DHARMAmalas - Vedic Astrology Gemstone Malas
Purpose - Intention - Beauty
Once upon a time …
Dharma Malas are made with the gemstones found in YOUR birth-chart!
- They provide a harmonious hands-on way to work with the things that have been put in place, without your choice, at the time of your birth.
Once upon a time …
Your path has been laid out at the time of your birth!
The crystalline structure of gemstones recreates the vibration of the planets. This makes them a powerful tool in your selfcare toolbox!
What you may experience with your Dharma Mala:
What happens “behind the scenes”:
Gemstones have a direct link to the planetary system which is why gems are often used in Jyotisha, the ancient Vedic astrology system, to remedy certain afflictions caused by a planet, or planets, affecting your life in a less then desirable way.
What do you get with your Dharma Mala?
Each Dharma Mala is created for you based on your date, time and place of birth. The gems chosen directly correspond to your astrological birth chart as well as your current life-cycle.
With your Dharma Mala you receive your personal mantra which is found by the position of the Moon in your chart of the time of your birth.
Depending on your package choice you may also receive a planetary mantra to help you remedy ill effects a planet may have on your life during your current time period.
For Dharma Malas only those gems are used that directly correspond to the 7 planets and 2 lunar nodes: Sun, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu.
Both the Dharma Mala and the Dharma Mala Package come with your uniquely made gemstone mala, your personal mantra (primordial sound), and your personal Dharma Mala Booklet with information about your personal mantra and the gemstones used in your mala.
Will my Dharma Mala look like the ones in the product gallery?
Your personal mala will likely not look like the malas in our shop. Your Dharma Mala is created uniquely for you and no two Dharma Malas will look the same. However, you can let us know of personal preferences in your consultation.
Please also see our Terms And Conditions page and contact us with any pre-purchase questions.
Dharma Mala Packages
DHARMAmala & Packages
What’s right for you?
The Dharma Mala
This is perfect for you if
You are already working with a Vedic Astrologer and want to deepen your experience with this tool, meditation bling.
You are not really interested or don’t have the time to find out about your Dharma Type and Vedic Astrology
You are longing to know your birth mantra, primordial sound, and love the idea of having a custom made gemstone mala especially for you
You want to get your hands on your Dharma Mala and mantra without going broke
You want to give a Dharma Mala as a beautiful gift to a loved one
Worried about missing out if your don’t upgrade now? Don’t be! You always have the option to book an individual session at a later time.
The Dharma Mala Package
This is your way to go if
You are new to Vedic Astrology and want to learn about your natal chart
You want to find out about your Dharma Type and how to navigate your life
You have specific concerns, i.e. Health, and want to personalize your Dharma Mala even more with Ayurveda
You are an experienced meditator and want a specific mantra to work with during a life cycle or to work with a specific planet
You want to work through different planetary cycles and take advantage of a Vedic Astrology & Dharma Type session and one follow up call
See how much others Love their Dharma Mala
I recently had the MOST INCREDIBLE consultation with the creator of Dharma Malas, the lovely and wise Claudia Richey!! My gorgeous, customized Mala (according to my exact birthdate!!) arrived in the mail and then I got to have a one-on-one SKYPE call with Claudia so she could explain my specific Vedic Astrology Natal Chart!! Very fascinating. Highly recommend!!!
@dharma_malas you have outdone yourself! I might never take my mala off! Thank you thank you thank you! I already feel the energy- what you offer is a huge gift & service to the world. Love that you design your malas based on one’s Vedic Astrological birth chart! Off to chant 💙🙏🏾 Beyond grateful for you & your gifts!!!
Malas that I have owned previously were either accessories or used strictly for meditation. My Dharma Mala has become not only a significant part of my meditation practice but even more so, a part of me.
I am so grateful. I had tears when I opened my package, it touched my heart. I love love love everything about your offering, the booklet is so amazing, thoughtful!! My mala is part of my altar when I’m not wearing it. xoxo
I love the Mala that was made for me. For me it not only serves as a beautiful jewelry piece, but it also carries with it a deep meaning. All of the stones in my mala were chosen specifically for me, for what I need in my life. I love that when I wear it, I have this inner knowing, and meaning that goes much deeper than a functional necklace. As soon as I put my mala on I feel it’s deeper connection, and grounding.
I just received my Dharma mala from Claudia and it’s beautiful! It was the one thing my spiritual practice was missing all along. Not only is it a gorgeous piece of jewelry, but its comforting to know that it has a special connection to me and my birth chart. The beads were carefully chosen and I can feel the beads warm up when I wear them. It’s an incredibly intentional piece and I wear it almost every day.
I was sceptical when I first received my mala since I would normally choose different gemstones in my jewellery for their colour and look. When I finally started wearing my dharma mala I noticed how good it felt and that the gemstones got very warm. I wear it every day now. It’s like security blanket, I miss it when I take it off at night.
I love mala beads, they are so sacred and special to me.
This mala that Claudia made for me, lifts me up, as I feel a strong connection to the mantra and even though, it may sound silly, I feel I have a little safety net when I wear my mala.
