Buddha Groove’s traditional sandalwood mala adds a soothing sensory element to your practice with its uplifting scent. Sandalwood is considered sacred in Ayurvedic text and is has been used in various ceremonies to calm the mind. Be still as you slowly move through the mala’s 108 beads. An additional guru bead indicates when you’ve completed one round of counting. Beads are 8 mm. Handmade by artisans in Nepal.
- Traditional sandalwood meditation mala
- 108 sandalwood beads, additional guru bead
- Beads measures about 8 mm each
- Bead string: Unknotted
- Handmade in Nepal
- For meditation use only, not recommended as a jewelry item
Handcrafted: this item was artistically created by hand where beauty and imperfections go together wonderfully. Please accept and appreciate minor imperfections and variations which are true characteristics of this craft.
design: A traditional 108-bead japa mala strung from smooth, round sandalwood beads with a single larger guru bead and a simple black tassel knot at the closure.
size: 108 beads, each approximately 8 mm, plus one guru bead. Full strand measures roughly 30-32 inches unknotted, wearable doubled or tripled at the wrist.
material: Sandalwood beads, unknotted cotton/nylon cord, black cord tassel finish.
features: 108 counting beads, additional guru bead to mark a completed cycle, unknotted stringing for smooth movement, natural sandalwood fragrance
care: Keep away from water and prolonged sun exposure, and store in a cloth pouch to preserve the wood's natural scent and finish.
disclaimer: Each mala is handmade in Nepal from natural sandalwood, so slight variations in bead color, grain, and scent intensity are normal and part of its handcrafted character.
Meaning & Intention
Sandalwood has been treasured in Ayurvedic and Buddhist tradition for centuries, prized not only for its warm, woody fragrance but for its long-held association with purification and calm. Long before it was carved into beads, sandalwood paste and oil were used in temple ceremonies and healing rituals meant to quiet the mind and mark a moment as sacred.
The number 108 sits at the center of mala practice across Hindu and Buddhist traditions, understood variously as the number of earthly desires, the count of sacred syllables, or a figure said to represent wholeness and completion. Moving bead by bead through the strand gives the mind a single, repeatable task, a way of counting mantra or breath without breaking concentration to look at a clock or a page.
The guru bead, slightly larger and set apart from the rest, marks the point where one full cycle closes. Tradition holds that a practitioner reaching the guru bead pauses rather than crosses over it, turning the mala back the way it came. It is a small physical cue for a larger idea: that practice moves in cycles, and each completed round is worth acknowledging before beginning again.
Kept on a nightstand or carried in a pocket, this mala becomes a quiet cue to sit down, breathe, and return to a mantra or intention, its sandalwood scent growing warmer with handling over years of use.
Essence & Elements
- Ideal For: Anyone building or deepening a daily meditation and mantra practice
- Purpose: Mantra counting, meditation timing, breathwork practice, daily mindfulness ritual
- Suggested Mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum
- Intention: Calm, Focus, Grounding
Questions & Guidance
What is this mala made of?
It is strung from 108 natural sandalwood beads, each about 8 mm, plus one larger guru bead, on an unknotted cord finished with a black tassel.
How do I use a 108-bead mala?
Hold the mala in one hand and move from bead to bead with your thumb, reciting a mantra or breath count once per bead. When you reach the guru bead, pause and turn back rather than crossing over it.
Why are there 108 beads?
108 is a number long held as significant in Hindu and Buddhist counting practices, traditionally used to structure a full round of mantra repetition.
Can this be worn as jewelry?
It's designed for meditation use rather than everyday jewelry, though many people do wear it wrapped several times around the wrist between practice sessions.
Will the scent fade over time?
Sandalwood's fragrance is naturally long-lasting and tends to mellow and warm with handling, though it will soften gradually with age and exposure to air.
