Very nice vintage Nepalese mala's. Made with 108 bronze beads in the shape of human skulls.
The skull as a symbol can be found in religions and spiritual traditions all over the world, but nowhere is it more prominent or has a more complex and deep symbolism than in the Himalayan regions influenced by Tibetan buddhism.
On the one hand it can be said that the symbol of the skull (of course) refers to death; it is a powerful reminder of the fact that all our lives will simply end one day. The symbol of the skull is thus used in all kinds of meditative practices to contemplate on this inevitabilty and also on the other side of this medal; how important it is to live your life in the best possible and most compassionate of ways.
On a more metaphorical level, contemplating on the image of the skull also is a powerful practice in cutting through the bonds with one's own ego and the identification with the physical body. It takes us to the limits of human knowledge and helps to gain insight in the buddhist concept of 'Emptiness', which doesn't mean 'nothing-ness', but actually quite on the contrary refers to the true nature of the universe and reality; the endless, ultimate emptiness in which all possibilities exist.
Human skulls are also very prominent in the iconography around a lot of the 'wrathful' deities in Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism. Wrathful deities are the fierce, forceful aspects or manifestations of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas. They are often portrait as terrifying, demonic looking beings adorned with human skulls or bone ornaments and ritual weapons. In this setting, the human skulls symbolize all the poisonous delusions and limiting mental beliefs that need to be overcome on the path to enlightenment.
Looking at the above mentioned symbolism, there can be two main usages distinguished for such a mala; on the one hand, it can be used while meditating or contemplating on themes such as death, impermanence and the limits of human knowledge. On the other hand, they are associated with the practices connected to wrathful deities.
Each bead has a diameter of approximately 8 millimeters. The beads are strung on black nylon cord. Total lenght of each mala is approximately 86 centimeters. Weight approximately 158 grams.
Two mala's available. We will handpick one at random for you. These mala's are from vintage origin and might therefore show some signs of their age and previous usage. But overall, they are in good condition.
