RUDRAKSHA

11 Mukhi (Java, Indonesia): Beneficial for disorders of the nervous system. Photograph: Oliver Clasper

Rudraksha is a large evergreen broad-leafed tree found mainly in Indonesia and Nepal and in India between the Ganges and the foothills of the Himalayas. Rudraksha beads are the seeds of the fruit from Rudraksha trees. Authentic Rudraksha beads have been found to boost confidence and inner strength and to help with a wide range of mental and physical problems. Buddha wore them, Gandhi wore them, and the Dalai Lama wears them. So did Yehudi Menuhin and Osho Rajneesh.

Rudraksha beads have been worn by Asian yogis and monks for centuries because of their interaction with body and mind to foster the tranquility and concentration necessary during extended periods of meditation. Modern medical research has shown that Rudraksha beads have electro-magnetic properties that have a beneficial influence on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

From left to right: 11 Mukhi, Parad (Mercury), 4 Mukhi, 5 Mukhi
Choosing rudraksha for specific purposes:

Problem to be corrected	Rudraksha
Heart, spine, diaphragm, thymus, blood ,veins , eye sight	1 mukhi 12 mukhi
Stomach including gastric processes, breasts, lymphatic and non blood fluid systems, perspiration and saliva and sympathetic nervous system	2 mukhi
Hands, arms, lungs, sensory organs, thyroid glands , brain disorders	4 mukhi
Throat, neck, kidneys, sex organs, thyroid glands	6 mukhi 13 mukhi
Sex glands, adrenal glands, red blood cells, stomach disorders, blood pressure disorders	3 mukhi
Liver, gallbladder, posterior lobe of the pituitary gland related to growth and thighs, blood pressure disorders	5 mukhi
Spleen, skeletal system including cartilage, skin, lower leg from the knee to the ankle and anterior lobe of the pituitary gland	7 mukhi 14 mukhi
Skin problems , body pain	9 mukhi
Sleep disorders	8 mukhi
Nervous system disorders	11 mukhi

There are clefts known as mukhi on the surface of the beads which are used to characterize the beads. For example, a five facet or mukhi Rudraksha bead has five clefts on it. A ten facet Rudraksha bead has ten clefts on it. Rudraksha beads are available with 1 to 38 facets. Beads with 1 and with 15 to 38 facets are rare. The 5 facet bead is commonly available and thus the most popular due to its effectiveness and economical cost. Yogis wear necklaces called malas (Sanskrit for garland) which typically consist of 108 five facet Rudraksha beads.

The beneficial powers of Rudraksha beads have been known in Asia for ages and are well documented in traditional and contemporary literature. With the increasing popularity of Rudraksha malas in India, recent scientific studies have been carried out to determine just how Rudraksha healing works. One of the leading research papers was published by Dr. Suhas Roy of the Indian Institute of Technology in Banaras, India.

Dr. Roy’s research confirmed that the healing powers of Rudraksha beads flow from their electro-magnetic properties. When Rudraksha beads are placed over the heart, they stabilize the heart beat on the principle of dynamic polarity, much as magnets work. Blood circulation and heart beat induce a magnetic field around the body and particularly the heart region. Depending on the polarity and intensity of this induced magnetic field, Rudraksha beads transmit subtle electrical and inductive impulses with opposing polarity and intensity. A proportionate balancing force is exerted on the heart to regulate it whenever it starts beating above or below normal rates. This action helps to ensure ideal blood circulation in the body.

The human body is a complex bio-electronic circuit consisting of the central nervous system as well as the organs and functions that it regulates. Streamlined blood flow has a powerful rejuvenating impact on this circuit and serves to prevent stress-related disorders caused by the damaging effects of excess energy on neurons and neurotransmitters. In essence, Rudraksha beads help bring about the well-known “relaxation response” which is the ultimate goal of meditation, yoga, tai chi, biofeedback and countless other alternative medicine methodologies.