Where are they from?

A Rudraksha is a seed from the fruit of the elaeocarpus tree and comes with a variety of compartments called 'faces' or 'mukhi'. The largest grow on the foothills of the Himalayas mountain range in Nepal.

Another place popular for it's Rudrakshas is Java island in Indonesia. However, Nepal produces the largest, highest quality, seeds due to its cooler climate which promotes lengthier growing conditions.

Varieties of Rudraksha

The five-faced (five mukhi) Rudraksha is the most common seed found in the fruits. At present, up to 21 faced Rudrakshas can be found with some variants that are extremely rare. For example, the 1-faced seed has not been seen in centuries, contrary to what you may be told or sold. If a 1-faced Rudraksha was ever discovered, there's already a queue of people willing to pay millions for it. There is no information on who in the world possesses one, but there are rumours that some of the most prolific personalities in history have owned one, passing them down the family line.

There was a time when Rudrakshas came with more than 21 faces and as time goes by, the variety declines. Hence, the Sivamalas will become increasingly rare over time.

Prehistoric

Based on the wide belief that Rudrakshas were first introduced by 'Shiva', the first Yogi (Adiyogi), knowledge of Rudrakshas go as far back as 40,000 years. Of course, it is most likely they existed far beyond that. There is an ancient artefact (the Kalpa Maha-ayusham Rasayana Vigraha idol of Shiva) which has been dated to be over 35,000 years old, and is the oldest artefact ever found. Ancient texts talk of Shiva introducing the Rudraksha to humankind. The seeds are supposed to be his tear drops, representing his compassion for humanity.

Steeped in mystery

Rudrakshas are revered for possessing metaphysical qualities. Over a billion people believe in the power of Rudrakshas, but only a tiny minority know what they are and do based on literature. And, just a fraction of that tiny minority have genuine knowledge on Rudrakshas. For example, most people don't know what a real Rudraksha looks and feels like. Some of the holiest places in the world, such as Haridwar and Rishikesh in India, are the biggest hotbeds for fake Rudrakshas on the market. One needs to have a deep interest and spend years learning and experimenting with Rudrakshas to be confident enough to tell apart fakes and understand its subtle power.

A leap of faith

The Sivamala is really something you must try for yourself, as I did. I take a deep dive into what it means to wear a Sivamala and what it can do in my book 'Sivamala - The Seeds of Perspective' which is provided with each Sivamala.

The way of Rudrakshas is subtle by nature, they help you reach a 'state of neutrality', a point from which you can stand outside the bubble of life and evaluate your existence from a neutral standpoint - it is the most powerful position you can be in your life, and it will help you gain the ultimate perspective, exposing reality for what it is.

Anyone

Rudrakshas don't discriminate against age, skin colour, faith or gender - anyone can benefit from them, whether you're human or not.

Do I have to be a 'good' person to wear mine?

This is an area steeped in controversy; how is one to answer such a question? The simple answer is this: In our prehistoric legends, Rudrakshas have been worn by demons (rakshasas), and Gods as well as humans who stand on both sides of the spectrum of good and evil.

Dissecting further; whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or carnivore, whether you divulge in alcohol and other mind-altering consumables - Rudrakshas never judge, and neither will your Sivamala.

The Sivamala helps you step out of your mind and dissect and categorise your life/choices so that you can make changes that you think will better yourself.

Are Rudrakshas religious?

They are not. In fact, Rudrakshas pre-date religious beliefs and practices of today by tens of thousands of years. You can be an atheist and still understand the subtle nature of Rudrakshas. They are a cosmic gift, and, we are all cosmic beings. I, personally, don't belong to any religion and yet I give myself to understanding Rudrakshas, Sivamala, and Shiva.

What is a Sivamala?

Spending over a decade exploring metaphysics, and many years learning about and experimenting with Rudrakshas has lead me to founding 'Sivamala'.

