On a Journey to Tranquility with Zen Spirit Malas & Link Up On the Edge #300
I was first introduced to the practice of meditation when I was about 8 years old. However, it was more in the form of visualization, which is a little bit different. Where meditation is a restful practice meant to give your body an opportunity to heal, visualization is a more active practice designed to prepare us for future states of high performance. Why Meditation & Visualization Aren’t The Same (And How To Use Them) gives an excellent explanation of the differences between these two practices of mindfulness and how both are beneficial for us either separately or used in tandem.
My first introduction to any mindfulness techniques came from my swim coaches when I was very young. I began competing at the age of 4 in a summer swim program. When I was 8, I decided that I loved the sport enough to practice all year round and I was quickly immersed in the very intense world of USA Swimming. By 12 years old, I was competing on a national level and ranking among the best breaststrokers in my age group in the United States. This eventually led to me earning a full swimming scholarship to college where I achieved some pretty cool accolades as well. My swimming career ended there due to a shoulder injury and complete burnout, but from my 18 year swimming experience, I learned some of the most valuable lessons of my life. One of them being mindfulness…in body and spirit.
Visualization is a technique that many athletes use to help them prepare for performances and it’s one thing that I mastered at a very young age. I remember doing visualization practices with my swim coach in high school and an uncanny thing happened nearly every time I envisioned an upcoming race.
I would lie on the pool deck and close my eyes as I relaxed into a deep state of focus and concentration. My coach would start my race exactly as if I was about to dive into the water with seven other swimmers. Take your mark…pause…and he would whistle. At the moment he whistled, he would also start his stopwatch and I would envision myself diving into the pool and swimming my race. He would instruct me to indicate to him when I touched the wall in my imaginary race so that he could stop his stopwatch. Then he would ask me to look at the time on the clock in my visualization and tell him what it was. Strangely, we started noticing that almost every time, the clock in my vision exactly matched the time on his stopwatch. I can’t explain it other than I just learned how to be that focused on the practice at hand, shutting out all other things in the world. That is basically how I competed as well…by shutting out everything else around me. And when I was at the peak of my sport, I was nearly unbeatable as a result of that focus.
Fast forward to life after swimming and I started getting more into the meditation side of things which was really helpful when I was young woman trying to survive the New York City rat race. I took some classes on meditation at the School of Practical Philosophy which taught some really wonderful techniques for shutting out all of the city noise but also for paying attention to it and learning from it. I only took a few classes at this institution before starting to notice some weird cult-y like things going on so I bailed, but I did carry with me some valuable coping mechanisms for life from that experience such as meditation strategies and how to follow your gut when something doesn’t feel quite right.
During my NYC days, I spent a lot of time commuting via public transportation. I am not a person who can read while moving, so I used my commute time as an opportunity for meditation. Learning how to find a center of peaceful quiet calm on the NYC subway is no small feat, but once you get it, you’ve got it for life! I am not saying that I can find that place every time I try when I am surrounded by distractions, but sometimes I can and it’s really amazing. Actually, the worst distraction to my meditation practices is all the noise in my head, not so much the noise outside of it.
Anyway, for a long while I didn’t really practice any sort of mindfulness techniques until I started getting into yoga. And since the two go hand in hand, I have recently started incorporating meditation sessions into my yoga practices. I am excited to get back to it because it really does have so many wonderful health benefits including the reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, and pain as well as the enhancement of peace, perception, self awareness, and overall well-being. And the best part about meditation and mindfulness is that it’s free and you can do it just about anywhere and anytime the mood strikes you. Even just 10 minutes of daily meditation can vastly improve your life.
Since mindfulness and introspection have always been a very important part of my life, it is only natural that Katherine of Katherine’s Corner and I connected many years ago when I first started blogging. Over the years, we have discovered that we share similar ideas when it comes to spirituality and mindfulness and overall healthy living.
So who is Katherine? To me she is a wonderful and supportive friend in this beautiful community of bloggers. She is light, love, and kindness in the human form and inspires me with her strength, perspective, and approach to life.
In her own words, “I’m Katherine, Tea Drinker, Hug Giver, Friend Maker, Shop Owner, Ordained Christian Reverend, Angel Messenger, and Child of God…I am an open-minded and spiritual person who strives to always maintain a positive attitude and greet each new day with grace, dignity, and gratitude. I am perfectly imperfect and I believe love makes a family. I believe there are angels on earth (my Mother is one).”
