, Buddhist, and yogic traditions as a tool for meditation, prayer, and mantra recitation. The number 108 is considered sacred in these traditions — representing the 108 earthly desires in Buddhism, the 108 names of Hindu deities, and the mathematical relationship between the sun, moon, and earth in Vedic cosmology.

To use a mala, the practitioner holds it in the right hand and moves one bead at a time with the thumb and middle finger, reciting a mantra or intention with each bead until the full circle is complete. The larger guru bead — the bead at the center where the tassel or pendant hangs — marks the beginning and end of each round and is never crossed, serving as a moment of pause and gratitude.

Malas are crafted from a wide variety of natural materials — seeds, wood, bone, stone, and crystal — each carrying its own energetic and spiritual properties. Whether worn as a necklace, wrapped as a bracelet, or used purely as a meditation tool, a mala is both a beautiful adornment and a deeply personal spiritual companion.