Chanting with Mala Beads

I have always been spiritually eclectic, lost in a sea of esoteric and pagan traditions. 

One tradition that always fascinated me, yet I never actually practised, was chanting with mala beads. I would see the Sadhus on TV, with their beads swiftly flowing over their fingers as their minds and souls would soar over the Ganges. 

Only recently did I finally decide to purchase my first set of mala beads. I did my research and decided on a chant that I liked and felt right. 

The first time I did a full round of the beads with my chant, my mind became crystal clear and needle sharp, I couldn’t believe how wonderful it made me feel. 

I haven’t stopped since. 

Chanting has helped me to reach a higher state of consciousness, connection and wisdom. 

I reach a place of peace and serenity that I rarely reach in any other form of meditation. 

In its simplest form, it makes me feel great.

I love the idea of the mala beads, ‘garlands from heaven’ I see the beads as they are in this world, often beautiful, strings of beads, maybe with embellishment or a tassel. 

But in the other world, through my shamanic eye, I see its true form, a garland of sacred flowers plucked from heaven itself.

There are 108 beads, and I suspect that many reasons why there are 108 beads. 

My favourite is that there are approximately 108 meridians that run through the heart chakra, seat of love, compassion, creation and manifestation. 

There is also a guru bead, which we never chant on or cross, it is left as a holy bead, it is sacred, reserved for gratitude and thanks to our teachers, God, higher self.

I love how chanting with these beads fit so well with any other tradition, for example; I sit, every Saturday evening, along with my fellow shaman, with our mesa’s open, dreaming our world into being. 

I still do this, but I end by chanting a full cycle of a world prayer. 

I’ll tell you about that later.

So how do you do it? 

Acquire a set of mala beads, either made or bought. 

Dedicate them in your way. 

Bless them, in your way. 

Drape the beads over your middle or ring finger, (never the index finger, the finger of ego) use your thumb to gently squeeze, roll, or stroke the bead whilst you chant your chant, (silently or out loud) then you push it along, continuing with the next beads. 

Once you have made your way to the ‘guru bead’ at the beginning, you can turn it around and start again.

For some reason only my higher self knows, I decided that I needed a set of mala beads for each of the chants I use. And so, it began….

My first is a rudraksha mala, they are the seeds of a holy tree that only grows in the Himalayan mountain ranges. 

Rudraksha beads are good for protecting you from heavy energies and supporting your energy field. They also help to purify your body and mind. 

It connects me to the Hindu part of myself.

The chant I use for this set is; Om Namah Shivaya. 

It is thousands of years old. 

Om is the sound that came out of the void of potential, before existence came Om. 

Namah, means literally bow. 

Shivaya means God, higher self, divine self, the inner self, future potential. ‘Om, I bow to my sacred self’

{Aum-num-ha-shi-way}

I was in the Hippy Market in Ibiza when I me my second mala, it was love at first sight. 

Connecting to my Buddhist side to my soul, I acquired a Tibetan Yak bone mala. 

I knew the very mantra that this one would connect too.

Loka Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. 

Loka, means all the people, the universe, all is one. 

Samastah, means All beings in the same time and location. 

Sukhino, means free from suffering, centred on happiness. 

Bhuv, means the state of unified existence, unity consciousness. 

Antu, means May it be so. So may it be.

{Loka-Sam-a-star-sook-e-no-buv-antu}

My third mala I acquired in Portugal. Another Buddhist mala, lotus seeds. 

The lotus flower rises up from the deep dark muddy waters towards the light of the sun and the stillness of the pool. 

They represent spiritual development, enlightenment and the open heart. 

Om Mani Padme Hum is my chosen mantra for this mala, fitting as you will see…’Om, behold the jewel in the lotus of the heart!’ 

For me this beautifully phonic chant opens up the heart chakra to love, munay, compassion and a fierce one heart flame. 

I dedicated this mala recently to this exact cause, the dawn of the One Heart Flame. 

There is so much to know within this mantra, I couldn’t possibly go through it all now. 

It purifies; pride, jealousy, lust, prejudice, judgementalness, violence and apathy. 

{om-man-ee-pad-me-hum}

I recently made two more mala bead sets, to go with two more chants that I use, both strangely are linked to the Divine Feminine.

The first is a Goddess mala. 

This was inspired by witches necklaces that I have seen, normally jet and amber, my pagan mala is made of; jet, wood, lava, tigers eye and quartz crystal, with a antler guru bead in the shape of a Mother Goddess. 

Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti is my chant, simple and pure, raising ones energy field to that of peace, bliss and the Divine feminine. 

It is literally the word ‘peace’ repeated three times, for each of the three worlds within us.

{om-shan-ti-shan-ti-shan-ti}

The second mala that I made was a pretty powerful experience. 

Firstly, they are (to be) dedicated to Kali Ma, the dark Goddess within the Hindu cosmology. 

She is a Mother Goddess, yet she is also the destroyer, a terminator of time, ego and all hatred and apathy. 

