Bear Spirit: Spirit Bead hand mala for meditation and contemplation

This soulful hand mala is meant for contemplation: to touch and ground you while your mind joins Nature and the spiritual.
Malas are non-denominational prayer beads that can be used with any tradition.

This piece is one of a kind, and contains many treasured beads that cannot be replaced.
A beautiful, amazingly silky shungite bead - a type of tourmaline - forms the focal. It has a slight adularescence with tiny threads of gold. Above it sits a large flamework disc by Glassy Fields, grey ashanti sandcast disc, and a wound milky disc by Karen Ovington. Above these, a large hollow metallic glass eye bead by Lori Lochner - a true masterpiece. Then a bone white disc, and a subtle frit-patterned rondelle by Lisa DeCanio. A copper ceramic slice balances a large Tibetan recycled glass facets polygonal bead of real vintage, a translucent peach disc by Karen Ovington and a jet black bear fetish with feet and snout of turquoise. An amazingly real eye bead by the inimitable artist Janel Dudley centers the seed bead handle.

"Mala", meaning garland or circlet of beads, is used in many traditions to provide a focus for concentration, meditation and prayer.

Each of my malas is constructed thoughtfully with an intention to impart calm, or focus spiritual energy. Each is unique.

They are physical objects to bring the numinous into the material.

They each are beings with heft and a spine, and an individual flexibility - depending on the beads and the order in which they are placed, one mala may be more flexible than others.
They may become slightly more flexible with use - and they are intended for a long life of touching and holding. I’ll gladly restring for you if needed.

WEARING: A mala is a physical presence. Each bead is chosen for its texture and touch. The whole composition has some heft to it - something to ground and center your thoughts. It is meant to be held and carried (but not folded) - if you would like a simple strung bead strand to allow you to wear the mala, I’ll gladly make you one for $15-20.