(Photo: Energy Muse)

A great way to deepen your spiritual connection and express your devotion to the practice of yoga is by wearing a mala. Traditionally, malas are worn for meditation purposes. They are typically made with 108 beads, which are there to help the practitioner keep count while repeating a mantra. For centuries, they have been used to help focus the mind, body and spirit.

Nowadays, malas can be found on the necks and wrists of yogis everywhere. They have become embraced as not only meditative tools, but beautiful pieces of expressive jewelry as well. Many people like to wear their malas with intention and carefully select stones and crystals that energetically symbolize what they would like to focus on and attract into their lives.

If you want a mala that is special and totally unique, you can make one yourself! Learn how to make a one-of-a-kind mala with this fun and simple DIY. 

To get started here's what you'll need:

• 104 Main Beads (color of your choice)
• 4 Smaller Marker Beads (a different color of your choice)
• 1 Guru Bead (can be the same size as your marker beads or bigger)
• 1 Tassel
• String

To make your mala:

1. 
   Cut the string the length of your arm span (from right arm to left arm).
   Tip: It's always better to have too much string than not enough!
2. String the tassel first and make sure it sits in the middle of your string.
3. String both ends of your string through the guru bead so that it sits on top of your tassel.
   (We added an additional marker bead on top of the Guru bead for color contrast.)
4. Take 12 of your main beads and string 6 main beads on each side of the string. Add in 1
   
   marker bead on both ends.
5. Take 26 of your main beads and string 13 main beads on each side of the string. Add in 1 marker bead on both ends.
6. Take 66 of your main beads and string 33 main beads on each side of the string.
7. Tie 2-3 knots at the end top of the necklace to secure the beads.

Feel free to play around with color patterns or mix and match differently sized beads depending to your liking and creativity. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to make these, which is the best part about DIY!

Need some design inspiration? Take a look at the beautiful malas that are on our site!