Gemstones are so precious in numerous ways, I’ve always appreciated their stunning beauty. I adore Rudraksha beads, they are ancient and magical, so having to the two together is like a secret super power (just for me). And sometimes in life you really need that! From meditation to food shopping to teaching yoga, I can wear my mala necklace in whatever I’m doing, it’s that kinda coolness. And only I know the empowerment my mala holds : )
I really loved my session with Claudia. She looked at my Astrocartography and I learned that a place I really love is also a great place for me to be. This gave me hope and something to “dream forward to”. She also taught me about my Dharma Type and how I can take advantage of it and overcome obstacles that have been present in my life.
What I love the most is having this mala that has the exact right stones for me to balance me out and help me through my stuff. Very grateful!
I am simply amazed by the depth and knowledge of Claudia Richey of Dharma Malas. I was first drawn to connecting because of the simple beauty of the malas she makes, the fact that each Dharma Mala is so personal and is reflective of ones personal Vedic Chart left me intrigued. Claudia took me on a journey through my Vedic Chart that was both eye opening and validating. I wear my Mala everywhere, it brings me great joy and comfort as I remember the things she shared with me. You will not be disappointed in this journey!
How to use your Dharma Mala
How to use your Dharma Mala
1. Wear your Dharma Mala
Dharma Malas are made with all natural materials, Rudraksha seeds, gemstones and natural silk string. Your mala is meant to be worn, to be lived in!
To get the most benefit from your Dharma Mala wear it as much as possible. Around your neck, wrapped around your wrist. The gemstones should have skin contact but in a pinch you can put it in your Jeans pocket.
2. Meditate with your Dharma Mala
With your Dharma Mala you also receive your personal mantra, your primordial sound. This sound is found in your natal chart and unique to you.
Sitting in meditation with your Dharma mala and quietly or silently repeating your personal birth mantra for 108 repetition is a beautiful practice to help you find back to centre, focus your mind, calm your emotions and create a feeling of safety and content!
Not sure yet? Here are some fun things to know!
I often get asks by clients, even friends and family what they can do to remedy situations they feel they have no control over.
The simple answer is you can’t change the situation, you can only change how you react to it.
Of course you know that this is much easier said then done. Heck, if it was this easy we wouldn’t be phased by anything happening in our lives, hardship, illness, loss.
But there is also great truth to this answer because if you can change your outlook, the way you react and feel, a difficult even devastating situation may not cause you as much discomfort, it may even help you grow in many ways.
Three steps:
Know who you are to know how you deal (dharma type plus natal chart)
Know where you are to navigate your path (dashas)
Know the tools available to you (mala and mantra)
Step one: we all have challenges, make the most of it
The first step to healing and living a full life is to realize what cards you are dealt with, why you react and think a certain way, and how leaving your dharma can greatly improve your quality of life. Knowing your dharma type for example can show you not only what your hidden core values are, but also how to best
Step two: your life cycles
The life cycles, or dashas, are planetary cycles over a span of 108 years. Each planet is most active and influential in your life for a very specific period of time. During this time the events in your life, the way you feel, think, your health, successes and failures reflect this planets specific reach of influence. Basically, the time the planet is active tints your life. It’s like looking through colored glasses of applying a filter to your Instagram images.
Every persons life cycle are individual. This means you may be born into a Saturn period and start the planetary cycle there whereas your best friend may have been born into a Venus period.
The key is knowing which period you are in so you can make adjustments as needed and become more aware of specific challenges you are likely to encounter.
Step three: using the tools available to make everything better
This is where dharma malas and meditation comes into play.
Gemstones are shiny and pretty and beautiful in jewelry. But precious and semi precious gems have also been used for thousands of years for the way they create harmony in body and mind and their alleged healing benefits. We know of certain gemstones being used for anything from calming the mind to headaches, depression and other ailments. The gems job is to restore wellness in our body and mind through its healing vibration.
Gems are born from light and created under tremendous pressure in the ground and have a direct effect of body, inner and outer, because of their great potential to absorb, reflect and radiate all different frequencies of light which act in form of ions on our lymphatic fluids, blood and plasma as well as our mental and emotional body.
Gemstones have a direct link to the planetary system which is why gems are often used in Jyotisha, the ancient Vedic astrology system, to remedy certain affliction caused by a planet, or planets, affecting your life in a less then desirable way.
Each of the seven planets; Sun, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Moon and Saturn, and the two lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu, have gems that carry the planets energy and can enhance or dampen the effect the planet has on our life.
The Planets And Their Gems
| Planet | Other Gemstones |
|---|---|
| Sun | Garnet, Red Spinel, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz |
| Moon | Pearl, Moonstone, Rutilated Quartz |
| Mars | Carnelian, Red Jasper |
| Mercury | Peridot, Green Agate, Jade, Aventurine |
| Jupiter | Citrine, Calcite, Yellow Aventurine |
| Venus | Clear Quartz |
| Saturn | Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite |
| Rahu | Hessonite Garnet |
| Ketu | Cat’s Eye, Tiger’s Eye |
Gemstones also carry properties that make them powertools when used together with other Ayurvedic lifestyle adjustments or in ways of balancing our chakra systems.
