How to Choose Your Mala First, start by choosing a Mala that feels best to you. You can choose by Healing Property or Birthstone. You can also choose by the type of meditation mantra practice that you may have started. For Peaceful practices, you can choose crystal or lapis. Bone and Rudraksha are used for wrathful practices. If you are doing prostrations, Bodhi, Sandalwood or Rosewood work well. Most beads are full sized, standard 8mm. In general, go with what inspires you. A Buddhist, in their heart while reciting the Mani Mantra, will hold the feeling, please let my recitation of this mantra help to liberate the suffering and confusion that we all experience in this life. In turn, by having this proper motivation, one can bring about qualities of being mentally clear, self rested and compassionate. Warmest wishes to all! Using Your Mala Malas, rosaries are employed to count mantra recitations and to focus ones concentration during practice. Counting mantra mala occupies the hand (body), reciting mantra occupies the voice (speech) and visualization of the deity occupies the mind. By focusing these three aspects of ourselves onto the practice at once, the benefits are multiplied and the merit accumulates. To use your mala, hold it in your left or right hand, with the beads between your index finger and thumb. Hold the mala gently and with respect. Start counting with the first bead after the “guru” bead. Count a bead for each completed recitation. Holding the beads and counting each one in turn as you recite a mantra, a vow or an affirmation helps keep the mind focused. One is less likely to become distracted by stray thoughts whaen counting mala. When you complete either 108 or 27 recitations, do not pass over the “guru” bead. This is considered a symbolic no-no, as if we are stepping over our teacher. Instead, flip the mala around 180 degrees, and keep going the same direction. This takes practice to accomplish smoothly. Some practices require 100,000 mantra recitations to be completed. The Mantra is as follows: OM MANI PADME HUM It sounds like this: “ohm man-ee pad-mae hoom” and translates literally into: “Hail to the jewel in the lotus.” The jewel represents the goal, the attainment of full enlightenment. Delightful to the senses, the lotus metaphorically symbolizes the sensory bliss and the process of enlightenment. Starting from a small seed or inspiration it grows with proper cultivation and care, finally blooming into a radiant flower. The lotus grows out of the muck, yet remains unstained and pure. It is best to say at least one whole Mala (108x), or “buhm” of your mantra. It is typical to recite ten full buhms (10 x 108) or more of the Mani Mantra per session. As you recite the mantra, visualize Chenrezi, the deity of compassion in front of you (in your mind’s eye) just like in the picture. He is translucent and filled with light. Imagine Chenrezi’s boundless compassion radiating from his heart, over- flowing with unconditional love. His light shines out to all beings. The mantra OM MANI PADME HUM encircles his heart like a spinning flame. Compassionate rays of rainbow light radiate out from his blazing heart, transmuting the suffering of beings everywhere and then return with the blessings of all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions. When chanting the Mani Mantra and visualizing Chenrezi, remember to engage your heart in the process. Practice without feeling is only an intellectual exercise and does little benefit. Heart energy energizes and drives the practice. When finished, dissolve the visualization of smiling Chenrezi into a nimbus of laser-like light. These rainbow rays blend with your energy and the energy bodies of all other beings as a blessing from Chenrezi. Sit quietly for a few minutes in the bliss of the mandala of Chenrezi. Closing the Meditation Tibetan Buddhists usually say closing, dedication and long life prayers after each practice. If you don’t know any yet, just be grateful and respectful of the source and teachers of the practice; then dedicate the merit you have generated to The Bodhisattvha Avalokiteshvara (Four-Armed Chenrezig)
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 19:04:41 +0000
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