For those of you that follow and are friends with me on social media, you already know that I've had an Etsy shop open for a couple of weeks now! I'm so excited to announce this to the rest of you. I make non-traditional mala beads, which you can find here. These are inspired by the true mala beads, that are usually made with different seeds and gemstones (different colors), and each color and material is assigned some sort of meaning, whether it's to keep you grounded, to keep you calm, or to get rid of negative thoughts and emotions. They are also inspired by prayer beads, which are almost the same thing, but the name has a wide range for all religions. Mine, however, are still a bit different from the normal Mala/Prayer beads, which is why I call them "Foxy Malas"
Okay, so I call them "Foxy Malas" partially because the name would match the name of my blog perfectly. It also happened to fit nicely with my theme. Almost all of my designs are one of a kind. I rarely make replicas of them, because how boring would that be?? They are certainly Foxy and I like to think they carry a lot of sass! But, let me tell you a little about why I decided to make them this way.
I started my daily yoga practice toward the end of last summer, and I didn't even know there was such a thing as a "Mala Bead" or anything of the sort. I was curious as to what they were, so I did a lot of research. Turns out, there's so many varieties and meanings, that you would have to read more than a few books to fully understand what they all mean. As a Christian, I wasn't totally comfortable buying some for myself, because I was still a little unsteady about what they meant. I didn't want to wear something that represented something I didn't believe in. I still thought they were SO cute and I could see myself wearing them with sun dresses, sweaters, and anything really. They are so versatile and so stylish. I read a lot of blogs that stated that they weren't a fashion statement, which also made me uncomfortable, because if I did buy some, I would wear them strictly for fashion.
After some thought, I decided that since there's so many different kinds of Malas and Prayer beads, I thought I would make my own, to match my own beliefs. Let's talk about how I use my own designs in my yoga and meditation practice as an example. It's true that you can have a perfectly good yoga and meditation practice of your own without using beads, but for me, it makes it fun. As I said before, I am a strong Christian, and I believe that God made everyone unique- we are all made to stand out in our own way. This is why most of my beads are one of a kind. These beads are usually bright, and full of color, and instead of having each color mean something, they all go together in harmony. When I wear them, I like to envision God surrounding me with happy colors, bringing me to a better mental state than I have been. He walks with me, bringing me light and joy, and that's what I like to meditate on. As I connect with my inner being, I'm also connecting to my heart, where Jesus Christ lives in me. God made me different, He wants me to notice my inner being as unique, and He wants me to see that as perfect. So for me, that's what they represent. That, and they make a pretty awesome fashion statement for those of us that want to wear them out and about.
Why can't malas be for everyone? That's right, they can. For you Christian yogis out there or anyone else that has always loved the design of mala and prayer beads, these are for you. They're bright, stylish, handmade, and you don't have to question what they mean. If you want them to be added strictly to your awesome wardrobe to make it more awesome, go ahead. If you want to use them to remind you of something, go ahead. I don't want to set any limit to these malas. What they mean to you is your business. So go on and click this link to shop Foxy Malas!!! All prices range from $18+ based on materials, quantity/value of materials, and the time is takes to make the entire necklace! A lot of the beads are handmade too :)
Make sure to follow the shop Instagram account here!!
Here are more photos below:
I started my daily yoga practice toward the end of last summer, and I didn't even know there was such a thing as a "Mala Bead" or anything of the sort. I was curious as to what they were, so I did a lot of research. Turns out, there's so many varieties and meanings, that you would have to read more than a few books to fully understand what they all mean. As a Christian, I wasn't totally comfortable buying some for myself, because I was still a little unsteady about what they meant. I didn't want to wear something that represented something I didn't believe in. I still thought they were SO cute and I could see myself wearing them with sun dresses, sweaters, and anything really. They are so versatile and so stylish. I read a lot of blogs that stated that they weren't a fashion statement, which also made me uncomfortable, because if I did buy some, I would wear them strictly for fashion.
After some thought, I decided that since there's so many different kinds of Malas and Prayer beads, I thought I would make my own, to match my own beliefs. Let's talk about how I use my own designs in my yoga and meditation practice as an example. It's true that you can have a perfectly good yoga and meditation practice of your own without using beads, but for me, it makes it fun. As I said before, I am a strong Christian, and I believe that God made everyone unique- we are all made to stand out in our own way. This is why most of my beads are one of a kind. These beads are usually bright, and full of color, and instead of having each color mean something, they all go together in harmony. When I wear them, I like to envision God surrounding me with happy colors, bringing me to a better mental state than I have been. He walks with me, bringing me light and joy, and that's what I like to meditate on. As I connect with my inner being, I'm also connecting to my heart, where Jesus Christ lives in me. God made me different, He wants me to notice my inner being as unique, and He wants me to see that as perfect. So for me, that's what they represent. That, and they make a pretty awesome fashion statement for those of us that want to wear them out and about.
Why can't malas be for everyone? That's right, they can. For you Christian yogis out there or anyone else that has always loved the design of mala and prayer beads, these are for you. They're bright, stylish, handmade, and you don't have to question what they mean. If you want them to be added strictly to your awesome wardrobe to make it more awesome, go ahead. If you want to use them to remind you of something, go ahead. I don't want to set any limit to these malas. What they mean to you is your business. So go on and click this link to shop Foxy Malas!!! All prices range from $18+ based on materials, quantity/value of materials, and the time is takes to make the entire necklace! A lot of the beads are handmade too :)
Make sure to follow the shop Instagram account here!!
Here are more photos below: