Yak Bone Disc 108 Mala with Carved Dzi-Pattern Bead
Yak Bone Disc 108 Mala with Carved Dzi-Pattern Bead
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Spiritual Meaning
In Tibetan Buddhism, a mala of 108 beads is used to count mantras, one bead for each recitation. The guru bead marks the start and end of a round; by custom you turn back at it rather than pass over it.
Dzi beads hold a special place in Tibetan culture, where their eyes and lines are traditionally read as auspicious signs. This one is made of bone, with metal and blue-green inlay tracing a dzi pattern.
Engraved metal has long been worn in Tibet in the form of amulets and small charms, a way of keeping a prayer close to the body.
Furrowed seed beads like these recall rudraksha, the seeds strung into prayer beads across Himalayan Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
Turquoise has been treasured in Tibetan adornment for centuries, and its blue-green is often linked with sky and water. The blue-green beads bring that color into the strand.
The skulls come from Tibetan Buddhist art, where they point to impermanence: everything changes, and holding things lightly is its own kind of ease.
The phurba is a ritual peg in Tibetan tradition. Its blade is said to pin down obstacles, above all inner ones such as anger and doubt.
The counters are for longer practice: by custom, each finished round of 108 is marked on them.
The five colors of the cord are the colors of prayer flags: blue, white, red, green and yellow, linked in Tibetan tradition with space, air, fire, water and earth.
Wear it, or hold it, as a quiet reminder to count slowly, breathe, and begin again.
Description
Specifications
Material: Yak Bone Disc Beads, Carved Bone Guru Bead, Bone Dzi-Pattern Bead with Metal and Blue-Green Inlay, Carved Bone Counters and Charms, Dark Seed Beads, Metal Band, Rings and Spacers, Five-Color Cord and Tassels
Beads: 108 yak bone disc beads, 12 × 4 mm, honey-yellow to warm brown with dark flecks; each bead varies slightly
Wear: wraps three times around the wrist, with the guru bead, dzi-pattern bead and counters hanging free
Style: Tibetan / Himalayan, unisex
Suitable for: Mantra Counting, Meditation, Daily Wear, Mindful Gifts
The Elements
108 yak bone disc beads · 12 × 4 mm, thin flat rounds in honey-yellow with dark flecks
Large carved bone guru bead, worked in deep relief, with metal rings and domed metal spacers
Long bone dzi-pattern bead below the guru bead, inlaid with metal lines and blue-green dots, on five-color cord between two short strands of small bone barrel beads
Bone bead wrapped in an engraved metal band
Two dark, deeply furrowed seed beads
Two blue-green round beads, one bright green and one deeper teal
Counter with a small pink bead, a small carved skull bead and a carved bone skull above a phurba blade
Counter with a red bead and a rectangular bone bar carved with scrolls, finished with a dark green tassel
Small white bell-shaped charm with black lines and a red tassel
Small bone tag carved with concentric circles
Each piece knotted and wrapped by hand
This is a hand-strung artisanal piece. Each bead carries unique grain, tone and texture. Slight variations in color and carving are normal and part of its charm. No two bracelets are identical. Please allow 3–4 business days to make.
Free over $99 · US 7–12, intl 7–20 business days
Free on orders of $99 or more; otherwise standard shipping is $8. Each piece is prepared by hand over 3–4 business days, then takes about 7–12 business days to reach the US, or 7–20 business days elsewhere. Faster options, where available, are shown at checkout. Shipping Policy
30-day limited warranty
Every piece is strung and knotted by hand. If something gives way under normal wear within 30 days of delivery, we will repair, restring or replace it, and cover the shipping.
Covered: a broken cord or elastic, a knot or clasp that fails, beads or parts that come loose, or a piece that arrives damaged.
Not covered: accidents, everyday wear and the way bone, metal and cord change over time, soaking or contact with chemicals, and repairs made elsewhere.
To claim: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number and a photo or short video. We reply within 1–2 business days.
15-day returns & exchanges
Not quite right? You can return or exchange a piece within 15 days of delivery.
- Condition: unworn and unused, in its original packaging.
- How: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number before sending anything back. We reply within 1–2 business days with the return address.
- Shipping: return shipping is paid by you. The original shipping fee is not refunded.
- Refund: sent to your original payment method within 3 business days of receiving your return.
