Hand Carved Shell Mala

An exceptional 108 bead mala made made entirely of stunning conch shell beads and accented with carnelian and turquoise spacer beads that add a hint of color. Each shell bead has "Om Mani Padme Hung" hand-carved on. This well-known mantra is associated with the bodhisattva of compassion: Avalokiteshvara. This mantra invokes the compassionate spirit of Avalokiteshvara and chanting it helps to clear the mind while opening the path to enlightenment. Conch shell (shankha) is one of the 8 auspicious symbols of Buddhism (Ashtamangala) this list of seemingly random items are what that the gods offered to Buddha once he attained enlightenment. Fiery carnelian is thought to bring warm energies- true to its red color- such as courage and joy. Turquoise is a commonly used stone in malas because of its abilities to cleanse the chakras and promote healing energies during prayer. Materials: Hand carved conch shell with 2 carnelian and 1 turquoise marker beads. Size: 108 bead mala with 8mm beads and larger guru bead.