Make your own mala

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Meditation with 108 beads 

mala-necklaces are not only very special pieces of jewellery, but are traditionally used in yoga when reciting mantras.

One mala usually consists of 108 beads and a guru-bead. In Buddhism and Hinduism this number has a special meaning. It is said that a mantra develops its special effect only after 108 repetitions.

What this workshop offers

This five-hour workshop offers you the opportunity to choose from over 70 different semi-precious stones, natural stones and wooden beads and to create your own personal mala healing stone. Your individual yoga painting necklace will then be knotted by yourself under guidance and, if you wish, provided with a self-made tassel made of silk or alternative materials. Alternative maladesigns without tassels are also available.

Afterwards there will be a small common meditation in the adjoining yoga room, during which one's own mala for personal Japa-mediation will be initiated.

Classic mala for Japa meditation made of African heliotrope and 925 sterling silver, knotted on natural silk with real silk tassel.

Tassel or no tassel - is that a question?

Yoga mala necklaces chains do not always have to be traditionally tasselled. If you decide to do yogamala , you don't want to hang a tassel around your neck, but rather do something for yourself. It is up to each individual to decide whether to meditate regularly with it, or just to make a silent contract with oneself that includes an intention for a conscious lifestyle. What is decisive is the intention, not the tradition. So everyone is allowed to deal with his mala own in a more contemporary way and adapt it to his own taste. At least that's my opinion - and I'm pretty sure that my 75-year-old yoga teacher Peter Clifford, who has studied for many years even with influential teachers in India, sees it the same way.

Sustainable as good as possible

None of us are perfect and we certainly give our best. Getting along without plastic is not so easy and not always useful when it comes to reusable useful things like the light, transparent cans in which I keep thembeads . However, where I don't think it makes sense, I try to avoid it as much as possible.

For example with the mala-pearl boards. Especially for Malas and langenecklaces , I have developed a board that is durable, stable and sustainable, made of renewable woods. The version shown is made of fast growing bamboo grass. In the more recent collections I am currently working with local oak and wonderfully fragrant Arolla Pine.

Instead of the wobbly plasticbeading boards , these sturdy mala- madebeading boards of wood - offer a beautiful combination with a natural material and already make the laying out of the beads to a sensual experience.

I developed my mala beading boards wooden ones in 2018 especially for the needs of malamachers. They have different sized compartments for accessories and two alternative possibilities to bracelets present and design. The malaboard of "Der Blaue Vogel" is so to speak the all-in-one beading board for your jewelry design and of course for you to have >>> Shop

The best parties take place in the kitchen

In the comfortable workshop kitchen in the middle of the green there is enough space for 10 participants and the huge selection of real gemstone beads, natural stone beads and accessories made of real silver, gold vermeil, wood, glass, stainless steel and many other materials. For a long time there has not been cooking here (except for workshops), but more and more people create and work here. Current workshop and course dates can be found here >>> courses

Beads from 1001 Nights

About 100 different uncolored natural stone and gemstone beads are available. beads With 8mm diameter, a long, classic mala version and beads with 6mm diameter, a shorter version.mala

A diverse selection of intermediate beads offers infinite design possibilities for the very personal mala. These markings for steps 27, 54 and 81 help in Japa meditation to keep track of the repetitions already done. Traditionally everything was repeated 108 times, but nowadays it is sometimes difficult to take the time to repeat 27 times. An increase is definitely a gain

Traditionally, pearl necklaces are knotted on real silk. the material is natural and robust - although not as robust as artificial silk or nylon - and also an animal product, which not everyone wants to use. Since I respect this and eat vegan myself, I offer nylon cord and macramé ribbon for knotting malas in addition to high-quality artificial silk. For the tassels there is also cotton available besides silk.

Anahata Yoga and the Five Elements Form

Only 3 minutes away from Ikea Klagenfurt, in the district of Magdalensberg, in an old elementary school you will find my beautiful yoga room. If you are interested in the 5-Elements Yoga Form according to Peter Clifford, please contact me! In a blog post I wrote a little more about this healing Anahata Yoga form.

About the instructor | Claudia Schleyer

Claudia Schleyer is an architect, yoga teacher and vegan cook - and lives as half Carinthian in Berlin and Klagenfurt. In "normal" life she advises science centers and museums on interactive exhibits and exhibitions and is involved in the maker scene as well as interactive art.