Like me, Katherine was introduced to the practice of meditation at a very young age as well. She became very comfortable with daily meditations under her mother’s tutelage and eventually began sharing her techniques with friends, family, and even strangers. Because when something works for you, you want to share it with the world!
In sharing her meditation practices with others, Katherine was asked about “tassel necklaces”, or meditation beads which are called malas in religions such as such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism which all incorporate some form of meditation techniques into their practices. They are used in a similar way as prayer beads from other religions or rosaries in Catholicism. Once Katherine shared what she knew about meditation beads, it was then that she felt a pull to start creating meaningful malas for others who are interested in continuing their journey to tranquility.
And Zen Spirit Malas was born.
Katherine creates beautiful meditation beads with your specific lifestyle in mind. Her shop offers a variety of handmade Malas, Meditation and Yoga Jewelry, Spiritual Jewelry, Big and Tall Malas, and Bridal Malas as well as home decor and accessories to express your specific intentions. But her favorite thing to create is custom mala beads according to your lifestyle and personal vision. Katherine also recites a non-denominational prayer during the creation of each item sold in her shop. Many of her malas feature a gorgeous guru bead, stone, or pendant above the tassel and she also enjoys using recycled beads and gemstones in her jewelry.
If you are unsure which mala to choose, Katherine provides a really helpful guide about the meaning of meditation beads, how to use them, and which one is best for you. I will admit that I have never used meditation beads before so I have some reading to do myself to learn the appropriate method for incorporating a mala into my personal meditation practices.
As Katherine was preparing to launch her new Zen Spirit Malas website and online shop, she reached out to me to see if I would be interested in sharing one of her gorgeous malas on my blog. Of course, I agreed, but I had no idea which mala was right for me. It turns out that I didn’t have to choose because Katherine decided to create a custom made mala specifically for me. What I didn’t know was that she was also making this Shelbee-inspired mala a regular part of her shop inventory and she is calling it the Shelbee Mala!
An extra benefit to these stunning beads is that they also make a gorgeous piece of jewelry that easily fits into my bohemian style aesthetic. The first time I wore my mala beads, I layered them with a bunch of neutral necklaces over a neutral outfit to allow the rich colors of the Shelbee Mala to really stand out. The photos below show the mala worn alone either as one long necklace or you can wrap it around your neck one time for a double stranded necklace.
Your Zen Spirit Mala comes beautifully packaged with a handwritten thank you note from Katherine, an explanation about your personalized beads, and a sheet of instructions for how to use and properly care for your mala. The product description and how I became Katherine’s muse for the Shelbee Mala made me cry.
About Your Shelbee Mala "I created this mala with inspiration from a free spirited and confident woman. It is named after her. Made with tiger eye and carnelian gemstones and accented with silver plated charms and beads, it is an attractive and useful tool for meditation. I also used hand waxed and polished wood beads to keep it comfortable and not too heavy for meditation or for wearing as a necklace to remind you of your mindful lifestyle. About Carnelian: It is believed that carnelian offers stability, grounding and a zest for life. It also helps to improve confidence and creativity. Known as a stone of motivation and endurance, leadership, courage and confidence, it is a favorite stone for singers, actors and those who speak to large groups, it inspires confidence. About Tiger Eye: It is believed that the tiger eye stone guards against all negativity and negative intentions from others. The beautiful tiger eye represents strength, protection, and grounding. It brings wisdom, clarity of thought and practical perception when used during meditation or mindful daily use. It is also considered to be a stone of prosperity and good fortune. Tiger eye is often used to reduce anxiety, particularly feelings of inadequacy. About Silver: Silver is the metal of emotions. It is used to bring patience and perseverance to the wearer. When silver is used with gemstones, the metal retains and amplifies the qualities emitted by the gemstones. Silver will patina over time, you can leave it that way or use a silver jewelry cleaning cloth.”
Katherine also included a turquoise Happy Buddha charm for me because I had expressed extraordinary joy over it when I first saw it! “The Happy Buddha is symbolic of joy, laughter, and contentment. It is believed to bring good luck and wealth by removing negative energy and providing happiness.” How could I not love him?!
I am debating if I want the happy little guy in my new car for extra protection and mindfulness while driving. However, I don’t particularly like dangling things hanging from my rearview mirror. I find them way too distracting so I may end up putting Happy Buddha on a necklace instead.
I wore my mala for the first time to a work/family picnic with Jeff’s company a few weekends ago at Lake Ontario. I had intended to take the photos with the lake behind me but the sun was too bright and the wind was too violent. But I wanted to share how beautiful the lake was that day… a perfect spot for meditation!
Also I am wearing my new tan rope sandals from Nomadic State of Mind. I cannot get enough of these shoes! This style features a vibram non-slip, super light, non-marking sole where my brick rope sandals only have a rope sole. It was crazy cold this day, too, so I wore socks with my sandals. I am not ashamed to wear socks with sandals. I have never been ashamed to wear socks with sandals. And I will continue to wear socks with sandals for as long as I live.
But back to Zen Spirit Mala…
All products in Katherine’s shop are handmade by her in the United States and all US orders ship free via first class mail. Mala beads and other spiritual jewelry make great gifts for yourself or for someone you know who may need some more tranquility in their life. I have a few people in mind who might be receiving a Zen Spirit Mala in the future!
Do you practice meditation or any other mindfulness techniques? Have you ever used meditation or prayer beads? What has been your experience?
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Other Favorite: Michele of Living Our Days
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Shelbee Mala-Zen Spirit Malas / Jeans-Charlotte Russe / Fringed Poncho-Cato / Yellow Dress-Thrifted / Heavy Poncho-Zara (Thrifted) / Hat-Linda Gibbs Handmade / Earrings-Handmade by me / Rope Sandals-Nomadic State of Mind / Piles of Necklaces and Bracelets-My jewelry box
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
42 Comments
Nancy
I love handmade jewelry/ accessories that has a meaning. I wish you, Jeff and the kids a fantastic festival weekend! Have fun and enjoy to the fullest! I know you will!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Nancy! We had a great time…despite the mosquitoes, the wind, and the gypsy moth caterpillars!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laila
I love the photos, you look beautiful and I hope you had a calming time! Thank you so much for sharing!
Laila
http://www.lailanblog.blogspot.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so very much, Laila! I really appreciate that!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
Your mala beads are so pretty! Katherine does an amazing job. I love the packaging and all the thought put into making each one for each customer. Thanks for sharing and love the breezy look you paired with yours. Thanks for the link up!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! Katherine really does beautiful work and she puts so much thought into each set of mala beads. Once I start incorporating meditation more regularly, I want to add different beads for different focuses.
xoxo
Shelbee
Jill
I think I’ve mentioned before that my daughter was a competitive swimmer through high school and that ended with a shoulder injury as well. Visualization and meditation can really make a difference in all aspects of your life. Your mala beads are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing this women owned business!
Jill – Doused in Pink
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jill, thanks so much! I did know that your daughter was a swimmer! I did not know that she also had a shoulder injury. This thing will haunt me for the rest of my life! I have learned to be gentle with my body though and not push through the pain like I did when I was younger. I had my left shoulder surgically repaired in 1988 when I was 14 years old. The recovery was so horrible for me that I refused to have the right shoulder done and that shoulder is way worse. Then I blew the right shoulder out when I was pregnant with Ralph. It was so bad that we had scheduled surgery during my pregnancy. My OB was on board and would be there to monitor the baby and then the surgeon got scared and canceled the surgery. After that, I figured I would just forget it and be gentle with it! If recovery was that bad when I was 14, I don’t even want to know how bad it would be at 48! Please tell your daughter to be gentle with her joints as well. They come in handy when we get older and it is nice to have them pain free!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
I meditate and practice visualization too! I try to do it every day. I’ll have to check out Katherine’s shop!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I love that about you, Jennifer! I hope you find something you love in Katherine’s shop! I need to get more regular with my meditation practices and then I want to add different mala beads for different focuses.
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura Bambrick
I don’t think I knew you were a swimmer! That is amazing you started competing at 4 and were ranking nationally! I didn’t know there were meditation beads. These are beautiful!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Laura! Yes, I lived for my sport in the first two decades of my life! Nothing else much mattered to me than training and being the best I could possibly be. It’s funny looking back on it all now and seeing how much my perspective has changed but also how much I learned from that whole experience. It really helped to shape me and many of my deepest belief systems.
