Rudrakshas are the seeds of the Elaeocarpus ganitrus, an evergreen tree that primarily grows high in the mountains of the Indian Himalayas, Nepal, and Indonesia. The Rudraksha seed has been used for thousands of years in Hindu prayer beads in India, principally due to the natural hole located in its center. There is considerable Folklore about the Rudraksha bead, and it is known to have various spiritual and powerful healing properties.
The Rudraksha tree bears white flowers with blue fruit, and inside is the sacred and spiritual Rudraksha. These seeds are extracted by soaking the mature fruits in water and then removing the bulk of the pulp to expose the pits. The seeds are then cleaned and dried.
According to the ancient Vedic and Sanskrit scriptures, the word ‘rud’ means to wail, howl, or cry. Rudra is also one of the many names of Shiva, who is amongst the three central holy figures in Hinduism. The second part of the word, which is 'aksha,' means eyes.
The beads are customarily worn as a mala or a garland by being tied onto a string. Traditionally, the number of beads placed into a unique mala is 108 in addition to one extra bead that is called the bindu, guru or meru. This bead prevents the energy from becoming cyclical in the body of the wearer as for many people, that experience may be too much to handle. The number of beads can be lesser, but it should be a division of 108 (like a wrist mala of 27 beads), excluding the bindu bead. The 108 number has many different and important spiritual significance and meanings in India.
In Hinduism, a rudraksha mala of 108 beads is used as a counter for reciting the repetitive japa mala mantra. When you wear rudraksha mala in meditation, it will help you to get more focus and being able to concentrate easily. Meditating with Rudraksha malas is also highly recommended as it helps you to focus your attention at one point, let go of any intrusive thoughts, fill your mind with positive energy, and slow down your respiration to help you achieve total strength and relaxation. As a sacred material, the rudraksha beads can hold the spiritual energy of the recited mantra and help the worshiper to concentrate on their meditation.
The rudraksha mala could also be worn all the time to get the benefits of Rudraksha mala’s healing power such as healing various body and mind ailments, lowering the blood pressure, calm the central nervous, and even rejuvenating your entire body and mind.
If your mala or rudraksha beads collect sweat, dirt or other impurities, you can wash them once a month or so. To wash the rudraksha beads, soak them in pure water for an hour and then gently brush the beads with a toothbrush to clean them. If they are really dirty, you can add a few drops of natural soap to the water. After cleaning, put them in a warm area to dry for 1 or 2 days (or longer for the beads to get completely dry).
When the beads are unquestionably dry, apply a small amount of cold-pressed oil like almond, jojoba, or sesame to the cleaned beads using a soft toothbrush or cloth. Then lightly rub the beads with a soft, clean cloth to remove any excess oil. After cleaning, bring your beads to your altar, light some candles and incense and
then make offerings to Shiva by chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” 9 times.
Whether you wear it around your neck, or on your wrist, Rudraksha malas and beads are a great accessory to support you in cultivating your spiritual energy and essence.
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