What is Japan? What is the meaning? What is it for? Where to buy?

You’ve probably seen your friends practicing Yoga and Meditation wearing fringe necklaces. When asking them about the cord, he learned that his name is Japamala. But after all, what is Japamala?

Glue with us, we will explain everything about this sacred necklace in this article.

What is Japan?

A Japamala is nothing more than a simple string of beads used in japa meditation to count mantras, prayers or intentions.

Japamalas can also be used for counting breaths or in a gratitude meditation.

Japa means whispering, praying, reciting mantras. Mala means cord, rosary. That is, the meaning of Japamala is “object that gathers spiritual energies”.

Japamala beads are also called mantra beads, meditation beads, Hindu rosaries or Buddhist prayer beads.

Japamalas are a type of meditation rosary. It is an ancient tool of Hinduism and Buddhism designed to keep the mind focused and free from thoughts.

A complete japamala contains 108 accounts + a guru. It is usually long enough to be worn as a necklace.

A Japamala can also be made with half the beads, 54, making it a half Japamala. There is still the possibility of making a wrist Japamala, with 27 beads, to be used as a bracelet.

The guru (teacher) or meru (mountain) granule is often made with a pellet larger than the others. It provides a starting and ending point for counting mantra repetitions.

A cotton or silk fringe is connected to the end of the guru to finish the Japamala with a final knot.

Why does Japamala have 108 accounts?

For you to know what Japamala is, you have to understand why it has 108 beads. Number 108 has a very powerful meaning in the science and spirituality of India:

• There are 108 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet!
• Vedic mathematicians measured the diameter of the Sun and found it to be 108 times the diameter of the Earth;
• In the Yoga tradition, 108 sacred texts have been found;
• In India, there are 108 holy sites;
• Acupuncture uses 108 points of ours;
• The goddess Krishna has 108 names;
• In tantric yoga, 108 lines of energy are described throughout the body and they all converge and connect to the heart chakra.

What are Japamalas made of?

The anatomy of a Japamala can be made from many different materials. The most common types of beads used are wood, seed or semi-precious stones.

Depending on the material used, the properties of the spheres will have certain energetic effects.

Different spiritual practices and religious traditions have historically used beads from a specific material.

In India, for example, Japamalas are mainly made from sandalwood, tulsi and rudraksha seeds. In Nepal and Tibet, most Japamalas are made from bodhi seeds, lotus seeds and bones.

types of japamala

The beads of a Japamala can have different sizes, which usually rotate around 6mm and 10mm, with 8mm being the most common.

Using larger beads makes it easier to count and practice meditation, but it makes the Japamala longer and heavier.

Japamala beads can also be made from a single material or interspersed with materials such as wood and stones, for example.

Japamala beads may also contain fine metal spacer beads which are used for decoration and should not be counted.

The guru is usually a bigger ball, to stand out more, but nothing prevents it from being the same size as the counting beads. The guru is typically made of the same type of material as the counting beads.

Tassel, knots, counters and cords

The tassel of a Japamala is usually made of cotton or silk. It is common to find Japamalas tied with cotton cord or nylon thread.

Japamala beads from India usually have knots between each one, while Japamala beads from Tibet, Nepal and China are not tied between the beads.

Some Tibetan-style japamals have two counters attached to each side. These are used to count very large repetitions (hundreds to thousands!) of mantras and can be easily added or removed if needed.

History of Japamala beads

Japamala beads are used in other cultures and religions but are known by different names such as prayer beads, rosary beads and worry beads.

More than two-thirds of the world’s population employ some form of bead counting as part of their spiritual practice. The use of beads in prayer seems to have originated around the 8th century BC in India.

The beads themselves have had a powerful influence and importance in human history. The oldest found to date are approximately 42,000 years old.

Beads have been used throughout our history as talismans for protection, amulets for luck, status symbols for wealth and authority, spiritual and religious tools, and as a form of barter.

The meanings and usage of beads have changed significantly over time – they were used to symbolize personal and cultural relationships, physical, magical and supernatural power, and common cultural views of the world.

What religions use beads?

Hindus, practitioners of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism use some forms of prayer beads.

Around the 17th century, Muslims began to wear prayer beads, called subha, misbaha, or tespih. These cords usually have 99 count beads and an elongated terminal bead.

Subhama beads are used for the practice of zikr, the recitation of the 99 attributes or names of God.

Ireland is known as the origin of the Christian rosary in the 9th century. The use and practice of the rosary was not officially approved by the church until the 16th century, when Pope Leo X gave the rosary approval.

Rosaries usually contain 59 beads and are used to count prayers recited in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Kompoloi or worry beads have been used in Greek and Cypriot culture since the mid-20th century.

Kompoloi have an odd number of beads between 17-23 and are not designed for spiritual purposes. They are used as a talisman or amulet to protect against bad luck and for relaxation and stress reduction.

What is Japan for?

For you to really know what Japamala is, you also need to understand what it is for and what its benefits are.

Japamala beads have been used in many spiritual traditions for many years. These beads have many powerful benefits for the body, mind and spirit.

Some of the eight benefits below are universal for all types of prayers. Others are specific to Japan.

1. Increases focus during mantra meditation;
2. It is an efficient and practical tool for counting mantras;
3. It’s an easy way to keep track of the number of mantras recited;
4. Physical contact with prayer beads imparts their inherent healing powers;
5. Once the Japamala is enabled, it can be used for even more powerful healing of oneself and others;
6. Seeing or wearing a Japamala can serve as a reminder of a person’s intention and goals;
7. It can also be used as a reward or symbol for accomplishing a difficult task;
8. Choosing a Japamala to buy can help with the process of determining spiritual goals, intentions and activities.