Bones are often considered as a sign of darkness, death, and evil in many cultures throughout the world. That said, not every culture in the world sees bones as a sign of evil and how one sees bones will depend on context. For instance, in Buddhism, bones represent the impermanence of life and how everything that has come shall pass. They also signify the aspect of detachment as well. The significance of bones in Hinduism is similar as well, for bones signify the aspect of mortality of everything and renunciation, among many other aspects.
Because of this, accessories made from bone, such as Bone Mala, are extremely popular across many cultures throughout the globe, and they are fairly popular as well. After all, bone malas look good, they carry deep meanings, and depending on the specifics, bone malas have their specific purpose. On top of all these, there are thousands of different forms of bone mala you can choose from. But with the option of choice comes the burden of choosing. So,
How do you choose a bone mala?
The best answer to the question of how to choose a bone mala is – it depends on your intention. If you are purely looking for the aesthetic, you can simply choose the aesthetic and quality of the material and be done with it. However, if you want bone beaded mala for spiritual purposes, then you will need to consider the source of the bone, and if you want a bone mala for meditation and ritual practices, then you may need to look at the bead size, mala length, and bead number as well.
So how can you choose a bone mala? Let’s get right into it.
Material/ Source
Bone malas are generally made from the bones of animals such as Yak and Buffalo. The bones for bone mala at Nirvana Mala are sourced from the remains of animals that have naturally passed away in peace. These remains are cleaned, processed, and then carved into the bone-beaded mala. While the source of the bone mala may not be all that important to you if you just want the bone mala for aesthetics, they are crucial for those who seek bone mala for religious and spiritual practices. So if you are among those, be sure to check the source of the bones.
Quality of the Bone Mala
Quality is one of the most important aspects to consider when buying a bone-beaded mala as it affects both the durability and overall look of the mala. That said, not all bones are of the same quality, even if they are sourced from the same location and from the same species of animals. The circumstances regarding the growth, diet, and passing of each individual animal affect the quality of bone beads and, consequently, bone mala. When buying the bone beaded mal, you should check for signs of wear and cracks when purchasing a bone mala.
Design and style
Design and style is probably not the primary aspect you seek if you want to buy bone-beaded mala for spiritual and ritual purposes. However, it is a priority when choosing the beaded mala for aesthetic purposes. Well, the good news for you is that bone can easily be carved into intricate shapes and with intricate designs. One of the most popular types of these designed bone mala is skull bone beaded mala which are essentially bones carved into the shape of a skull. Of course, the bone-beaded mala is not just limited to skull designs. Additionally, some bone mala also come with gemstones, charms, and tassels as well. You can browse through the collection and find the design that suits you the most.
Number of beads
Bead number is an extremely important factor if you are purchasing bone-beaded mala for religious, spiritual, and meditational purposes. The general number of beads in a bone-beaded mala is 108 beads, as this number has deep significance in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The 108-beaded bone mala necklace is also used in Japa Mala Meditation practices as well. But you can also use Bone wrist mala, which can contain 15 to 32 beads. The bead number of beads can and often does affect these spiritual, meditative, and cultural experiences. Because of these reasons, you should buy your bone-beaded mala with the right number of beads.
Size and length
This aspect is all about the comfort factor of buying the bone mala. Depending on the size and length of a bone-beaded mala, the mala can either be comfortable or cumbersome. If the size is too small, then you will find it hard to wear the bone mala. Tight wrist mala can even restrict your blood flow to a small extent. On the other hand, if the mala is too loose, then it can easily be a source of annoyance. It can get in your way of performing activities, get entangled in random stuff or slip too easily. Additionally, the larger the bone mala, the more weight it has, which can get annoying really fast. So although size and length may not seem like an important factor to consider when purchasing a bone mala, at a quick glance, it is.
Intended use
Your intention is the first aspect to take note of before buying a bone mala. Before deciding to buy bone mala, think about why you want to buy a bone mala. Is it for aesthetic purposes, is it for meditation, is it for spiritual purposes, or do you want to buy bone mala for religious reasons?
The intended use behind bone mala affects essentially all the factors you consider for buying a bone-beaded mala. This includes everything we have listed so far. If your intention to buy bone mala is for religious, spiritual and meditation purposes, then you will likely put the quality, source, and number as your top priority. If your intended use for bone mala is for aesthetics, then you will likely put the design and length higher on your priority list. Naturally, this does not mean that other factors do not affect your decision, but the prioritization will vary.
Price
Price is definitely one of the factors one should consider when talking about purchasing the bone-beaded mala. A higher-priced mala generally means a beaded mala of a higher quality and with more intricate designs. Additionally, the price of the mala often also affects the number of beads. As such, wrist mala is generally cheaper than Bone Mala Necklace.
In the end,
Although bone is considered the symbol of death, destruction, and all things evil in many cultures, they are often a sign of protection, good luck, courage, the impermanence of everything, and detachment. The perception of bone accessories such as bone mala is rather positive across many parts of the world, and because of this, bone beaded mala is rather a popular type of beaded mala. The good news is that if you are interested in buying a bone mala, you can choose from thousands of designs and types. Although this can make things a bit difficult, there are steps you can take and factors you can consider that can make the process of buying the bone mala easier.
Here we talked about the core aspects you should consider when you buy bone mala, but naturally, this is not an exhaustive list.
We hope you found this helpful. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: How do I choose a mala bead?
A: Some of the factors that you should consider when choosing the mala are:
- Mala quality
- Bead Number
- Mala length
- Mala design
- Price
- Intended use for the Mala
Q: What is the significance of Bone Mala?
A: Bone represents the impermanence of life and reminds us that everything that happens will come to pass. Additionally, bones also signify the concept of detachment. Bone Mala embodies these aspects and significance.
Q: What are the bead sizes for bone-beaded mala?
A: The general sizes for bone-beaded mala are 6 mm beads, 8 mm beads, and 10 mm beads.