Arrived damaged, or broke with normal wear? That's covered by our 30-day warranty. Returns & Exchanges
1% of every order set aside for the Highlands
We set aside 1% of every order to support Himalayan craft communities and the high-altitude lands that inspire our pieces. As BlessMuse grows, we'll name the partners we give to and share the details here.
- Made to be worn every day
- Secure checkout
Small Things Along the Strand
Lay it on a cloth and it settles into loose coils: 108 thin discs of yak bone, stacked edge to edge like the pages of a closed book. They are honey-yellow, flecked with brown where the grain runs through, and they tick softly against one another as you gather them up.
Follow the strand and small things appear in it, one at a time. A bone bead wrapped in a band of engraved metal. Two dark seed beads, deeply furrowed, rough under the thumb. A single round bead the blue-green of turquoise. Then the guru bead, large and carved in deep relief, where the two ends meet. From it hangs a long bone bead in the shape of a dzi, lines of metal and blue-green dots set into its surface, swaying between two short strands of tiny bone beads on five-color cord.
Further along, two counters fall away. One ends in a carved skull above the narrow blade of a phurba; the other in a small bone bar worked with scrolls and a dark green tassel. Close by hang a white bell-shaped charm with a red tassel and a little bone tag carved with circles, like rings spreading on still water.
Sit, and start beside the guru bead. One disc, one breath. The discs are thin, so a round moves quickly under your fingers. When you reach the carving again, pause, and begin again.
Disc, Dzi and Carved Bone
The main strand is 108 disc beads of yak bone, each 12 × 4 mm: thin, flat rounds in honey-yellow to warm brown, with dark flecks where the grain shows. Set among them are a bone bead wrapped in an engraved metal band, two dark, deeply furrowed seed beads and two blue-green round beads.
The two ends meet at a large three-hole guru bead of carved bone, worked in deep relief and framed by metal rings and domed metal spacers. Below its bone stem, on five-color cord, hangs a long dzi-pattern bead made of bone and inlaid with metal lines and small blue-green dots, with two short strands of small bone barrel beads and tasseled ends beside it.
Two counters hang from the strand. The first carries a small pink bead, a small carved skull bead and a carved bone drop shaped as a skull above a phurba. The second carries a red bead and a rectangular bone bar carved with scrolls, finished with a dark green tassel bound in five-color thread. A small white bell-shaped charm with black lines and a red tassel, and a small bone tag carved with concentric circles, hang from metal rings. Every piece is strung by hand, so the color and markings differ a little from one mala to the next.
Made by Hand
One Bead at a Time
Every strand is threaded and knotted by hand, slowly, the way prayer beads have been made for generations. No two come out quite the same.
Questions
How do I choose my size?
Measure your wrist snugly and add about 1 cm. Each listing shows its size range; see the Size Chart on this page.
How should I care for my piece?
Keep it away from water, perfume and harsh sunlight. See our care guides.
How much is shipping?
Free on orders of $99 or more, worldwide. Below that, standard shipping is $8. Each order takes 3–4 business days to prepare by hand, then about 7–12 business days to reach the US, or 7–20 business days elsewhere. Expedited shipping is available at checkout. Shipping Policy
Can I return it?
Yes, within 15 days of delivery, as long as the piece is unworn and in its original packaging. Return shipping is paid by you. Email support@blessmuse.com first and we will send the return address. If it breaks with normal wear within 30 days, we will repair or replace it. Returns & Exchanges
Complete the Story
FREE SHIPPING OVER $99
INSPIRED BY TIBETAN TRADITION
15-DAY RETURNS · 30-DAY WARRANTY
Care, returns & warranty
Care
Keep dry: Avoid water, sweat, perfume, and oil-based products.
Initial prep: Wipe gently with a clean cotton cloth daily for the first 1–2 weeks to form an even base patina.
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight or extreme temperatures.
Polishing: Use a soft microfiber cloth to buff beads regularly to keep their luster.
Avoid impact: Do not drop or scratch the beads to protect their surface.
Warranty Policy
Every piece is strung and knotted by hand. If something gives way under normal wear within 30 days of delivery, we will repair, restring or replace it, and cover the shipping.
Covered: a broken cord or elastic, a knot or clasp that fails, beads or parts that come loose, or a piece that arrives damaged.
Not covered: accidents, everyday wear and the way bone, metal and cord change over time, soaking or contact with chemicals, and repairs made elsewhere.
To claim: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number and a photo or short video. We reply within 1–2 business days.