Sivamalas are the most potent form of any Rudraksha mala on the market. I design and piece together each one to be an energy conducting powerhouse that acts as a signal booster, and a cosmic antenna for the individual wearing it. Its unique construction magnifies your affirmations, and makes you perceptible to cosmic intelligence, helping you strike true inspiration in work, play and life.

What can my Sivamala do?

Everything in the universe sends out a unique signature vibration, it is how we are all connected. Over time, for many of us, our vibrations can become distorted - like guitar strings which become detuned, representing certain habits which become detrimental to your health or certain characteristic traits which form an imbalanced state of mind. A Sivamala 'irons out' your vibrations over time, transporting you back to the point of creation - The State of Neutrality. From this place, you can start fresh with a clear state of mind. My book, 'Sivamala - The Seeds of Perspective' dives deeper into the subject, and is provided with your Sivamala.

In short, your Sivamala is your guide to you, and holds up a mirror - accepting what you see, and acting on any changes you want to make is up to you.

Anyone, any Sivamala

Every Rudraksha seed possesses the qualities which make it a metaphysical marvel. Although some experts may prescribe certain Rudrakshas to specific genders for specific reasons, the truth is, no one knows the whole story - the same way we don't yet understand the makeup of our universe.

Almost every expert out there recites what has been written down about Rudrakshas over time, and is what they all recommend - there is nothing wrong in that but, I, on the other hand, have spent many years experimenting with them and can give you a unique and refreshing, first hand, account of exactly what it means to wear a Sivamala and what they can do for you.

The key is you

Most people wear Rudraksha seeds expecting a sudden, miraculous, change in their lives. This is a misconception as advice/instructions from experts and scriptures is lost in translation. It is also the wrong approach to anything in life as it takes responsibilities away from us to be the best version of ourselves. Your Sivamala, whichever one you choose, will help you evaluate your life with clarity, enabling you to assess your character traits - the changes you want to make is up to you. I cannot emphasise enough what it means to be able to step out of your immediate and social bubble and be able to see reality for what it is - it's truly life changing, and I am eternally grateful for my Sivamala.

You can wear any Sivamala you want, including all of them at once. You can also place them anywhere and expect them to neutralise the vibrations of the space they're in.

The way of Sivamala is subtle by nature, and mirrors the way of life itself. Like many things in our lives that are a constant part of us, changes occur in subtle increments on a daily basis, but have a profound effect over time. In my case, the difference was noticed by the people around me before I began noticing it myself, thus, I would imagine a similar experience for you.

The Sivamala will neutralise you, helping you stand apart from the crowd, and heighten your power of deduction to help you make better informed decisions. You will be able to better moderate how you live through clarity of thought and heightened perception.

No. Everything in the universe is alive and constantly vibrating, exerting their own unique frequencies. Even a piece of rock is forever alive, made of the same matter as us. Rudraksha seeds are eternal and will possess their abilities so long as they stay intact.

You can, and it will be the most valuable gift. One day, Rudraksha seeds will no longer be available, they are already in rapid decline, and some seeds which were once abundant are no longer produced by the trees. My advice would be to hold onto your Sivamala and pass it down the family tree, for its recipients, one day, will hold an extinct and precious piece of history.

Contrary to popular belief, no, they don’t. The energy of Rudraksha seeds transcends dimensions, let alone any physical barriers. You can wear them over clothing, or under.

Through experiencing it myself. In my journey of understanding our existence, and discovering the Self, I have subscribed to ancient wisdom. I believe that our ancestors knew the subtle ways of the universe and our makeup. It is their way of life I follow and try and simulate myself.

By acting on my research and trialling various ways to utilise Rudraksha seeds, I have arrived at the creation of the Sivamala and it’s variants. It is this same leap of faith which I am offering to you, it will make a tangible difference in your life, as it has done in mine.

Yes!

