Prayer beads are used in many religions throughout the world. In Catholicism, they are called rosary beads. Buddhists and Hindus refer to them as mala or jap mala. The purpose of a set of prayer beads is to allow the person to focus on their prayers rather than counting the repetitions which would become a distraction. While selecting the collection of Valentine Gifts WanderShopper would feature from Novica this year, I became really inspired by the beautiful selection of jap mala being offered. I think prayer beads make a perfect gift for someone you love, or for yourself, as the peace and inner strength you gain through spiritual development is priceless. Also, if you are the winner of Novica’s $100 Gift Certificate (details at the end of this post) you could select a couple of your favorite prayer bead sets to be your very own.
As I searched through Novica’s collection, I remembered some of the times I encountered prayer beads during my travels. I enjoyed revisiting my photos from those destinations and wanted to share a few with you. While visiting Bhutan, I was really inspired by what an integral part religion played in the daily lives of the people I encountered. I think it is one of the reason why the Bhutanese are among the happiest people in the world. They live Buddhist principles throughout their day with a dedication I have not seen elsewhere. I also found that a lot of their spare moments would be used for prayer. I would find someone fingering their mala beads, chanting softly to themselves. In the photo above, a woman prays in Trashigang. Her eyes are closed in concentration as her fingers work through the repetitions.
To capture the same inner peace the Bhutanese woman possesses, you may want to consider purchasing Novica’s Sodalite Jap Mala Prayer Beads. Novica’s jap mala are created in India by artist Ritu Aggarwal. She and her husband are from Jaipur in Rajasthan which is sometimes called the City of Gems as jewelry design has been handed down through the generations for centuries. Sodalite’s deep blue color is sometimes confused with lapis lazuli but is distinct in that is does not have the pyrite inclusions which give lapis lazuli its gold streaks. In addition to bringing inner peace, sodalite is popular with athletes as it is said to enhance endurance. Using sodalite prayer beads, wearing sodalite or keeping a stone in your pocket will create a sense of harmony as it brings into balance your conscious and unconscious mind. As a result, it is also a favorite with writers. Health wise, sodalite is associated with the thyroid and can aid in weight loss and can help improve your communicati0n skills.
During a trek in Eastern Bhutan, I met this Brokpa woman in the village of Sakten. No roads exist in this area of Bhutan and I was thrilled to be able to experience life in Sakten as it has remained for centuries. I was invited in to this woman’s house to see how she and her family lived. While there, she served us ara, a home-brewed grain alcohol that knocked me on my butt! I’m not usually much of a drinker, and we were at a higher altitude, but be sure to pace yourself with the ara! Later villagers came to our campsite, bringing many thermoses of ara, to share Brokpa folk dances and songs near a campfire. By the time it was our turn to learn the dances, I couldn’t even stand! It was a magical evening! You will find many of the women in eastern Bhutan like to wear turquoise earrings which symbolize water to them and they believe that having them on when they die, will provide water for them in the journey after death. You can also see her mala beads being worn around her neck.
Another set of prayer beads I really liked from Novica were the Carnelian Jap Mala Prayer Beads. Carnelians are the stone of energy. If you are looking to boost your energy, carnelian would be a good choice for you. It also helps to guard against poverty and can help calm the temper. It is also said to help increase appetite. I have always really like carnelian, myself, and have several rings, necklaces and earrings featuring the stone.
While traveling west in Bhutan toward the capitol, we stopped to view an ancient chorten. While there, I came across this woman walking around the chorten, always clockwise, and chanting as she continued to circle. A chorten, also called a stupa, is a mound shaped structure housing a Buddhist relic that is used as a place of meditation. In the picture below, you can see how the woman walks around the perimeter with her prayer beads hanging from her hands. It is very common in Bhutan for the elderly to spend their days in prayer in an effort to attain more merit before they die.
This may also be a good point to pause and talk about the symbolism associated with mala beads. Again, their purpose is to assist in the tracking of repetitions of prayers, mantras or prostrations. They are typically strung with 16, 27, 54 or 108 beads although sets of 21 or 28 may be used for prostrations. 108 is a holy and significant number in Buddhism. Here is how that number is derived. In Buddhist beliefs there are 6 senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and consciousness) multiplied by 3 reactions (positive, negative or indifference) which makes 18 feelings. Each of those 18 feelings can either be “attached to pleasure” or “detached to pleasure” which makes 36 passions each of which can be manifested in the past, present or future. All of those combinations create the 108 afflictions Buddhists believe all people have. Completing one set of 108 mala beads counts as 100 recitations of prayer as the other 8 are extras to allow for errors. 
Novica’s Hematite Jap Mala Prayer Beads are a stunning set. I have always loved the dark, metallic glint hematite gives off. It always seems to be a cross between a stone and a metal. Hematite is said to have the properties of intuition and strength. People also believe that hematite can help improve relationships so it would be a perfect gift for someone you need to mend things with. Native Americans made war paint from hematite as they believed it made them invincible in battle. Now I’m not suggesting you go that far but hematite does make a beautiful stone for your prayer beads.
