About Monk Mala

Monk Mala is a small Thailand-based business dedicated to providing authentic Buddhist prayer beads and traditional mala beads to people around the world.

We are based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where we have developed genuine relationships with Buddhist Monks, local artisans, and people who have used and made Buddhist prayer beads for generations.

Our purpose is simple. We want to make it possible for people outside Thailand to obtain traditional Buddhist mala beads that are connected to the living Buddhist tradition, rather than simply buying another piece of jewelry marketed as a “Buddhist mala.”

Every mala we provide has a story behind it, from the people who make and prepare the beads, to the Monks who bless them.

How Monk Mala Began

Authentic Mala Beads | Monk Beads Buddhist Necklace Blessed by Monks sold online

Monk Mala started as an off shoot of Sak Yant Chiang Mai; a provider of genuine Sak Yant Tattoos by Monks (Magically Blessed Traditional Thai Tattoos). Part of our service included providing Real and Authentic 108 Buddhist Necklaces and Prayer Mala Beads that customers were able to get Blessed by Monks during the Sak Yant Experience.

As time went on, we would get many customers emailing and telling wonderful stories of how both the Sak Yant Tattoo and Buddhist Mala Bead Necklaces was having a positive effect on their lives. Often once they returned home, customers would request more Monk Blessed Prayer Beads as gifts for friends and family. Then, as the significance of just how special it was to obtain Buddhist Monk Bead Necklaces for use as Meditation Mala beads or worn as a protection Amulet – those who received the Monk Prayer Beads as gifts … asked to buy their own Monk Necklace for themselves and friends.

The Monk Mala website was created to provide Genuine Buddhist Mala Bead Necklace for Spiritual people and as the range of Buddhists Necklaces increased, Monk Mala soon became known as one of the best place to buy Buddhist Prayer Beads and Meditation Mala Necklaces online.

Monk Mala - Our Connection With Buddhist Monks

Monk Mala is based in Chiang Mai, and our work gives us access to Buddhist Monks who are part of the living Buddhist community in Thailand. The Monks who bless the malas are not hired as part of a commercial production line. They are Buddhist Monks whom we know through our established relationships in Thailand.

When a mala is ordered with a Monk blessing, we arrange for the mala to be taken to the appropriate Monk for blessing. The process is carried out in Thailand before the mala is sent to its new owner. We believe this distinction matters.

There is a significant difference between selling a necklace described online as “Monk blessed” and being able to explain where the blessing took place, who performed it, and how the mala came into the hands of the Monk. Our relationship with the Monks is one of the most important parts of Monk Mala.

Monk Mala - More Than Just Mala Beads

Monk Mala is a retailer of Authentic Buddhist Mala Beads, that involves a cooperative collaboration between the local artisans that make the Monk Beads, the local people who sting them together into Buddhist Necklace and the Monks who Bless them turning them from ordinary Buddhist Mala into a Monk Necklace.

This collaboration is a real grass roots effort that aims to redistribute in a socially ethical way an equal share of the income with the people who make them. You can learn more here about How Buddhist Prayer Beads are Made. Monk Mala makes sure that the Monks also receive a donation when they Bless our Monk Prayer Beads, and this donation is used by the many Buddhist Temples as part of their social out reach programs.

The People Behind Each Mala

A traditional mala does not simply appear in a box ready to be shipped. There are people involved at every stage. We work with local suppliers and artisans who source and prepare the beads and materials. The malas are assembled and prepared before being checked and packaged for our customers.

This is one reason we prefer to work with people we know rather than buying anonymous products from large international marketplaces. We know where our malas come from, we know the people involved in preparing them, and we know the Monks who bless them. Chiang Mai is home to hundreds of Buddhist temples and a living Buddhist community that remains an important part of everyday life in Northern Thailand.

For us, being based in Chiang Mai is not simply a marketing statement.It means we can work directly with people here.This would be very different if we were simply operating an online store from another country and importing products for resale.

Our location is therefore an important part of what Monk Mala is.

What Does "Authentic" Mean to Us?

We use the word “authentic” carefully. We do not claim that there is only one correct type of Buddhist mala, or that a mala must come from one particular country or material to be considered Buddhist. Different Buddhist traditions use different beads, materials, designs and practices. For Monk Mala, authenticity means that we can explain the origin and preparation of the malas we provide, that they are connected to genuine Buddhist practice, and, when requested, that the blessing is performed by a real Buddhist Monk in Thailand.

We believe customers should be able to know what they are buying and where it comes from.

Explore Our Buddhist Mala Beads

Explore our collection of traditional Buddhist prayer beads and mala beads from Thailand and Asia. Many of our malas can also be arranged for blessing by a Buddhist Monk in Thailand before they are sent to you.