What I love about meditation is that the world is your oyster! Whether itʼs  mindfulness, transcendental or even movement meditation thereʼs a place to start.  Initially, I never thought meditation was for me. I could never ‘meditateʼ in the  traditional sense of the word, my mind was too busy and body too eager to move. I  envied those who sat in silence, controlling their breath, transcending space and  time. I joked that cycling and running were my meditation before I knew they  actually were.  

I always thought that meditation was somewhat of a reset from the physical,  mental and emotional stimulation of daily life. Donʼt get me wrong, as appealing as  this sounded it seemed you could get there in other ways. It wasnʼt until a year  into this practice that I realized meditation could take you anywhere you wanted to  go. For me, it started with one bead at a time.  

Prayer beads, or mala, have been used in many religious and spiritual traditions.  Often used to count off a prayer or mantra, the tactile experience of this energy  tool also connects itsʼ owner to tremendous therapeutic and healing elements.  Beads are made of a variety of natural gemstone or wood, each possessing unique  and varying energetic properties. When I went on a quest to find my beads, I knew  my true companion would be sandalwood. The exotic and aromatic sandalwood  possesses strong spiritual properties; itʼs purifying, encourages calmness, centers  and clears the mind. With time and consistent use, I felt itsʼ spiritual reverence  allowing me to knock on the door of higher consciousness.  

An easy way to start incorporating beads is to use it for breath control. Sitting  quietly with my beads, I start by holding the beads in my right hand, I take one full  breath inhale and exhale then move onto the next bead while breathing in and out.  Focusing the mind on the task keeps it from being distracted by noise or thoughts.  The same practice could be applied when repeating a word or phrase which has  meaning to you. Bringing awareness to these mantras or the vibrations they  emanate take you to the present moment.  

Itʼs essentially impossible to walk through my physical space without finding  beads; gifted beads, acquired beads and my favorite kind- inherited beads, for  which I am eternally grateful.