Mala Beads: Garnet

Garnet

Garnet is the name given to a large, chemically complex family of stones X₃Z₂(TO₄)₃  X = Ca, Fe, etc., Z = Al, Cr, etc., T = Si, As, V, etc.; due to the complexity in trace elements garnets come in almost every colour imaginable, some being very rare. All the different types of garnets form according to an isometric crystal system and have a hardness of 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

Mala Beads

Mala beads are traditional prey beads used by Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs, Muslims and Yogis. Prey beads and are used as a spiritual practice tool to assist one perform a counting meditation, mantra or prey. Traditionally all malas have 108 beads as according to mathematicians of Vedic culture 108 is the number of the universe and represents the wholeness of existence. This number also connects the Earth to the Sun and the Moon as it is the the average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.