Another woman I came across in Trashigang, Bhutan was actively praying with her beads. Her concentration and focus were great and her prayers were not disrupted as visitors walked through the small building housing a large prayer wheel outside of the dzong. Prayer wheels are used as a way to multiply the merit received through prayer. They contain written prayers and each rotation of the wheel is equal to the number of prayers recorded. You may find people turning small prayer wheels in their hands or spinning larger ones. You are also likely to find prayer wheels next to rivers and streams where the water will generate the power to turn them so they are constantly sending prayers out to the universe for the benefit of all.
I think Novica’s Rose Quartz Jap Mala Prayer Beads may be the best choice for a Valentine’s gift. Rose quartz is a symbol of love. Not only does wearing rose quartz bring love but it also is a healer of the heart. It is the stone of fertility as well so this would make a perfect gift for someone wanting to have a baby. Rose quartz is also a good gift between friends.
While traveling around northern Thailand a couple years ago, I was able to explore a cave temple. It really appealed to my sense of adventure to walk back into the depths of a dark cave and explore the different caverns Buddhists have been visiting for centuries. There were a number of altars set up throughout the cave. In one area, a statue of the hermit who is said to have originally discovered the cave was honored in addition to the many images of the Buddha. Here you can see a strand of prayer beads have been added by someone as an offering. 
If you are looking to enhance your luck, a strand of Novica’s Aventurine Jap Mala Prayer Beads may be the right choice for you. It is said you should keep aventurine in you left pocket if you plan to do anything involving chance such as buy a lottery ticket or visit a casino. Aventurine may also increase your insight and perception. As such, it can be used to treat nearsightedness. Many people feel that since aventurine can help to stabilize emotions, it makes a great gift for a teenager! I think it is a good choice for someone who is fashion and trend conscious as well, as the Pantone color of the year for 2013 is emerald and aventurine would represent that color well in these prayer beads.
Recently I was in Luang Prabang, Laos and went happily visiting many of the great boutiques they have to offer. In the back of a jewelry store, I came across this altar with a picture of the Buddha and two hands in a mudra holding up a set of prayer beads. This display really appealed to me as it was a mix of old and new. The photo was of a centuries old Buddha sculpture and the hands were also modeled after artifacts. Yet to display these pieces together in this way was contemporary. That is what I love to do when I decorate too. I like to take traditional pieces and use them in unexpected ways. I like to mix old with new. I still treat each treasure with respect but I also like to have fun with them as well.
Novica’s Smoky Quartz Jap Mala Prayer Beads reflect this feeling well as smoky quartz can symbolize a joy in living as well as endurance. Smoky quartz is popular in the workplace as it relieves negative energies and allows people to get things done. It can also enhance organizational skills so it is also popular in the home office. It opens the path for learning so it may make a great gift for a student. It also is said to help relieve depression.
Prayer beads also play a popular role in Hinduism. Just as in Buddhism, Hindus use prayer beads to track repetitions of mantras or the name(s) of a deity. A mantra may be said hundred or thousands of times and you want to be able to focus on the meaning or the sounds of your chanting. In Hinduism, the mala would be held in the right hand, draped over the middle finger and the thumb would be used to move the beads. The index finger would never be used as it represents the ego and would want to be avoided during prayer. While traveling in southern India, I visited a temple on the evening of a full moon. It was a specially auspicious night and thousands of pilgrims had arrived circling through the temple complex lost in prayer through each cycle. Here three pilgrims pause to allow us to photograph them. 
The final set of prayer beads I will spotlight today from Novica are the Quartz Jap Mala Prayer Beads. Crystal quartz is a powerful stone for meditation and self knowledge. It is said to amplify one’s efforts. It is said to have a similar vibration as humans which is why it is so useful in meditation, again helping the user to amplify their efforts. If someone is a negative person, they may have a hard time using crystal quartz. 
Lastly, many of you may find that the symbols of prayers beads and monks have special meaning for you or for your Valentine. I really liked the image Meditative Hands from photographer Ryan Chappell on Novica. He explains that this picture was taken in Seoul, South Korea at Bongeunsa Temple while the monks were celebrating Buddha’s birthday with prayers. The image comes matted but unframed allowing you to select your favorite at home and save on the shipping costs.
Last week, WanderShopper highlighted some great travel inspired gifts from Novica. Please check out that post for some other great Valentine gift ideas. On Monday, gifts for the cook were featured. And now as promised, here are the details on how to win a $100 Novica Gift Certificate!
Novica has generously passed along a $100 gift certificate for one lucky reader of WanderShopper. To be entered in a drawing for the $100 gift certificate to be used at the Novica website just leave a comment on this blog telling us about your favorite Valentine’s gift and be sure to like the WanderShopper Fan Page on Facebook by February 10th! It’s that simple! I will contact the winner by email on February 11th.
This contest closes at 12:00am PST on February 11th 2013. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments below along with their “like” on WanderShopper’s Facebook Fan Page, please only submit one entry per person. If the winner does not respond within three days of being notified, a new winner will be selected. This contest is available only to residents of the United States. Value of the prize is $100. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
Photo credits: Product photos courtesy of Novica
