HIgh quality Mala Beads serve not only to adorn but also, in the yogic tradition, the beads are used in japa mala practice to recite mantras in meditation (hence the name). A practice recommended in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to focus the mind on the meaning of the mantra (Sutra 1.28) . A full cycle of 108 repetitions is counted on the mala so the practitioner can focus on the sounds, vibration and meaning of what is being said, rather than counting.
