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Connections and Community: Galas, Markets, and in-Person Events May 31, 2025 16:03
If you prefer to listen to this month's blog offering, please click HERE for the audio link.
Over the course of the past few weeks, I have had several opportunities to attend events and to meet with individuals in person. This has been a refreshing change, since I usually interact with customers and clients online.
In late April, the Student Government Association at Butler University hosted a fundraising gala, and they invited me to attend as a vendor. This was an intimate event held in Dugan Hall, which is a beautiful new building that houses the Lacy School of Business.
As an alumna, it is always a joy for me to return to the Butler campus, and this evening’s event was no exception. I enjoyed chatting with the students, faculty members, and the other vendors who attended this gala. It was a lovely event, and a few quarter malas found new homes as well.
Adelynn, the student who had invited me to the event, helped me carry a box to my car afterwards. She told me that her grandmother had also attended Butler and shared stories about Starlight Musicals, which used to be held at what is now Hinkle Fieldhouse. I told her that I saw Liberace there once with my family when I was in junior high school.
Adelynn also remembered her grandmother mentioning the C-Club, which was a cafeteria for commuter students. I remember studying there between classes, reviewing Beowulf and reading poetry by Richard Brautigan and Etheridge Knight. They served excellent soups and sandwiches there. Now, it’s more like a small convenient store and study area. I wondered if Adelynn’s grandmother and I attended classes at Butler around the same time.
I thanked her for inviting me to the gala and for helping me carry my things to my car. This was the second time I had attended an event like this at Butler, and I hope to attend other events there in the future.
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In early May, I attended a Mother’s Day Market at Hub & Spoke in Fishers, Indiana. It was also an intimate event, but that’s OK with me. Actually, I prefer smaller events to those that are extremely crowded and noisy. It’s good to have time to interact with people. Some people have questions about what malas are and how to use them. It gives me an opportunity to explain the meaning of the beads, the knots, and the tassels and to demonstrate how to use malas in meditation practice.
It’s also helpful for people to be able to see these designs in person, especially the quarter malas. These “mini malas” are much more popular at in-person events compared to online sales. In fact, I don’t offer quarter malas on my website anymore, but I’m happy to create them as custom designs. For those who may be new to practicing with malas, these fun-sized designs are portable, affordable, and practical.
A dozen other vendors were with me at this market, also, and I enjoyed chatting with my vendor neighbors. The women across from my table sold beautiful personalized bouquets of fresh flowers and plants. On my left was a woman who worked at a local brick and mortar shop and offered hand-made soaps, teas, and essential oils.
The woman on my right was a scientist who worked full-time at a research lab, but she was helping out a friend by selling her jewelry on her behalf.
A full mala and a few quarter malas found new homes during this event, so this Mother’s Day Market was a success, as well.
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I don’t attend very many in-person events like this. Typically, individuals will reach out for custom designs. May was certainly the month of quarter malas for me. Two weeks ago, one of my colleagues at school, Candice, asked me to create a quarter mala for her.
What’s nice about a local, in-person request like this is it allows me to bring bead samples directly to people. Usually, when I create a custom design for someone, I communicate via email and send them photos of bead options and possible layout designs.
In Candice’s case, I was able to bring in samples of Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Chrysocolla, Amazonite, Labradorite, and Amethyst beads for her to see and hold. That tactile connection is really important.
Once she decided on the beads she liked best, I was able to create two potential layout designs for her. I strung one set of beads on a variegated pink cord, and the second set on a bright teal cord.
She really liked both designs, and I was happy to create two quarter malas for her to support her personal practice.
***
A few days ago, I met with a woman named Paula who is in the process of organizing an outdoor summer festival next month. Because I will be traveling out of the country, I will not be able to attend this event; however, we met for coffee at a local coffee shop because she was interested in a full mala that I had posted on my website.
Paula explained on the phone prior to our meeting that a full mala was not in her budget at this time, but our conversation inspired me to create a quarter mala design for her that was similar to the full mala that she liked.
Consequently, I created the All You Need Is Love Quarter Mala and sent her a photo. She loved it, and we met at Mocha Nut Coffee Shop soon after that so that I could deliver her new quarter mala to her in person. We talked about our families, our travels, and our career paths over a London Fog and a Mocha Latte. We also chatted about upcoming retreats that she plans to offer, and I indicated an interest in being a vendor at these events as well.
***
It's so nice to be able to interact with people in person and to have the time to chat about our lives and what matters most to us. After all, interconnection and interdependence are important aspects of meditation.
I’m also glad that I had several opportunities this month to meet with people in person and to create malas and quarter malas that will support their personal practices.
I do have one more event coming up in June. Wellbeing Fest will occur at the Perry Township Event Center in Indianapolis from 11-4 on June 8th. If interested, please visit holistichubwellbeingfest.com for more information and details.
If you don’t live in the Indianapolis area, and you are interested in a custom mala or quarter mala design, please don’t hesitate to send me an email via our Contact Us page. I am happy to create a one-of-a-kind design to support and inspire your meditation practice as well.
I hope you enjoy this last day of May, and I hope that June treats you well.
Thank you for taking the time to read or listen to this month’s blog post.
Take care—and keep practicing!
27 Beads: Even More Benefits of Quarter Malas January 30, 2024 20:14
(Image: Quartz Quarter Mala with disco ball guru and dove gray sutra/tassel)
If you prefer to listen to this month's blog article, please click HERE for the audio link.
