Nine Malas

I made a stop last night where the prairie crocuses grow. I didn't expect to see any flowers but there were a couple late bloomers who were still hanging on. I'm glad I decided to stop. I also found a few other types of flowers growing wild.

Here are a few facts about the prairie crocus and the inspiration that I pulled from them for this particular mala (Sold). With snow still on the ground, the Prairie Crocus (which is not a crocus, but an anemone) emerges in the early spring on the Canadian Prairies. This hairy flower will bloom after it spends two years establishing strong roots. This single stem along with its petals has the special ability to reflect sunshine onto its face, warming it up to 10ºC warmer than its surroundings. Its bulb is long lasting and will continue to bloom year after year for up to 10 years. The Agate Stone and Bronzite, both grounded like the Prairie Crocus, help to repel negative energy as the Prairie crocus repels the cold. The Agate Stone heals anger, cultivates love, and builds courage to start over as the Prairie Crocus does year after year, un-waivered by the prairie winds.

We are knotting up to stock up the store. 📿 For the time being, feel free to visit www.ninemalas.com for the current collection.

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"Real growth is not about becoming bigger; badder; more powerful; it's about becoming softer, more compassionate, and more at ease with truth and vulnerability." - Rebekah Borucki

This Wood Jasper and Jade Mala was delivered this weekend to it's new home. Two of these have been made and they haven't even made it into the store. Thank you for the support 👏

A Mala is a necklace made out of 108 beads and is used to assist in spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga or reciting affirmations.

Mala beads were created in India over 3,000 years ago. They are rooted in Hinduism and Buddhism and are meant to help you focus your mind during meditation. 

You will notice that most malas have a large bead called the Guru Bead. This bead holds the energy that you generate during your spiritual practice.

All Nine Malas are made with semi precious stones or wood, each containing different attributes.

Most individuals who choose a Mala for themselves do so intuitively and are drawn to certain gems. Have fun with the process and see which gems you are drawn to. 📿

At the base of Montenegro’s Tara Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world, lies the Tara River. The Tara River is considered one of the cleanest rivers in the world due to its intactness. Both White Jade and Blue Kyanite embody this purity and serenity. The White Jade directing the flow of energy in a productive manner to filter out any disruptions or negative thoughts while the Kyanite amplifies intuition. Kyanite is a powerful stone that does not hold any negative energy therefore is considered self-cleaning. Think of these stones, along with the Bronzite as the flowing Tara River, not allowing negative energy to stick around.

Penchant for pendants? Pendants from left to right: Clear Quartz, Mexican Agate, Smokey Quartz. Hmmm, pendant vs tassel? 📿

ACTIVATE YOUR MALA

Choose a quiet and peaceful setting. You may activate your mala with slow breathing. I personally find the simplest way to activate my own mala is by smudging. To do this, burn white sage or incense and hold your beads over the smoke. I like to say a prayer to send off any negative energies to the light. Your voice can be used to ask for guidance to aid you with whatever you are seeking. You may also decide to activate your mala with touch. Using your thumb and your middle finger, chant your intention as you move through the beads.

If you choose, seal your intentions into your beads by reciting the traditional mantra, “Om Hrim Name Shivaya Om” three times.

CLEANSING ENERGIES

There are several ways to cleanse unwanted energies from your mala. One way is to use white sage as described above in the activation process. Your mala may also be cleansed with purifying vibrations by placing it in a Tibetan Singing Bowl or on top of an Amethyst, Celestite, or Clear Quartz Cluster for 24 hours. A Selenite Charging Plate is a fantastic choice for cleansing requiring very little maintenance.

Some choose to lay their mala in the light of the full moon, the sunshine (careful, the colors may fade if left in the direct sun for too long. 15 minutes max. is recommended), or the early morning light of the dawn.

The gemstones and wooden beads come from nature and they like to be brought back into nature from time to time to recharge. 

Use whichever method is available to you or whichever one resonates with you. Some individuals do not appreciate others touching their malas due to the transfer of energy. Be respectful and always ask before reaching for someone's mala. I personally love to share in the tactile experience of my malas and have no problem if someone wants to know how they feel. There is always some sort of method around for me to cleanse and re-activate them.