She is one of my favourite Goddesses to work with, so powerful and so beautifully dark. 

The chant I use has been said to be only used by very few initiates due to its purgative nature, you literally call Kali to come and destroy all that does not serve you, destroying the ego, fast-tracking you to enlightenment. 

Strengthened by the word ‘Shi’ which is an expression of greatest respect, and the word ‘Maha’ meaning Great. 

She is a waka, a primitive and galactic pillar of universal energy. 

The black beads that I acquired had to be literally impaled and broken open so I could thread them, I used black leather thong for its strength, and I used tiny wooden skulls within the mala. 

The guru bead is a red skull with a dark blue tassel, like the skin of Kali Ma. 

She is still waiting to be used and dedicated too…I’m waiting for the right time… 

Om, Sri, Maha, Kalikayai Namaha.

{om-shree-maha-kar-lee-ka-yay-na-ma-har}

Mala beads and the chants are such a blessing, and I implore everyone to try it out and see what you think. Experiment, and find your voice. 

Ask the universe for a garland of flowers direct from heaven, maybe you will find one that suits your practise.

Namaste – I bow to the Divine within you

My Call from the Mountain Spirits

A part of my work as a shaman is to reanimate the world around me. 

But what does this mean? 

My shamanic path is a animistic one, meaning that I believe, to a certain extent, (it depends on my level of consciousness at the time) that the world is organised by supernatural/spiritual/energetic beings. 

Places, plants, animals, even inanimate objects contain an essence that is conscious. 

These spirits can be communicated with and even implored to help you, be it for wisdom or a quality of power.

In my opinion, the most powerful and beautiful of those beings are the Apukuna. 

Apu means Lord or Mountain, they are the Spirit of the Mountains. 

For me they are colossal, both in size and presence, and yet they are as gentle as falling snow, and so quiet, you will doubt they are even there.

The stone people, stones, live in a different time and space to us human people. 

We are barely visible to them, we are born and die in such a flash that we are almost inconceivable to them. 

They are unaware of us until we interact with them. 

Maybe we pick them up, hold them, speak to them, or maybe we bring their heads together awakening their memory of fire, and then they will see us.

I am joined to the lineage of the Altomesayoc, and as such I can appeal and converse with the Apukuna. 

Stepping outside of time and space is a way of communicating with these most ancient and majestic beings. 

I recently acquired a set of seven chumpi stones. 

They are quite large compared to many I have seen and are made from meteorite. 

Each stone has a different amount of points, which relate to different sacred mountains, or Apukuna, and, among other things, are used to gift one of the nine rites of the Munay Ki, the Chumpi rites, or the Sacred Bands of Power. 

I decided to create a seven-day ceremony to attune each stone to a mountain. 

Each day I carried and held one of the stones while summoning the correlating Apukuna.

I took note of anything I noticed about me and my day. 

Then later that night I chanted 108 times the name of that mountain spirit summoning them to be joined to that stone. 

I then anointed it with my favourite oil, Nag Champa.

What did I notice? I hear you ask. 

They had messages to tell and wisdom to share, and I will tell you.

I must admit, I wasn’t sure what would come up. 

What did happen was a huge shift in my energyfield. 

Deep, powerful and long standing wounds that I have dealt with many times, including during my own experience on the medicine wheel, came up, and not only did they show me the true face of my wound, the Apukuna showed me exactly where the wounds came from. 

The answer shocked me to my core and brought up many long-buried memories. 

I still find it hard to believe this didn’t show up during the many healing sessions I have received. 

I now know what I need to heal; the journey continues.

The Yapanapukuna, the Sacred Mountains.

Apu Ausangate, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The Sacred Masculine, the divine source of water speaks; Stop, take the time to smell the flowers I offer to you. 

Take notice of the joy that ripples around you, play with our children, give them all you have at that moment, we all deserve tickles and cuddles. 

Drink plenty of my sacred waters, they are offered to you freely, let it nourish you. 

Opportunities are given, you need only ask, stand at the edge of the forest and ask for what you want, know that you will get what you want and more besides.

Apu Salcantay, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The Sacred Feminine, Wild woman speaks; Run! Like the wild horses, raw and natural.

Be just who you are, embrace all that you are, the good, the bad and downright dirty! 

See those sparks of life in all, and allow that spark of the wild to shine secretly to those who know it, and to those who do not, may you scare them with your wild beauty. 

Create a splash of chaos, if you wish, but it is far better to move silently through this world without creating a ripple, like wild geese on a lake of morn-light.

Apu Illimani, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The First Light speaks; The first light of Inti, our star, shone down upon the earth and cast the first shadows amongst the people of stone. 

Now the sacred light is at its brightest, and the shadows are at their darkest, yet we are living in the darkness. 

Be the light, trust in yourself, trust in your light. 

Notice and observe the nonviolence, notice the places where there is no arguing, no fighting, no swearing or screaming, be this. 

Know it is your choice to stop protesting and complaining, accept or be the change you would rather see. 

It feels good, doesn’t it? Look to the sun, and breathe.

