Category: Mala Beads

What is a Guru Bead?

The Guru Bead, also known as the Meru, Sumeru or Mother Bead, is the most significant part of a Mala — a string of 108 prayer beads used in Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and yogic traditions for meditation and mantra recitation.

A guru bead is the distinctive bead on a 108 bead mala, the 109th bead, often larger with 3 holes and a conical collar bead. It marks the start and end point of a meditation cycle and symbolises the guru, teacher, guide, or source of wisdom in one’s practice. It serves as the “anchor” of the entire mala, both physically and spiritually.

The Symbolic Meaning of the Guru Bead

The term Guru in Sanskrit translates to “teacher” or “dispeller of darkness.” Therefore, the guru bead represents:

• Spiritual Guidance: it honors the relationship between a student and their teacher or guru who imparts wisdom.
• Completion and renewal: it marks the point where one full round of mantra recitation ends and a new one begins.
• A State of Awareness: it symbolises the beginning and the end of a spiritual cycle.
• Mindfulness anchor: it helps practitioners stay aware of their place in the cycle.
• The Divine Source: in many traditions, it is seen as the seat of the divine or the “summit” of a mountain (hence the name Meru, after the sacred cosmic mountain).

Physical Characteristics

We craft the guru bead to stand out from the other beads so you can easily feel it without looking.

• Placement: it is the 109th bead, located at the join of the mala where the two ends of the thread meet.
• Structure: it often consists of two parts: a larger spherical bead and a smaller, tower-shaped bead called a Stupa (which represents the enlightened mind).
• The Tassel: a silk or cotton tassel is usually attached below the guru bead. This represents the Lotus Flower (purity) and the idea that all strands of existence are interconnected.
• End Beads: these three end beads offer an elegant alternative to the tassel, drawing inspiration from the Buddhist teachings of the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma & the Sangha). Six end beads complete the mala, representing the Six Perfections of the spiritual path (generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiastic perseverance, concentration & wisdom).

How It Is Used in Practice

The guru bead is a pause point during mantra meditation. When you are counting mantras and reach the guru bead, you stop, take a moment of reflection, and then reverse the direction of the beads. This reversal in direction is a symbol of turning your attention inward rather than just moving in circles.

The guru bead is not counted during the mantra count.
Traditionally, you never “cross over” the guru bead during mantra recitation.

• Step 1: Set an intention then begin the mantra meditation with the bead after the guru bead.
• Step 2: Each mantra is counted on a bead using the thumb and finger.
• Step 3: When you reach the guru bead again, you do not cross over it; instead, you turn the mala around and continue in the opposite direction.
• Step 4: take a moment to sit in silence, offering gratitude or a final intention.
• Step 5: if you want to do another round, simply flip the mala around and go back in the opposite direction from which you came.