Are You An Old School Yogi?
Yoga has been around for some 5000 years, with some researchers thinking that yoga may be up to 10,000 years old. Rudraksha malas have been around just as long and are the oldest known prayer beads. Rudraksha and yoga thereby have always gone "mudra in mudra."
Signs you may be an "old school yogi?"
- Do you practice yoga in whatever clothes you've got on? (Including jeans?)
- Is your yoga mat falling apart? Do you not even own a mat?
- Do you carry tiger balm in your handbag?
- Do you have images of Patabi Jois in your room?
- Do you like Patchouli? Do you even know what Patchouli is?
- Do you know the lineage of your yoga practice?
- Do you think of kitcheri as a delicious treat?
The one thing we did find in common with almost all of these different types and understandings of yoga is the presence of rudraksha malas.The oldest images I could find show yogis with their mala of rudraksha or tulsi, always present, a consistently vital tool of yoga. Rudraksha malas are relatively "new" to the west. Bali Malas is proud to have helped bring rudraksha awareness and education of to the western world almost ten years ago. Only Bali Malas has the source for highest quality small rudraksha beads in the world. Rudrakshas are a symbol of compassion, humanity and a simple reminder of the present. As the story goes, Lord Shiva was meditating in the forest on the state of the world. He began to cry tears of compassion and as his tears hit the ground they formed the rudraksha seed. Rudraksha literally translated means “eyes of Shiva”. The divine quality of this bead were first noted in ancient Hindu scriptures and have proclaimed through the ages to; bless one with peace of mind; protect against evil doers and spirits; bless one with peace and prosperity. Buddha wore rudraksha beads, along with the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and many enlightened yogis. When worn against the skin and especially over the heart chakra, they act upon the heart by opening it and offering it protection. They are immediately cooling to the touch, calming to the mind, and pleasingly soft to the eye. Bali Malas, making the sacred essential...