Dharma Beads: Making and Using Your Own Buddhist Malas - Hardcover

Arettam, Joanna

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1582900337 ISBN 13: 9781582900339

Publisher: Journey Editions, 2000

Synopsis

The practice of meditating with Buddhist malas has been a tradition for thousands of years. With so many people searching for spiritual expression and Buddhism being so popular, its no wonder that a rosary from a 2500 year-old religion has become the hottest trend in contemporary culture.

Dharma Beads looks beyond just the hip aspect of wearing Buddhist malas and presents a thoughtful presentation of authentic Tibetan mala traditions and customs. Whatever your spiritual tradition, you can use malas to help you create and maintain a state of quiet reflection-a cloister of the mind.

In addition to all the materials you need to create three Dharma Bead bracelets, author Joanne Arettam has written a wonderfully accessible introduction to the meanings of various types of beads as well as their spiritual meanings and benefits. She writes, "Used meditatively, these beads offer a scenic rest stop on the harried eight-lane highway of life."

About this title

About the Author

Joanna Arettam is a painter and writer who writes widely on lifestyle, self-help, and spirituality matters. She was formerly the lifestyles editor of Glamour magazine.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Dharma Beads contains all the materials and instructions you need to make three beautiful 27-bead wrist malas, one each of fragrant sandalwood, earthy red carnelian, and glistening tiger’s eye.

Whether you use malas to relax, meditate, affirm your personal power, or to attract luck, prosperity, or well-being, we’ll help you make them a part of your life.

Buddha bracelet. Yogic rosary. Mala beads. All describe the prayer-bead strands that have been used in meditation by Buddhists and Hindus for centuries. Usually they come in 27- 54- or 108-bead lengths. As so-called power beads, usually around 20 beads and so not exactly traditional, they have crossed over into popular culture—part fad, part good-luck charm. These bracelets grace the wrists of celebrities as well as hip students and smart young professionals around the country. But power beads are more than just a fashion statement. Used meditatively, they offer a scenic rest stop on the eight-lane highway of life—the scenery being that inner landscape of self-reflection.

In Hindu tradition, Dharma means duty to your class and stage of life. In Buddhism, it means accepting the truth of karma and reincarnation as taught by Buddha. But a more secular meaning of Dharma is simply to conduct your life in an ethical way. Just be a good person. See? Mom was right.

Edition details

• Publisher: Journey Editions
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1582900337
• ISBN 13: 9781582900339
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 80