Mala Beads have the purpose of keeping you focused during meditation. I use them from time to time. In the yogic tradition, the beads are used in japamala practice to recite mantras in meditation. A full cycle of 108 repetitions is counted on the mala so the practitioner can focus on the sounds, vibration and meaning of what is being said.
Why is 108 so sacred?
Mala Beads have been used in Buddhist and Hindu prayer ceremonies and meditation for centuries - its a simple and effective way of staying in tune during your meditation. Rae notes that renowned mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence. This number also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. Such phenomena have given rise to many examples of ritual significance.
There are 108 beads, which is the minimum amount of times you should repeat your mantra during meditation. Touching each bead as you say a mantra helps you keep track of how many times you've repeated the mantra - you work your way round until you arrive back at the start.
Mala Beads have been used in Buddhist and Hindu prayer ceremonies and meditation for centuries - its a simple and effective way of staying in tune during your meditation.
Here are some other reasons why 108 is so significant:
Sanskrit alphabet has 54 letters. Each letter has a masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) energy 54 X 2 = 108
Desires. There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals.
Time. It is said we have 108 feelings. 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.
Astrology. There are 12 constellations and 9 arc segments. There are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 X 9 = 108
The diameter of the sun is 108 times the earth.
The heart chakra contains 108 of the 72000 nadis or energy channels in the body.
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