KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — There are round beads, small flat stones, crystals in varying shapes and pendants of multiple designs. They come in all colours; some have marbling effects, some are textured.
“I mainly source them from Bali, Indonesia and the United States. Honestly, I don’t know how many types I have altogether but there’s probably more than 120 varieties,” says Loo Jia Wen, founder of Moolamala, a home-based outfit that sells mala in the form of necklaces and bracelets.
Mala are prayer beads that are used in meditation to help keep count of mantras. They have been used by Hindus, Buddhists and Zen devotees across Asia for centuries. In Christianity, they are known as rosary beads and in Islam, tasbih or misbaha.
Jia Wen shows me some tiny textured beads in light brown. Known as rudraksha or Tears of Shiva, these are actually the dried berries of the Elaeocarpus ganitrus roxburghii tree that, when seen from the top, have five distinct “mouths” that resemble five petals. Traditional mala garlands are made of rudraksha, usually held together using red string.
Moolamala’s offerings, on the other hand, are contemporary styles that feature a mixture of beads, crystals, stones and pendants. There are no rules as to the combination or sequence, but the beads always total 108, a number that’s considered sacred in many Eastern religions.
Among the significance is the symbolism behind the three digits, which represent the universe as one thing (1), nothing (0) and everything (8, or infinity). There is a 109th bead, a larger one that is called the guru bead, that symbolises gratitude and connection to the divine. You can also complete your mala with a tassel, which represents enlightenment.
Besides ready-made mala, which Jia Wen sells online and at the occasional arts market, she also takes customised orders. “The first step is the consultation, which is the lengthiest process. I find out what the customer wants, then choose the beads and show the design to them before I proceed to make the mala,” Jia Wen explains. “As much as possible, I prefer to meet with them in person but I’ve also done it via WhatsApp — there would be a lot of messages flying back and forth!”
The making of the mala itself is what Jia Wen really enjoys, describing it as her “natural instinct” to just sit at home alone and string the beads. She first learned to make mala while living in Ubud, Bali about two years ago.
“I was interning at a ceramic art studio there and also practising yoga regularly. I noticed that a lot of people wore mala, and I wanted one for myself.” Although easily available in Bali, finding the right mala proved to be daunting. “I did buy one in the end but it still didn’t feel right; till today, it’s just sitting in my drawer!”
Jia Wen chanced upon a mala-making workshop and immediately signed up for it. It became her “new reason for being” and very quickly turned into an obsession. She stocked up on a variety of beads and would make mala every day, for herself and her friends. Then she began receiving requests to make custom designs and realised that it could be turned into a business.
It was a dream come true for Jia Wen. Trained as a graphic designer, she had always nurtured a passion for art and working with her hands, and have had her artworks sold at Valentine Willie Fine Art in Kuala Lumpur.
She quit her full-time job and turned to freelancing eight years ago while pursuing her artistic interests. “I enjoyed the freedom, I could be where I wanted to be. But still, I was providing a dedicated service for other people. I wanted something for myself... to be an artist, make what I like and sell them,” says Jia Wen.
She also produces yoga-inspired pen drawings that are sold at Bali Spirit and Radiantly Alive, both yoga studios in Ubud, besides her online Etsy store, Inky Pots. But it is Moolamala that is her main calling now. “It has been very rewarding, even though I have to do everything myself — from design to promotions, social media to photography!”
Moola is named after the first chakra, which is the basis of everything. There’s also the moola mantra that is chanted for peace of mind, blessings, and to call on the divine to bring grace into your life regardless of faith, belief, culture, and tradition.
Jia Wen also conducts mala-making workshops that are conducted in the same vein. Held once a month, each class accommodates a maximum of eight people and can last up to seven hours for a garland. A short meditation precedes each workshop, and every participant is given a piece of illustration that they can colour and fill in with their intention, something they wish to manifest to make the entire process more meaningful.
“The more you embody what you want to manifest, the quicker it will happen,” she explains.
It also helps guide the participants in selecting the beads and colour of silk thread, which Jia Wen brings in from Germany, that they want for their mala. “It can be quite overwhelming for the first-timer when they see the array of options available! That is why it’s important to set your intention first.”
Every participant is provided with a special cushion that Jia Wen made herself, and is embroidered with either a spiral or heart-shaped pattern onto which they can place the beads in the sequence they want. Once they’re satisfied with the design, they can start stringing. After each bead, they have to knot the string so as to hold every bead in its place.
It’s not difficult to execute but it is quite a labourious process that employs one’s concentration. “I provide lunch at my workshops but very often, they remain untouched as most people are so into the zone making their mala that they don’t want to break the momentum.”
It’s something Jia Wen understands all too well. Mala-making, she says, keeps her calm and contented. “Often when I start making, I would have a lot of things on my mind but as I continue to string, the problems fade away and my mood lifts,” she explains. “I used to practise Vipassana meditation when I was doing yoga. Now, this is my meditation.”
To purchase or customise a mala, or to sign up for a workshop, visit Moolamala at https://moolamala.com/ or follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/moolamalamantra). Ready-made mala are priced from RM200 and bracelets from RM40; workshop fees are RM290 (garlands) and RM90 (bracelets).
Vivian Chong is learning to achieve calm and contentment, one bead at a time. Find more of her stories at http://thisbunnyhops.com/
