Mala is a spicy and numbing seasoning made from Sichuan peppercorn and chilli. Most commonly, mala is made into a sauce (麻辣醬 málàjiàng) by simmering it in oil and other spices. Characteristic of Sichuan cuisine, particularly Chongqing cuisine, it has become one of the most popular ingredients in Chinese cuisine, spawning many regional variants.
The sauce is used in a variety of ways, from stir-fry, stews, and soup, to being used in hot pot or as a dipping sauce. In the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces mala powder (麻辣粉; pinyin: málàfĕn) is used on snacks and street foods, such as stinky tofu, fried potatoes, and barbecued meat and vegetables.
mala
Traditionally, a restaurant hired a chef specializing in making this sauce; the recipes were kept secret to the chef himself. Today, prepared mala sauce can easily be found in supermarkets, and chain restaurants often produce their own sauce on a large scale, while many others still blend their own one. Like curry, there is a constant debate about the 'best' recipe and numerous variations are available on the market.
A mala is a strand of beads (traditionally 108, or a fraction thereof) used for keeping count during meditation. Mala beads have been in use for thousands of years, with the earliest examples dating back to the 8th century B.C.
Most importantly, it is a tool focusing our awareness and concentration during your spiritual practice, meditation, prayer or reflection. Also, if you wear your mala throughout the day, it serves as a constant reminder of your intentions.
With use, particularly if you have set it with your intention, the mala becomes infused with your personal energy. The more you meditate and use your mala, the stronger the bond will become between you and your beads.
You have probably seen your yoga and meditation friends wearing tasseled necklaces and wondered what are mala beads? A mala is a simple string of beads used in japa meditation to count mantras, prayers, or intentions. Malas can also be used to count breaths or used in a gratitude meditation. Mala is a Sanskrit word meaning garland. Malas are a type of meditation beads or prayer beads and are ancient tools that were developed to keep the mind focused and clear from thoughts.
A full mala contains 108 counting beads plus one guru or meru bead. Usually, a 108 bead mala is long enough to wear as a necklace. A mala can also be strung as a half mala containing 54 beads, or as a wrist mala with 27 counting beads to be worn as a bracelet. The guru (teacher) or meru (mountain) bead is often larger than the other counting mantra beads and it provides a starting and ending point for counting the repetitions of the mantra. A tassel is connected to the end of the guru/meru bead to finish the mala with a final knot. Mala beads are also referred to as mantra beads, meditation beads, Hindu rosaries or Buddhist prayer beads.
Malas can be made out of many different materials. The most common types of beads used in a mala are made from wood, seeds, or semi-precious gemstones. Depending on the material used, the properties of the beads will have certain energetic effects. Different spiritual practices and religious traditions historically have used beads of a specific material. In India, malas are primarily made from sandalwood, tulsi, and rudraksha seeds. In Nepal and Tibet, most malas are made from bodhi seeds, lotus seeds, and bone.
The counting beads in a mala are usually between 6mm and 10mm with 8mm being the most common. Larger beads will be easier to count and practice japa with but will make the mala longer and heavier. Mala beads can be made from a single material or several different kinds of wood and stone beads. Mala beads may also contain thin metal spacer beads that are used for decoration and are not to be counted. The guru bead can be the same size as the counting beads or can be larger to stand out more. The guru bead is typically made from the same type of material as the counting beads.
Mala beads have been used in so many different spiritual traditions for so long because these beads have many powerful benefits for the body, mind and spirit. Some of the below eight benefits are universal for all types of prayer or counting beads but several of these benefits are specific to mala beads.
Mala beads are a great tool to use during meditation practice or wear as a spiritual reminder. Our collection features a wide variety of wrist malas and 108 bead mala necklaces that are handmade in Nepal.
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