Apu Huanakauri, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

Coiling Serpent speaks; Know what is in your heart will be reflected in the world around you. 

Look in the streets, the media, your own life, see that it is truth. 

What can sometimes feel daunting is a lesson in connection, we are all connected. 

A fine thread connects us to the war and torment of another the other side of the world. 

Our reflections are us, we are our reflections, All is One. Know when to strike, and when to recoil to the safety of your inner landscape. 

Learn to power of No, and the beauty of Yes.

Apu Sacsayhuaman, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The Satisfied Falcon speaks; Be true to yourself, be honest. 

Allow the winds to blow through your mind, clearing space for you. 

Be in integrity, its ok to feel happy, give yourself permission to be satisfied. 

Know your truth, speak your truth, live your truth, it cannot lead you astray. 

Take a deep breath in and just Be.

Apu Huacawilka, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The Sacred Tears speaks; When you allow your tears to run, you allow the river within you to flow. All rivers nourish the soil around them, all rivers deposit their gifts. 

Nourish the soils of your heart, allow the rivers to flow, you will find the roots to your wounds and with it, the fragments of gold you have been waiting for.

Apu Machu Picchu, humpuyai, hampui, bandeira, bandeira.

The Wise Old Man, the Sage speaks; Listen to the young, their wisdom can sometimes surpass that of the old, both are invaluable. 

Listen to the children of our future, to the inner child within. 

You have within you all the answers you will ever need, and the questions that follow. 

Open up your heart and listen to the wisdom of the Divine, it is your Sacred voice that that speaks. 

Be the light in the darkness, be the goodness in the world, step into your authenticity.

These are the words of the Yapanapukuna, all the Sacred Mountains. 

My Home Town

There used to be a few esoteric shops in Reading, witchy and crystal clad. There used to be a few holistic festivals too, but they are almost all gone, apart from a few, Stardust is a good one.

Reading’s spirituality has gone. It’s like Reading has experienced soul loss. Is its chakra has been blocked? Maybe its ley lines have been crossed? Or maybe its aura has been shattered, I don’t know what has happened, but it has.

Fortunately, something has shifted, people are coming of the wood work, psychics, healers, reiki masters, shaman, artist, visionaries. The Winter Giant visited Reading last Christmas. Something magical happened, just for a while, we stepped into the mythic. A tale of welcoming with open arms and an open heart, a story of compassion and giving and love. It was beautiful.

 Winter Giant

Reading prison is now closed. It is, unfortunately, famous for holding Oscar Wilde. He imprisoned for being gay, so I am glad its closed for that very reason. But now, in his honour, it's open to the public as an art house. More interestingly, I have recently discovered that we have a hidden, lost King.

I went for a walk with my son today in Reading’s town hall museum, and found out that there is a lottery funded team, searching for the lost King.

Henry I

Reading Abbey was one of the wealthiest monastic houses in England, and one of northern Europe’s most prestigious religious centres. It was founded by Henry I, who was the son of William the Conqueror, in 1121. It later became his resting place in 1135. After his death in Normandy, his body was brought to Reading Abbey, sewn into a bull’s hide. He was laid to rest in 1136 somewhere in the grounds, and to this day, he still lays there. 

During the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, the Abbey was destroyed, leaving only a few remains. There is no record of where Henry I and his wife, Queen Adeliza are buried, only that it was in Reading Abbey, beneath a great altar.

Reading Abbey and its surrounding areas was once Readings spiritual hub, its connection to Spirit. As I watched my son run around the Forbury Gardens, it dawned on me that it still can be, a new alternative, esoteric, all inclusive, multi-faithed spirituality, we’ve just forgotten about it. 

I truly feel that we can rekindle the spiritual fire of Readings heart.

Readings Chalice, womb of our Mother Earth, Font of Forbury Gardens. Kai and I placed flowers in the water as an offering to her.

We have a stone circle, filled with water and life and all sorts, standing beautifully is a statue of shells, symbol of the Divine Feminine.

We have a mountain, Forbury Hill, we have a huge stone cross sat erect and proud, facing the entrance to the Abbey ruins, a powerful symbol of the Divine Masculine.

We have a grotto, a womb tomb, flanked by the two holy thighs of our Mother.

We even have a fairy tree, mulberry I think. An ancient and twisted and beautiful tree, a temple of nature and the nature spirits. I offered a ribbon to the branches.

The garden is guarded by a great lion, Ottorongol, Hatun Puma, Chocchinchay, the Golden Jaguar. He is a protective entity; The Lion of Reading.

When our lost King is found, I believe that a new emergence of spirituality in Reading will arise. This is my prophecy.

Reading Abbey

We already have Reading Festival, an Abbey, and now a lost King just like our King Arthur, lets create a Glastonburyesc city, a haven of spiritual freedom. Apologies to Reading Borough Council if the Forbury Gardens are over run with hippies and the trees covered in ribbons and fairy offerings, there are there, hiding, one day they will return, I’m sure of it, just like our lost King.