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Of course I’ll be heading over to check out Katherine’s beautiful work! And I love the outfit you styled to go with the gorgeous Shelbee mala. My brain always thwarts me on meditation, so I find it frustrating. But I can get there in a way working in the garden.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh excellent, Michelle! Katherine has really gorgeous pieces in her shop. Whether you use them for meditation or not, I still think you can tap into their good energy wearing them. And who doesn’t need more good energy?! If gardening helps to quiet your mind, then I think you should stick with that! But I do find the practice of just trying to quiet my mind when it gets too noisy helpful. Even if it doesn’t actually quiet it, it does tend to calm it some through the focus.
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
I neverheard of wearin meditation beads- how cool! Plus they’re beautiful and go so well how you styled up this look. Love it!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Lucy, thank you so much! I am excited to start using my meditation beads. Once I get into that habit, I am going to add some more mala beads for different purposes into my collection.
xoxo
Shelbee
Di
The meditation mala is beautiful and this special one fits perfectly with your boho style. I meditate every day and find it a great way to calm a focus my mind. Hope you have a good weekend and thanks for sharing this lovely shop and thoughtful post!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Di, thanks so much! That is so wonderful that you practice daily meditations. I really need to be more regular about it. I am going to start adding it right onto my yoga practices otherwise I basically just forget to do it. Although first thing in the morning is a really great time, too. I often engage in a short gratitude meditation early in the morning and need to start doing that daily so I can make it habitual. Forming the habit will help with the forgetting!
xoxo
Shelbee
jess jannenga
Hi Shelbee!
This was interesting to read as I didnt know you were a swimmer to this degree! Wow. Thats cool. I love swimming too and was certified as a lifeguard. My dad always wanted to learn how to breathe properly when swimming. I have used visualization in music, and my classical guitar instructor would have me visualize pieces of music.
Love your outfit here – perfect hippie look you do so well! 🙂
Have a great weekend!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jess, thanks so much, my friend. Yes, I was very into swimming. It was basically my life, what I lived and breathed for, until I was 22. Visualization is so helpful for so many things! I love that your guitar instructor implemented these practices into his lessons. I hope your week is off to a fabulous start!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
The malas in Katherine’s Etsy shop are beautiful! You look great in your white outfit.
Thanks for hosting the link-up.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Carol! Once I start using my meditation beads regularly, I definitely will be adding more from Katherine’s shop to my personal collection!
xoxo
Shelbee
Katherines Corner
What a beautiful post my friend. I actually cried while reading it. In means so much to know you like your mala and it is a pleasure to have you as my Muse for this piece. Sending Big Hugs Your Way! Katherine
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Katherine, thank you so very much for everything! Your post made me cry, too. I hope to meet you in real life someday! I do believe wee would have such a lovely time. Sending big hugs right back to you, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
My husband meditates regularly, and it has lowered his anxiety and stress so much. I really need to do it myself. I didn’t know you were a swimmer. My kids all swam during the summer. One year, they decided they wanted to go for the “winter” swimming. Their eyes were truly opened then. Before, they had been the top swimmers and really loved swimming. With the competitive nature of “winter” swimming, the joy was sucked right out of it for them. So, we stopped! I had to drive them an hour each way so I was good with that! How cool and sorta eerie your visualizations so closely matched your coach’s times!
I’m going to have to check out your friend’s store. I love the look of tassels and beads…and having the prayers and meditation part just makes them better! Thanks for the link party, my friend!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Marsha, thanks so much! How great that Nigel benefits from meditation! I really need to start doing it every day. It is perfect if I combine it with my yoga practices. I just add 10 minutes before or after and get it all done at once! I look forward to learning how to implement my mediation beads into the practices.
Winter swimming where I live now is really far away! My neighbors are in a winter swimming program and they drive 45 minutes each way to practices. Where I grew up, it was such a huge sport that you had your choice of multiple winter swim programs all within a 15-20 minute drive.
