Rudraksha beads look like small, deeply ridged brown nuts, and that's close to the truth. They're seeds. People have strung them into necklaces and malas for a very long time, and for many families they are part of daily prayer or meditation.
What follows is what we know, kept plain.
What rudraksha is
A rudraksha bead is the dried seed of the Elaeocarpus ganitrus tree, which grows in parts of South and Southeast Asia. The name comes from two Sanskrit words, Rudra, a name for Shiva, and aksha, meaning eye or tear. In the traditional story, found in texts like the Shiva Purana, Shiva meditated for a very long time, and when he opened his eyes, tears fell to the earth and became the rudraksha trees. That's why you'll hear them called the tears of Shiva.
What the faces mean
Each seed has natural lines running from top to bottom. The number of lines is called the mukhi, or face. Five-faced seeds are by far the most common. Seeds with more or fewer faces are rarer, and in tradition each count is linked to a different quality or deity. If the face count matters to you, message us before you order and we'll look at the piece you're interested in.
How people wear them
Rudraksha is most often worn as a mala of 108 beads, used to count mantras in prayer or meditation. Many people also wear it as an ordinary necklace, close to the chest. Most traditional teachers say anyone can wear it, whatever their background or beliefs.
Some people wear theirs all the time. Others take it off to sleep or shower. The seed is natural and can dry out or crack, especially with hot water and soap, so most advice is to keep it away from harsh chemicals and to wipe it dry if it gets wet.
Rudraksha mala or stone mala
A stone mala is made of gemstone beads, chosen for the colour or the traditional meaning of the stone. A rudraksha mala is made of seeds and has its own long place in prayer practice. Neither is better. If you want to read more about how a mala is used, see what is a mala, and how do you use one.
Our rudraksha pieces
The Rudraksha & Lava Mala is a long meditation mala of rudraksha seeds and black lava, with a carved guru bead and a silk tassel. It measures 26 inches from the top to the tip of the tassel, so it falls long on the chest.
The Carved Buddha & Rudraksha Necklace has a carved wooden Buddha pendant on rudraksha beads with red-wine jade and turquoise, and a silver clasp. It measures 15 inches.
The Carved Buddha, Rudraksha & Orange Agate Necklace has a hand-carved wooden Buddha pendant on rudraksha strung with orange agate and turquoise. It measures 20 inches, so it sits lower than the first one.
Rudraksha & Lava Mala$69 CAD
Carved Buddha & Rudraksha Necklace$98 CAD
Carved Buddha, Rudraksha & Orange Agate Necklace$115 CAD
Caring for rudraksha
Keep it dry when you can, and put it on after perfume and hairspray. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth. Store it somewhere it won't be crushed, and ask us if a bead cracks or the cord wears. Restringing is something we do, on our repairs page.
Find yours
Ellie strings every piece by hand, so each one is different. See them all on our jewellery page.
Gemstone jewellery by Ellie
Every piece is one of a kind, strung and wired by hand in Markham, Ontario.
Explore the jewellery →Sources used: Isha Foundation rudraksha guide; Bhakti Bharat rudraksha guide; The Bead Chest, rudraksha beads.