Rudraksha are dried seeds of the tree Elaeocarpus Ganitrus, which grow in some regions of South East Asia. It is also known as ‘tears of Shiva’, where Rudra means Shiva and Aksha means tears. Rudraksha beads are believed to help maintain your physical and mental well-being. They are said to be conducive to spiritual growth.
There are certain types of Rudraksha, with each having its own benefits for the wearer.
- Panchamukhi (or five-faced) Rudraksha helps enhance inner purity and develop a sense of freedom. People aged above 14 years can wear this type of Rudraksha.
- Dwimukhi (or two-faced) Rudraksha beads are believed to help improve marital relations and should be worn by couples.
- Shanmukhi (or six-faced) Rudraksha is said to help in your physical and mental development and can be worn by individuals above 14 years of age.
- Gowri Shankar Rudraksha beads look like two beads joint together and can be worn by people above the age of 14. This type of Rudraksha is said to help in balancing the Ida and Pingala nadis and activating the seven chakras. Wearing these beads can help increase prosperity.
Rudraksha beads, require maintenance, so that they can retain their color and shine and so that they do not crack or break. The process of maintenance is known as conditioning, wherein Rudraksha beads are cleaned in a certain way. When wearing your Rudraksha mala or beads for the first time, you need to follow these essential steps for conditioning.
Steps to Condition a Rudraksha
- Immerse new Rudraksha beads in ghee for 24 hours.
- Soak them in full-fat milk for another 24 hours.
- Wash them with clean water.
- Then, wipe them with a clean cloth.
- Rudraksha should not be washed with any soap or cleansing agents.
- It is advisable to condition your Rudraksha every 6 months.
- Once every 1-2 years, Rudraksha beads can be immersed in sesame oil for a 24-hours span, as an additional step in their conditioning process.
- After conditioning, Rudraksha beads may be slippery and smell of ghee or milk. To avoid this, you may rub some Vibhuti on the beads immediately after they are removed from the milk. Roll the beads in Vibhuti as the final step of conditioning. This step helps remove excess oil and also the smell of milk or ghee from the beads.
- Gowri Shankar and Adiyogi Rudraksha have a copper casing. If during conditioning these beads, the casing loses its colour, rubbing the Vibhuti on the copper casing can be helpful.
Washing Rudraksha beads with chemical soaps or detergents can lead to the loss of colour and shine of these beads. To restore the lustre of Rudraksha beads, rubbing them gently with a natural oil such as coconut oil or almond oil can be helpful.
The purpose of conditioning Rudraksha beads is to prolong their lifespan and prevent them from cracking.
So, is conditioning necessary for Rudraksha?
Yes, because conditioning helps prevent breakage and increases the lifespan of the beads, but it should be noted that the process of conditioning does not re-energize a Rudraksha, it helps the beads maintain their integrity.
If you purchase a rudraksha from the Isha Life store, it comes already consecrated, eliminating the need for any additional energizing.
Energizing a non-consecrated Rudraksha includes the use of Panchgavya or Panchamrita and the chanting of sacred mantras like Om Namah Shivaya or Om Hreem Namah 11 times before wearing it. Thus, it is important to understand that energizing or activating a Rudraksha is different from conditioning it.
Each process has a different purpose, but on buying a new Rudraksha, it should be conditioned/purified and then energized/activated before you start wearing it. The steps for Rudraksha conditioning have to be repeated every 6 months; so that these holy beads don’t get brittle and can retain their purity and glow.