I hope your week is off to a great start, my friend. I am catching up on all the things after my weekend getaway!
xoxo
Shelbee
Your True Self
Hi, Shelbee – It’s interesting to find that you were a swimmer and have had a lifetime of meditation. I was the star swimmer in the synchronized swimming club in high school after growing up swimming every summer. Afterwards, I took a bio-feedback class to start meditating and attended the Self Realization Fellowship every week at the Detroit Institute of Arts auditorium led by J. Oliver Black, a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. I have a wooden bead mala with a red tassel that I bought recently during my trip to Guadalajara, Mexico. I love your turquoise one! We really accumulate a huge amound of experiences in life, don’t we?! Sending love – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh wow, Angie, thank you so much for sharing your swimming and meditation experiences with me! I never met a synchronized swimmer before! That is so cool. Actually, I don’t think there were any high schools in my area that had synchronized swimming. I was always fascinated and impressed by that sport. For a swimmer, I have terrible lung capacity. That’s probably why I was a sprinter! I can’t even imagine the amount of breath control required for synchronized swimming…on top of all other stuff required! We always had a saying in swimming, “You think your sport is hard, try holding your breath while doing it.” Synchronized swimmers could go one step further and say, “You think swimming is hard, try synchronizing your whole performance with everyone else in the pool.” Life is one fantastic journey of experiences, isn’t it?!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica - Away From The Blue
While I know baout meditation and I’ve tried it now and then )it’s so good in the stressful times!) I haven’t heard of meditation beads before, what a fun idea! And a very cute neckalce too, I love statement necklaces like that!
Thanks for the link up! Hope you are having a good weekend 🙂 We had a fun day out at an insect festival today!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! Meditation is so good for clearing all the mind noise! I haven’t used my beads for meditation yet, but I am looking forward to learning more about it and implementing the techniques. We had a fun weekend camping at a music festival. Today is laundry day! There is sooooo much of it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Maureen
That’s a beautiful mala necklace that Katherine made for you. I love that it is unique to you and your energy. The turquoise Buddha is also a pretty piece. Plus, we can all use an extra dose of happiness! I don’t meditate but I have tried it years ago and I did enjoy how much peace and clarity I got from it. I need to look at doing it again but for the moment, I workout to clear my mind. And what a surprise! Thank you so much for the feature. I appreciate it and it truly made my weekend! I hope your Saturday is going so far and thanks again!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Maureen, thanks so much. I think anything we do that can clear our minds is a great thing whether it is meditation or exercise. The practice of silencing all of the noise in my head has always been a helpful tool because the noise in my head can get really loud sometimes! Those are the times when meditation is the most difficult but the also the most beneficial. It was my pleasure to feature you this week, my friend! I am glad that it added some joy to your weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Thanks for hosting and I always love clearing my mind and having mindful minutes. Thanks for sharing.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, my friend! I had some pretty awesome mindful moments at the festival this weekend! I hope to share all about it this week.
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Hello, Shelbee! I’m just circling back to say:
Thank you for participating in Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 23.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Carol!
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
How wonderful to have the mala made especially for you! I love your poncho and crocheted beanie hat! I really should try to do some meditation sessions, even if only for ten minutes a day. I find it very hard to switch off when I’m spinning so many plates. I’m very impressed with your swimming achievements – I swim like a brick! Thanks for linking up!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Emma! These are the things that speak to my boho soul! I have this crochet hat in 7 different colors! When you have too many plates spinning, that is the best time to take 10 minutes to pause and get centered again so you don’t drop all of those plates!I just laughed out loud that you swim like a brick because I sort of run like a fish! Hahaha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Pam
I love that mala, and I love the way you’ve styled it! What a beautiful outfit and lovely showcase for the mala. Katherine’s work is amazing, and she is an amazing and kind person. I’ve not done much meditation, but I’ve often thought it would benefit me greatly!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Pam! I was just finally getting into a regular routine where I could incorporate daily meditations and then I caught a summer cold from my son and now I can’t get off my couch. Although a day spent on the couch might be the perfect time for some meditation…if I could just stop coughing! Katherine is a truly wonderful human and I am so fortunate to count her among my friends!
xoxo
Shelbee
Pam
P.S. I forgot to say, I’ll be featuring this tomorrow at TFT. 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thank you so much, Pam! I am honored!
xoxo
Shelbee