RO: In sfarsit apucam sa povestim despre proiectul Alexandrei, Mind Beads! Si ca sa fim foarte sinceri, inainte sa o cunoastem pe Alexandra nu stiam prea multe nici despre male, nici despre yoga. Dar uite ce fac cateva povesti la cafea si cum niste afoni in ale meditatiei ajung sa indrageasca ideea si sa fie atrasi de toata lumea asta a yoginilor. Si unde sa-ti incepi “trainingul” daca nu in toata nebunia din Sri Lanka cu medicina ayurvedica, yoga si meditatie? Pai nu e plina Sri Lanka de retreat-uri de yoga, care mai de care mai grozave? Si nu zic si Tripadvisor-ul, si The Guardian-ul si blogurile de yogini ca retreatul de la Ulpotha e cireasa de pe tort cand vine vorba de meditatie si programe de yoga? L-am pus si noi pe lista pentru data viitoare, cand vom stii ca-i mai intelept sa nu te duci in sudul prea aglomerat si prea turistic si comercial din Sri Lanka, cand ai atatea minuni de locuri de vazut in centru sau un pic mai inspre nord (si am forta nota si c-un pic de est:D). S-or fi calmat si ei tamilii dupa atatia ani de “galceve” cu singalezii 🙂 Dar hei, nu despre yoga retreat-uri voiam sa vorbim, nici despre razboiul civil din Sri Lanka, nici despre tigrii tamililor, ci despre…. male. Dar iar ne ia gura pe dinainte si deviem de la subiect 😀

EN: We finally managed to talk about Alexandra’s project, Mind Beads! And to be completely honest, before knowing her we did not know much about mala beads, nor about yoga. But a couple of meetings and stories made two meditation newbies to love this idea and to be attracted by this world of yogis. And where can you start your “training” if not in all that madness from Sri Lanka, with Ayurveda medicine, yoga and meditation? We all know that Sri Lanka is full of yoga retreats, each one better than the other. Tripadvisor and The Guardian and yogi bloggers say that the Ulpotha  is the frosting on the cake when it comes to meditation and yoga programs! We also put it on the list for next time, when we will know that it is wiser not to go in the way too crowded and touristy and commercial southern part of the country, when there are so many other wonderful places to see in the center and a bit of north (we would even go further and try the eastern part as well :D). For sure the Tamils have finally grew tired with fighting with the Sinhalese 😀 But hey, we did not want to talk about the yoga retreats or the civil war in Sri Lanka, not even about the Tamil Tigers, but about… the malas. But we keep talking on and on and we got off the tracks 😀 



RO: Bun, despre male. Ce e mala si care i-o fi rostul? Pai pai. Tot Alexandra ne-a “luminat” si ne-a explicat cum sta treaba. Mala este un sirag de pietre folosite pentru rugaciune si meditatie, facute fie din pietre semipretioase, fie din lemn. Si sunt nu mai mult, nici mai putin de 108 astfel de pietre. Iar numarul nu-i ales la intamplare, ba dimpotriva, exista enspe mii de explicatii care demonstreaza cat de important e numarul acesta si ce incarcatura simbolistica, emotionala si stiintifica are. Pana la urma… urla tot internetul ca diametrul Soarelui este de 108 ori diametrul Pamantului sau ca distanta dintre Pamant si Luna este de 108 ori diametrul Lunii. Sau ca distanta dintre Pamant si Soare este de 108 diametrul Soarelui. Si daca nu ne-am ametit deja cu matematica cercului si distante si arii si perimetre, simbolistica numarului 108 nu se opreste aici. Cifra 1 reprezinta adevarul suprem, iar 8-ul eternitatea, prin urmare intregul Univers. Anul bisect are 366 zile, iar daca inmultesti 3 cu 6 si iar 6, obtii, DIN NOU, 108. Cica ar exista 108 tipuri de meditatii. Sau ca japonezii bat clopotele de 108 ori in templele budiste pentru a marca sfarsitul unui an si inceputul altuia (de 107 ori pana la miezul noptii si o data dupa miezul noptii). 108 dorinte pamantesti, 108 minciuni, 108 iluzii umane. Si Doamneeee, catamai lista de simboluri in toate culturile si religiile si natiunile posibile! Cert e ca numarul 108 este considerat sacru, si tocmai de aceea exista fix 108 de pietre intr-o mala 🙂

EN: Ok, about malas. What is a mala and what’s its purpose? Well well. Alexandra “enlightened” us and explained us everything about it. A mala is a string of stones used for prayers and meditation, made of either gemstone or wood. And there are neither more nor less than 108 stones. And this number is not chosen randomly, actually on the contrary, there are tons of explanations that prove how important this number is and what a deep emotional, symbolic and scientific meaning it has. In the end… the Internet tells us that the diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth or that the distance between Earth and Moon is 108 times the diameter of the Moon. Or that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Sun. And if we’re not already dizzy with all this circle mathematics and distances and areas and perimeters, the symbolism of the number 108 doesn’t stop here. 1 represents the supreme truth, the 8 the eternity so basically the entire Universe. The leap year has 366 days and if you multiply 3 by 6 and yet again by 6 you’ll get, AGAIN, 108. It is said that there are 108 types of meditation. Or that the Japanese people ring the bells of the Buddhist temples 108 times to mark the end of an year and the beginning of another one (107 times before midnight and one time after it). 108 desires, 108 lies, 108 illusions. And God, how many other symbols in all the cultures and religions and nations! One thing is for sure, 108 is a sacred number and that’s exactly why a mala has 108 beads. 





RO: Si-acum sa revenim la scopul si durata vizitei 🙂 Si anume Mind Beads, proiectul frumos al Alexandrei, prin care isi doreste sa raspandeasca mesaje pozitive si sa indrume oamenii catre meditatie si yoga. Pana la urma, pietrele din care sunt facute malele au nu doar proprietati vindecatoare, dar te ajuta sa te concentrezi in meditatie si cum necum, aduc o aura de bine persoanei care le poarta 🙂 Si ce sa vezi, pot fi un accesoriu boho-chic de toata frumusetea in vacante peste mari si tari! Atata doar ca se spune ca e recomandat ca nimeni sa nu atinga mala pe care o porti, ca sa nu iti strice cumva zenitatea 🙂 Desi intre noi fie vorba, exista abordarea traditionala care impune tot soiul de reguli de purtat si nepurtat malele, insa pana la urma totul depinde de interpretarea fiecaruia. Asa ca daca va plac malele Mind Beads si va tenteaza sa le purtati, fie la yoga, fie ca bijuterie, gasiti toate produsele pe siteul oficial, si-aveti de unde alege!

EN: And now let’s return to the main purpose of this article 🙂 And that’s Mind Beads, Alexandra’s beautiful project, through which she wants to spread positive messages and inspire people to meditate and practice yoga. In the end, the mala stones have not only healing powers but they can help us meditate and somehow they bring a positive aura to the person who wears them 🙂 And what do you know, they can be a boho-chic accessory perfect for wearing in vacations! Just that it is recommended that no one touches the mala that you’re wearing, so that it will not ruin your positivism. Although between you and me, the traditional approach enforces several rules of wearing the malas, but in the end it all depends of the individual interpretation. So if you like the Mind Beads malas and you’re tempted to wear them, either for yoga or as a jewelry, you can find all the products on the official website, and there are plenty to choose from!