As half Carinthian I love to go hiking in the mountains. When the weather is like a dream like here on the Ulrichsberg or Dobratsch, I like to do a little yoga. I like best to practice the 5-Elements Form of Peter Clifford, which I also teach. The advantage of this form is that it consists of standing or dancing figures, which can be performed in any clothing, at any place and without a yoga mat. What is more beautiful than being in nature and playing with the elements? If you want to know more about this, please contact me. I also teach the form individually in my yoga studio on the outskirts of Klagenfurt and in nature.

Registration and course fee

The course fee is 60 € plus material costs

This basic fee includes knotting yarn, nickel and lead-free alloy beads and a pretty cotton jewelry bag with a "Flower of Life" pendant, drinks and vegan snacks.

In addition, there are costs for the individually consumed material. These mala-beads are at 50 cent per piece for almost all beads. Higher beads quality and genuine silver or gold vermeil spacers and smaller charms and pendants are between 1€ and 15€ per piece. High quality pendants are individually priced.

What you will be offered in this course

In this five-hour workshop you will design and create your own individual Yoga mala under the guidance of Claudia Schleyer (aka Der Blaue Vogel).

For the design of yours mala you have a wide range of high quality materials at your disposal:

• Wooden Malaboard from "Der Blaue Vogel"
• Knotting yarns made from real high-quality silk
• Vegan knotting yarns from high quality artificial silk
• Vegan knotting yarns from nylon
• Vegan knotting yarns from braided macramé cord
• Tassel yarns made from high quality natural silk, artificial silk or cotton
• gemstone beads with 6 and 8 mm diameter
• semi-precious stone beads with 6 and 8 mm diameter
• wooden and seed beads with 6 and 8 mm diameter
• Marker-beads from 925 sterling silver and gold vermeil
• Marker-beads made of zinc- and lead-free Thai silver (alloy)
• Charm and Pendant from 925 Sterling Silver, Gold Vermeil and Stainless Steel
• Guru beads from natural stones, wood, 925 sterling silver, gold vermeil and stainless steel
• High quality silver set pendants from rare natural stones as an alternative Guru bead for modern Malas
• Unique bronze pendants cast from natural forms by Irene Hiebel
• Unique "Umgarnte Steine" as pendant of Melina Kumer
• Necessary accessories and consumables such as tweezers, scissors, glue, etc.

Please contact us by mail or telephone/whatsapp.

Phone (or whatsapp) +49.173.6033299

The number of participants for this course is limited to 6.

In order to offer you a personal and relaxed experience, we keep the group size for this workshop small, making it something special for you.

For exclusive events (yoga workshop with painting course, birthday or Christmas celebrations, girlfriend event, pearl party or similar) please contact me for a short address to create an individual offer.

The venue

There is enough space for 6 participants in the comfortable workshop kitchen and the adjacent studio room in the middle of the greenery. This is also where our jewellery workshops and yoga workshops take place. Information about further workshops and courses can be found on the >>> course page

They courses take place in the old elementary school of St. Thomas. This is located about 3 minutes behind Ikea Klagenfurt in the direction of Brückl in St. Thomas am Zeiselberg in the blue house directly next to the church at the top of the hill left of the Görtschitztaler Landstraße (if you come from Ikea - otherwise of course right.) By car it takes about 13 minutes from the city centre of Klagenfurt. If necessary, a pick up from the bus stop at Ikea can be arranged. A post bus also leaves the city centre at greater intervals and stops down by the main road - about 5 minutes' walk from the school.

Address

St. Thomaser Straße 30 (St. Thomas am Zeiselberg)
9064 Magdalensberg
Carinthia/Austria

Important Thanks to a change of address by the municipality, navigation systems tend to find the address under the old name: St. Thomas 10 (Am Zeiselberg / Magdalensberg / 9064 Pischeldorf)

Whoever gets lost will gladly be navigated personally by telephone at: +49.173.6033299

I am looking forward to all your new mala creations!

If you have any questions, please call us at: +49.173.6033299 or write a message.

Best regards, Claudia Schleyer & Der Blaue Vogel

All DIY courses || Malas | beading boards | Blog