"I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them cats." 🐈
~ Eckhart Tolle

Is anyone else out there completely devoid of a sense of time? I feel like I just posted for Spring Equinox! 😳 I'm clearly not posting enough. Anyway, happy Spring Equinox! Here is a Mala, aptly named to celebrate the occasion! ☀️🌱

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In the Northern Hemisphere, Spring Equinox is a big deal. This signifies that we have come out the other side of a cold, dark winter. Spring Equinox marks the first day of spring. The days will start getting longer as the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt towards the sun, feeding the earth around us. Picture Jasper embodies our Mother Earth communicating with her children. It carries with it lessons from past seasons and brings a harmonious energy. It is important to stay grounded. This means maintaining a deep connection between our souls and our earth bodies. Picture Jasper is a magnificent source of strength and support during times of new growth and inspires advancement on every level. Wooden beads act as an additional grounding tool. In times of stress, imagine yourself with your toes firmly planted in the spring dirt, feeling the ground continually moving and growing around you.



Please Note: This mala is constructed with a mini tassel for the more practical wearer. This makes a great wrap bracelet however sizing is not guaranteed to fit all wrists.

While Winter Solstice may signify the longest, darkest nights, it is a time for rest and reflection. The plants and the trees go dormant but the sun springs into a new solar cycle and now is the time for new beginnings. After the longest nights, the sun shines longer and brighter with each day. The calming properties of the Howlite will gently aid in achieving spiritual and material ambitions and the Feldspar together with the Bronzite and Black Onyx will support in providing strength and the confidence get there in times of darkness or uncertainty.

Snow on the Sahara!

The Atlas Mountains stand tall between the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic & Mediterranean Seas. The base of the mountain range disappears into the desert where at certain times of the year, snow will blanket the rusty orange sand dunes of the Sahara. The power of the sea coupled with the elevation, can produce snowy conditions even in the largest desert in the world. Tridacna is a gem from the sea, made from the tridacna clam shell. The Tridacna beads are a constant source of flowing energy which aid in clearing the mind and increasing creativity and intuition, even in unusual circumstances like the snow falling over the Sahara. It promotes a go-with-the-flow attitude. The Grossular Garnet guru bead is a stone of renewal. Let it assist you in promoting growth and prosperity while remaining in a state of gratitude. The rusty Tassel is representative of the Sacral Chakra, which is associated with creativity and sensuality, always flowing and transforming like the sand dunes, even when they are covered in snow.

Coming soon? Well...kindof. We actually have some new Malas already listed on the site but there will be more being posted over the next week. Check them out...link in bio...and stay tuned for more.

Big Horn Canyon

Home to Montana’s wild horses and bighorn sheep, this vast landscape supports a diverse ecosystem and incredible views. Wood Opal is a “seeing” stone. See the light bouncing off the opalized wood just as the sun reflects off the sandstone walls of Bighorn Canyon, bringing clarity and insight. One may feel incredibly small seeing the never-ending landscape in your peripheral however these small but mighty opal stones will attune you to the energies of growth and new beginnings to take on the world. This is in line with the various forms of vegetation that grow stoutly on the canyon face, the surrounding mountains, the Great Basin and the Great Plains that make way for the wild mustangs that run freely throughout the area. A Spring Jasper guru bead will aid in building a strong sense of determination to carry through with your pursuits.

 

Please Note: This is a big name for a tiny Mala! This piece is constructed with 108 x 6mm Wood Opal beads and is significantly more delicate in size than our Malas created with 8mm beads.

Speak your truth, find alignment, let go of what no longer serves you.

May the challenges of 2021 propel you into a state of renewal just like the Boreal Forest Floor!

The expansive Boreal Forest covers 60% of Canada’s total land mass. While the forest is ancient, the trees are not. Like this incredible forest, we as people rely heavily on disturbances to propel us into a trajectory of personal growth and alignment. This rings true to the sustainability of the Boreal Forest which is adapted to fire, insects, and disease. Fires help to remove the old thatch that covers the ground, accelerating new growth. This causes the next generation of trees to germinate, releases nutrients from the trees and allows the sun’s rays to reach the forest floor. The Boreal Forest is in a constant state of renewal. While we are in a state of renewal, it is important to stay grounded. This means maintaining a deep connection between our souls and our earth bodies. Both Jasper and Mahogany Obsidian are a source of strength and support during trying times and inspire growth on every level. Wooden beads act as an additional grounding tool. In times of stress, imagine yourself with your toes firmly planted in the dirt of the Boreal Forest, feeling the ground continually moving and growing around you.

I made this Mala for a very special person who's favourite stone is (atleast one of her favourites ;) 🖤

Although I wasn't quite sure of the direction I wanted to take with this super reflective gem, I decided to pair it with and a charm for a more feminine flare than what is usually seen with hematite. The chunky peach nylon knots and the silk mini tassel adds to its charm and I have to say this mala ended up being one of my favourites! I especially love the heavy weight of it!

I had purchased the pieces for this mala locally at both and

Activate your Mala: There are many ways to cleanse and activate your mala. You can learn more about this at www.ninemalas.com.