About eighteen months ago, I wrote a blog entitled “Less Is More: The Beauty and Benefits of Quarter Malas.” In it, I described a few practical benefits to using quarter malas.
Middle Moon Malas quarter malas include twenty-seven beads, plus a guru and tassel. These designs are hand-knotted, of course, and crafted with high-quality gemstones, just like the full malas I create. Lately, I have been creating quarter malas for an upcoming event in March. These little-but-mighty designs are very popular at in-person events, which is why I don’t typically add them to the online shop.
However, whenever I post photos of these mini-malas on Facebook or Instagram, people reach out and ask questions about them—and they want to know how they can purchase them, so I thought I’d go into more details about the benefits of quarter malas in this month’s offering, and encourage you to reach out if you’re interested in a design for yourself or a loved one.
(Image: Dzi Agate Quarter Mala with Picture Jasper, Dzi Agate, and Garnet beads with Dzi Agate guru and maroon sutra/tassel)
*Collaboration
One of my favorite aspects of creating mala designs is collaborating with clients. I love helping people curate malas that will support and enhance their own personal meditation and wellness practices. Quarter malas are ideal for this collaborative adventure because they are an affordable, low-pressure investment. Most of the quarter malas I create run between $40--$50, depending upon the beads that are in the designs. Also, because there are only 27 beads, it’s easier to explore and play with the colors, textures, and patterns of the beads as well as the colors for the sutra and tassel.
I will create layout designs and send photos to clients. Once they agree on their custom design, it doesn’t take long for me to create their one-of-a-kind quarter mala. It takes me a few days to create a full mala, but I can create a quarter mala in a few hours.
Recently, I had a client who requested a quarter mala for her beloved teacher. After listening to her and showing her photos of various beads, guru options, and sutra colors, we were able to collaborate and create a meaningful and thoughtful gift for someone very important to her.
Some clients are wanting a quarter mala for a specific practice or purpose. For example, I have made Lapis Lazuli quarter malas for Medicine Buddha recitations; Jade quarter malas for Tara sadhanas; Quartz Crystal quarter malas for Vajrasattva retreats.
Some clients have specific color or stone preferences—they want a purple quarter mala, or they really like Amethyst.
Not all of my quarter malas are custom designs. Sometimes, I like to play and experiment with textures, colors, shapes, and combinations of beads. If I really like the result, it may become the inspiration for a full mala design.
I recently created a quarter mala from Rhodochrosite and Cherry Quartz beads with a lovely pink lotus resin guru. This inspired the Pink Lotus Mala, a full mala that includes variations on a theme of these beads. This mala is currently available on the MMM online collection.
(Image: Pink Lotus Quarter Mala with Rhodochrosite and Cherry Quartz beads and pink lotus guru with variegated pink sutra/tassel)
*Connection
Collaborating with clients also gives me an opportunity to connect with others and share meaningful conversations. Recently, a client (and former student) reached out because she was interested in a Quartz quarter mala that I had posted on FB. Because she is local, we decided to meet at a nearby coffee shop to chat and catch up, and I was able to deliver her design in person.
It was great to hear about her family, about what she’s doing now, and how much she has evolved and grown since her high school days. She also had questions about how to use her quarter mala, and being able to describe that process in person was more relevant than simply directing her to watch a video or reel that I’d posted.
It’s also nice to support another local small business. We met at Mocha Nut, an independently owned coffee shop in Southport.
I typically attend a few in-person events each year as a vendor, and, usually, these events are a bit crowded and noisy. At these events, there’s not much time to interact one-on-one with customers in a quiet space, so it’s nice to have more time to chat with individual customers in person.
(Image: Red Rose Quarter Mala with Black and White Striped Agate, faceted Onyx, and matte Mother-of-Pearl beads with red rose guru and black/red variegated sutra/tassel)
*Commitment
Quarter malas are beautiful little reminders to practice, and they are intended to encourage practice. These quarter mala designs are not made to be worn on the wrist all day. I don’t use stretchy cord, and don’t make stretchy bracelets. My designs are hand-knotted, and the same cord that runs through all of the beads also secures the tassel. Everything is connected and interconnected, after all.
Because quarter malas are portable and don’t take up much space, they are ideal for travel. Also, because they are affordable, it’s possible to keep one at home, one in the car, and one at work. So, if you’ve made a commitment to meditate or recite mantras every day, strategically (and respectfully) placed quarter malas are meaningful reminders to practice.
Having the visual reminder of a quarter mala can be a comforting motivator. Whenever you have a few minutes to practice, or even when challenges arise, they are right there waiting to support you, helping you to stay grounded and focused.
I recently had a conversation with someone at work, and this conversation brought up anxious emotions for me. This particular individual tends to have very strong opinions, and often presents his opinions as if they were facts. Usually, I can let his comments slide, but this time, his remarks were jarring and triggering for me. I could feel the uneasy pull of an anxiety spiral forming in my gut.
I didn’t contradict, challenge, or argue with him. Instead, I sat at my desk, held my mala in my hand, and completed a brief breath practice.
First Bead: inhale
Pause
Next Bead: exhale
Pause
All the way around the mala.
It took just a few minutes to calm my anxious thoughts. It also helped me detach and not take his comments personally. I was able to let it go and move on.
(Image: Elephant Jasper Quarter Mala with gold metal textured guru and Autumn Harvest variegated sutra/tassel)
*****
I hope 2024 is treating you well so far! If you are interested in a Middle Moon Malas quarter mala, I would be happy to create a beautiful design that supports you and your practice. Just send me an email via the Contact Us page to begin.