A powerful stone for example to pacify Pitta Dosha, cool and detoxify blood and boost proper function of the liver is Bloodstone, or Heliotrope. This is a preferred gem you would find in a mala made to harmonize the pitta constitution.
Another example is Jasper, an opaque stone that comes in many different colors. Jasper can be used to ground a vata person and connect them to earth energy. Red jasper is a fabulous gem to ground and energize vata and is also connected to Muladhara, our root chakra.
You can see that every gem has a purpose and, chosen well, will act as a gentle tool to bring you back to wellness and help re-align body and mind.
Gems – Beauty and Purpose
In Dharma Malas we use gems that correspond directly to the planet or have a certain effect on body and mind. We don’t just randomly choose pretty jewels, but use stones for a purpose, be that to harmonize your Vedic birth chart, chakras, or help you balance your Ayurvedic doshas.
I believe in the healing power of gemstones and feel that the optimal way to use them is to find a way to make them part of your life with wearable and functional gemstone malas that will be a great fashion statement and meditation tool.
The beads used in Dharma Malas alongside the gemstones that correspond to your Dharma Type or your birth chart (calculated as per Vedic Astrolgy) are called Rudraksha beads.
These beads are actually seeds that grow on the Rudraksha tree. The berries are originally deep blue in colour and turn to a black colour when drying. During the drying process the black colour fades to darker and lighter shades of brown.
What is unique about this Rudraksha seed is its surface texture. The seeds surface splits into “faces” when the seed drys. These “faces” are called Mukhi. Typically there one to eight mukhis that are clearly marked by a split line. The most often occurring number of mukhis on a Rudraksha is five, which makes the higher and lower numbered Rudrakshas quite valuable.
The Legend
Legend, based in Hinduism, has it that Lord Siva woke from a 1000 year deep yogic sleep and, upon looking at our earth, shed a tear of compassion. This tear fell onto the ground and a tree grew from it - the Rudraksha tree.
Each of the fallen seeds from the Rudraksha tree represents this tear shed by Lord Siva, which makes the Rudraksha seeds, or beads, sacred.
Japa Mala
Rudraksha are usually used in mala meditation, or japa mala - repeating a certain mantra while letting the beads move through thumb and middle finger of the left hand.
A full mala has 108 beads plus one guru bead. 108 correspond to the sacred number 9 in Vedic sciences. The guru bead is there to end the count after 108. It is said that one may become dizzy without the guru bead breaking the cycle of the mala.
A mala is very similar to a rosary in the way it is used spiritually.
Benefit of Rudraksha
Extensive research has been done on these seeds and it is believed that Rudraksha beads form a protective energetic cocoon around the wearer which gets stronger with wearing it and handling the mala during meditation or japa mala so that the person forms a protective bond with the mala.
Rudraksha is also said to protect the wearer from the ill effects of travel and often changing the place of sleep or positioning of the head during sleep. The bead stores energy and sends out subtle electrical impulses that create vibrations and can have a calming effect on the wearers nervous system. It may help lower blood pressure, increase the wearers concentration and reduce stress overall.
According to some research the aura of a person changes after only a few days of wearing a Rudraksha mala and the chakras get unblocked.
The Rudraksha is the most auspicious and powerful bead on the planet, given to the benefit of mankind by Lord Siva.
Why are there Rudraksha beads in Dharma Malas?
Gemstones are used in your Dharma Mala for specific benefits or remedial reasons, especially when a mala is custom crafted based on your Vedic astrology chart.
These gemstones have a powerful effect on the persons energy field. Sometimes two gemstones might be used in one mala which should not sit too close together for astrological reasons, and yet are important enough to not just omit one gem from the mala crafted for the wearer.
I choose to use Rudraksha beads for two reasons.
- The benefit of the Rudraksha itself.
- The ability to create a space or buffer between gemstones to allow the gem to shine without impeding on its neighbor gem.
The wearer may form a certain organic bond with the Dharma Mala. Due to the careful selection of gemstones, the infusion of a certain vibration during the creation of the Dharma Mala, the use of Rudraksha beads or other appropriate woods or seeds these personal malas become powerful tools not only for everyday wear but certainly as part of meditation and spiritual practice.
Taming Your Monkey Mind - The Misery of Meditation
If you are like thousands of other novice or even practiced meditators you may find yourself getting frustrated trying to clear your mind. After all, the monkey mind is not an easy one to tame. Thoughts don’t like to be pushed away and silenced.
But did you know that our brains are only capable of thinking one thought at a time?
When you sit to meditate, to clear the mind and think of nothing, well, your mind will rebell against it and do the exact opposite.
This is where mantra meditation comes in, or japa mala. You may have also heard it referred to as transcendental meditation or primordial sound meditation.
In this kind of meditation you simply sit and silently of audibly repeat a specific sound for a number of repetitions. The sound we use at dharma malas is the exact sound vibration created at the time of your birth.
This birth mantra is different for each person which makes It completely unique to you.
Now imagine using your own sacred sound together with a mala made of gemstones just as uniquely chosen according to your birth data?