You can use your Mala during meditation or to chant mantra. There are traditionally 108 beads in a mala and in every "Nine Mala," plus a charm or a "Guru" bead. From the "Guru" bead, work through each bead with a deep breath or a mantra with your thumb and your middle finger. Your pointer finger is connected to your ego and we try to avoid that while practicing meditation. Once you have reached the end, if you choose to continue, turn back from the direction you came rather than crossing over the guru bead. This is a common practice if you choose to use your mala in this manner. Every Mala is different and is comprised of a different type of gemstone which holds its own vibration. Some are better off placed over the different chakras in your body. We recommend that you read about the specific gemstones and take from them what resonates with you at this time.

Photo by

"Athabasca Glacier"

Standing on Athabasca Glacier, you look around and see the grey mountain face of the snow-peaked Canadian Rockies. Look closely and within the deep crevasses of the glacier and you will see the turquoise blue shades that this glacial mass appears to absorb from the ground up. If you look closely at the dark grey Feldspar stones, the light will reveal specks of turquoise from deep within the stone, sparking creativity. Like the layers of the magnificent glacier that disappear into the dark fissures, the Agate stone, also created slowly with layers, brings with it strength. Its many layers can reveal hidden information about yourself. Both Feldspar and Agate nurture self-esteem and self-awareness.

Photos 1 & 2 by Hold Light Photography 🤍

"Bingin to Tulamben"
Like the creamy shores of Bali’s Bingin Beach to Tulamben’s black sand beaches, Onyx and Jasper pair beautifully together, acknowledging the duality within oneself. These stones have a remarkable ability to balance the yin and yang, encompassing the whole. When we live with these dualities, it is important to find peace from within. These were the teachings of Buddha, and it is the ultimate responsibility. “Appa Deepo Bhava – Be your own light. When a person is self-illuminated, he lights up the world as well.” Whichever shore you may be standing on, Exercise the powers of clear quartz to release any negative energies into the waves to be washed away.

What is a Mala? We hear this quite often. Here at "Nine Malas" we make Hand-Knotted Gemstone Mala Necklaces used to aid in meditation or mantra. All "Nine Malas" are energetically cleansed prior to shipping and are packaged in a hand-made, protective gift pouch. To learn more, visit www.ninemalas.com

Hello Everyone, as I launch my Mala collection, I first want to introduce myself. My name is Louise, but please call me Lou. I am very excited to send my pieces out into the world. These malas have heaps of inspiration behind them, all hand-knotted and made with good intentions. All of my Mala necklaces are energetically cleansed and charged before they are delivered. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to contact me. Please stay tuned! The collection will be growing this week.
www.ninemalas.com

I can't thank enough for these photos! Also thank you to my mom for helping me hand-make all of the embroidered wool-felt pouches for each Mala to be delivered in. I am truly blessed!

Stay Tuned this next week for the launch of new Malas available to purchase. We're ready to send them out in style to their new homes. A gigantic "thank you" goes out to for helping me create these handmade Mala pouches! 🙏 I am incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful (and talented) mum!

This mala, comprised of Burmese White Jade, Onyx and Lava Stone was made specifically for a very special person. So happy to see it in its new home.

This was a TERRIFYING project for me!!!! A few years ago, my Mum had sent home with me my old "Couvette Jaune" (yellow blanket). There isn't much left to my Couvette Jaune. Whatever ribbon is left was hanging on literally by a thread. So for several decades, it sat in the linen closet (I can just bury my nose into my blanket and inhale the comforting scents of the linen closet)...I have sensory issues and I'm not going to lie, I smelled the blanket several times as I decided to chop it up...yes...you heard that right...chop it up. I used to run my little hands along the ribbon and if it was a very hot day or night and that ribbon wasn't cool to the touch, my mum and Pa had an angry little girl on their hands. Fast forward 30 years give or take. I still have the same sensory issues. That's one of the reasons I LOVE wearing malas. It is like a wearable figit toy and the cool feeling of the beads have a way of calming me or redirecting my energy. It only made sense to take my precious ribbon from my Couvette Jaune and turn it into a tassel. I had to take a lighter along every strip and seal the edges to stop the fraying. It was pretty heart wrenching to watch the ribbons disintegrate into a mess of thread but we got in under control with the lighter. Now the most important part of my Couvette has been saved from spending it's years in the linen closet. What have you done with your childhood blankets? I would really like to hear your stories.

So exciting! The latest pieces will be posted in the weeks to come just in time for some Christmas shopping for someone you love and yes, that can mean yourself too ;)