Many years ago, I asked my mother to bring back a Rudraksha seed from her trip to India. At Delhi airport, just before catching her flight back, she popped into a specialist store in the duty-free lounge and purchased a special looking Rudraksha seed for £800. It came nicely packaged complete with a certificate of authenticity. Upon receiving it, I was over the moon and began preparations for wearing it. I was researching ideas for making a mala and stumbled across some information on how to tell if it was fake or real. To my horror, I discovered that mine was fake, and had been made by slicing two seeds and sticking them together before covering it up with ‘earthy’ glue to make it look natural.

Over the next five years, I proceeded to invest time in learning about Rudraksha seeds and have arrived at a point in which I can tell a fake without the need of tools and experimentations.

Certificates and other ‘authenticity’ bells and whistles won’t make your seed real or fake. You have my personal guarantee that every Sivamala is 100% genuine, and I have put hundreds of hours into ensuring they always will be.

'Rudra' is another name given to Shiva and defines the universe coming into existence through the roar of the 'OM' frequency.

'Raksha' is the Vedic word with many positive meanings, the most prominent being 'to protect' and 'preserve'.

The two words combined make 'Rudraksha', a name applied to the seeds due to their relation to Shiva, and has been used and recognised ever since.

Wearing your Sivamala

The Sivamala can be worn inside or outside clothing. It's helpful to have presence of mind when wearing your Sivamala outside clothing, e.g. when leaning over food and drink etc. Treat your Sivamala as an extension of yourself.

When to wear your Sivamala

Recommended: Wear your Sivamala everyday or as often as possible.

Not Recommended: Avoid getting your Sivamala soaked e.g. wearing it in the shower or whilst swimming as it can damage the sandalwood beads if left soaked for prolonged periods of time.

Cleaning your Sivamala

Like with most pieces of intricate jewellery, I choose not to regularly clean mine, but ensure I take care when handling and wearing it. The Sivamala is robust and will age, gracefully, with time and wear. Should you ever require to clean it, gently rinse the Rudraksha seeds in warm water, trying to avoid the sandalwood beads, and dry immediately.

Vedic context

In short, no, Shiva is not a Hindu God. It's easy to misunderstand the notion of 'God'. For example, I sometimes use the names Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva to describe the makeup of us and the cosmos. Contrary to popular belief, they are not Hindu Gods. Over time, they have simply become part of popular culture, worshipped as 'deities', but most people have forgotten their true meaning and what they stand for.

The best way to understand this is to try and imagine how ancient civilisations would have communicated. Today, we are used to looking at science through a clinical lens, whereas, ancient civilisations used a more 'romantic' approach to describing our cosmos - we publish scientific papers, they would have written poems to describe the same thing. We apply names to everything we discover or theorise, e.g. atom, time, gravity, matter. They went a step further and applied multi-dimensional 'personalities' to such notions, it is something most scholars overlook. This means that 'Gods' like Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva have scientific meaning rather than being individuals with super powers to be worshipped. The ancient Vedic civilisations worshipped the cosmos and all of its attributes.

Shiva the metaphysical

'Shiva' stands for 'nothingness' or 'something which is not'. It is the absence of matter. Shiva represents the space in which everything comes into being - like the instance of the big bang.

Shiva the physical

Shiva is also believed to be the first ever yoga master, and introduced yoga to 40 disciples who then travelled across the world to spread Shiva's practices. Shiva is supposed to be the one to have introduced Rudrakshas.

Whichever way you look at it, Rudrakshas were introduced by a cosmic intelligence of some kind - and may, perhaps, always be beyond our understanding. That is why Rudrakshas are revered.

YES

Although, our limited imagination and understanding of what a ‘simulation’ is makes the answer sound a little unbelievable. It’s a ‘simulation’ but not as we understand it, you would need to forget what you know about quantum physics and re-learn the makeup of the cosmos before coming back to this question with an open mind. Then, it will all make sense. Perhaps your Sivamala will help you get there! My book 'Sivamala - The Seeds of Perspective' (provided with your Sivamala purchase) contains chapters on Time and Karma which will set you on the journey to answering this question.