How to Wear a 108-Bead Mala Necklace

Key takeaways

• Wear a 108-bead mala as a long necklace with the guru bead at center front, doubled for a shorter layered look, or wrapped loosely around the wrist.
• The guru bead marks the start and end of the strand; when counting, turn the mala around at the guru bead instead of passing over it.
• Wrap loosely, unwind to take it off, and store it in its pouch: a calm routine protects both the beads and the cord.
• Our malas: ametrine 7.3mm and kyanite 6.1mm, both 108 beads with vintage-style accents. Every bead checked by eye · real photos · ships from Jiangsu, China.
• Meaning (tradition): ametrine for love, wisdom, wealth and career; kyanite for balance, a relaxed mood and clear thinking. Not medical advice.

The easiest way to wear a 108-bead mala is as a long necklace, with the guru bead and its charm resting at the center front of your chest. You can also double it into a shorter layered necklace or wrap it loosely around your wrist, and in every style the guru bead is the point where the strand starts and ends.

This guide covers the three common ways to wear a mala, how to hold and count with it, the guru bead rule, care, and our two malas.

Three ways to wear a mala

Style	How to do it	Good for	Watch out for
Long necklace	Put it over your head; let the guru bead hang at center front	Everyday wear, over a plain top or sweater	Catching the charm on bag straps
Doubled necklace	Fold the strand into two loops of similar length before putting it on	A shorter, layered look	Keep the guru bead on the outer loop so it stays visible
Wrapped on the wrist	Wrap the strand loosely around your wrist several times, guru bead on top	Keeping it close during the day	Do not stretch the cord; unwind to take it off

1. As a long necklace

This is how both LME malas are designed to be worn. Lift the strand over your head and let it fall naturally. The guru bead, and the charm or carved piece below it, should sit at the center front. Over a plain neckline, the 108 beads read as one long, even line of color.

2. Doubled

Hold the mala at the guru bead, fold it into two loops of roughly equal length, and put both loops over your head together. Keep the guru bead on the outer loop. Doubling gives a shorter, fuller look that sits closer to the collarbone.

3. Wrapped on the wrist

Hold the guru bead against the top of your wrist and wind the strand around loosely until the end meets the guru bead again. The beads should sit side by side without pulling. To take it off, unwind it rather than rolling it over your hand. Our two malas are made as long necklaces; if you would like a strand sized for the wrist, send a request through our contact page.

How to hold a mala and count with it

A mala is a counting tool in Hindu and Buddhist tradition. One full round of 108 beads is one cycle of mantras, affirmations or slow breaths.

1. Hold the mala in one hand, draped over your middle finger.
2. Start at the first bead next to the guru bead.
3. Move one bead toward you with your thumb for each mantra or breath. In Hindu and Buddhist practice the index finger is traditionally kept off the beads.
4. When you reach the guru bead again, do not pass over it. Turn the mala around and go back the other way if you want another round.

You do not need to follow a religious practice to wear a mala. As jewelry, it is a quiet reminder of an intention you choose each morning.

Wearing a mala with respect

Because a mala is a prayer tool in some traditions, a few simple habits go a long way: keep it off the floor, take it off before showering, swimming and sport, and store it in its pouch when you are not wearing it.

Which wrist, if you wrap it?

In crystal tradition, the left wrist is the receiving side and the right wrist is the releasing side. Wrap your mala on the left to welcome in the meaning of the stone, and on the right when you want to let go of something. There is no wrong answer: choose the side that matches your intention.

Our two 108-bead malas

	Ametrine mala	Kyanite mala
Product	Ametrine 108-Bead Mala Necklace 7.3mm	Kyanite 108-Bead Mala Necklace 6.1mm
Bead size	7.3mm	6.1mm
Color	Purple, lilac, honey and champagne tones in one strand	Deep to cornflower blue with fine streaks
Guru bead and accents	Carved green phantom quartz charm under a vintage-style guru bead and cap; faceted honey-yellow barrel beads; a clear barrel bead with a carved inner figure; textured vintage-style beads	Carved clear quartz guru bead; white phantom quartz beads; a peach donut-shaped bead; lavender and golden rutile beads; vintage-style spacers
Meaning (tradition)	Guardian stone of love, spirituality and wisdom, wealth and career	Balance and a clear heart, a relaxed mood and clear thinking
Look	Warmer, richer, a little bolder	Cool, calm, finer

Ametrine: love, wisdom, wealth and career

Ametrine is quartz that holds amethyst purple and citrine yellow in the same crystal. In crystal tradition it carries both stones' meanings: a guardian stone of love, a stone of spirituality and wisdom, and a stone that attracts wealth and supports your career. Its purple is linked with the crown and third eye chakras and its yellow with the solar plexus. In Chinese tradition its purple recalls 紫气东来, an old sign that good fortune is on its way. Long, strong sun can fade both colors, so store it out of direct light.

Kyanite: balance, a relaxed mood and clear thinking

Kyanite grows in long, blade-like crystals, so its beads show streaks of deep and pale blue with a soft silky sheen. In crystal tradition it is a stone of balance and a clear heart, linked with a relaxed mood and clear thinking, and with the throat and third eye chakras for calm, clear expression. Kyanite splits easily along its grain, so avoid knocks and drops.

Both malas are original LME designs, hand-strung one piece at a time. Every bead is checked by eye before stringing, every photo is the real piece photographed in our studio, and both arrive in our LME gift box from Jiangsu, China. See all long pieces in Necklaces.

Care for a mala necklace

• Cleanse with moonlight, sound or selenite; kyanite and ametrine both do well with these gentle methods.
• Keep it away from perfume, lotion, cleaning products and chlorine.
• Take it off before showering, swimming or exercising to protect the cord.
• Store it on its own in its pouch so harder stones cannot scratch it.
• Wipe vintage-style accents with a soft, dry cloth after wearing.

For step-by-step rituals, see How to Cleanse a Crystal Bracelet. If you prefer a strand that wraps on the wrist by design, read How to Wear a Multi-Wrap Crystal Bracelet. For the two stones behind ametrine, see Amethyst Meaning and Which Wrist and Citrine Meaning.

A note from the maker: each LME mala is strung by hand, bead by bead. The color balance differs from bead to bead, which is what natural stone should look like. Questions about the exact piece in the photos? Use our contact page.

Last reviewed by the LME Jewelry team on 2026-10-05.

Crystal meanings are based on tradition and are not a substitute for medical advice.