At Mala Collective, our vision, mission and values are something we're very proud of. It's a check in point as we grow, make decisions, and something that keeps us all connected. We believe it's the foundation of who we are and why we're here.
Our vision: “Inspiring Mindful Evolution”
Our mission: “Offering tools and practices that empower people to live with intention.”
Our Values:
Our Story:
The journey of Mala Collective started on the lush island of Bali, Indonesia.
It’s where we first discovered the beauty and healing qualities of mala beads. As many people do, we headed to Bali after hitting a cross roads in life. We had found our 'perfect' jobs, but weren't feeling fulfilled. We were busy for the sake of being busy. Our work-life balance was way off. We knew something was missing.
So we took a leap of faith – we packed our bags and travelled as far as possible with as little as possible. A few months later we ended up in Bali doing yoga, surfing, and meditating.
We also fell in love with a yoga studio — the Yoga Barn in Ubud — where we found the unique rudraksha bead jewelry. The texture was different. The gemstones were mouthwatering, and the healing qualities were inspiring.
During our stay we couldn’t stop picking up the pieces and turning them over in our hands. One purchase turned into another, and then another. (And yes, then another!)
Mid-flight from Bali to Thailand, a tall, beautiful woman with long dark hair sat down next to us. Her name was Soma. She was ‘drawn to our aura’ and simply wanted to chat, she said. After a few minutes, she our bracelet — lava and rudraksha for strength and clarity. Soma happened to be the maker of the jewelry. (“We love it!” we said.)
We listened as she shared her story inspired by her spiritual guide to spread peace through rudraksha jewelry. He told her the more people wearing rudraksha beads in the West, the more the world would be at peace.
We're thankful for this new journey, spreading the intention of peace and mindfulness to a new generation. And we agree with Soma and her guru — the rudraksha beads are a symbol of compassion for humanity — a reminder of a higher consciousness within.
We know you’ll love them as much as we do.
Read Ashley's Powered By Yoga story on The Yoga Map Project!
Giving back
We love making people feel great. And there’s nothing better than the feeling of helping others.
It’s engrained in our every step — from the mala bead jewelry being handmade in Bali, to you purchasing the rudraksha bead jewelry from your favourite store.
Our family in Bali
The creation process in Bali provides numerous jobs for locals — from the planting of the rudraksha trees, to the harvesting stage.
And the best part is that it’s all fair trade. Even better — all the employees benefit from profit sharing of world wide sales!
In addition, support is given to the high priests in Bali, Indonesia who often perform their ceremonies for free.
Bumi Sehat
We’re also very proud to donate a portion of our profits to a non-profit birthing and wellness center in Bali called Bumi Sehat.
The center is run by Robin Lim — the recent winner of the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year award.
Opportunity International
An organization that is near and dear to our hearts is Opportunity International. They work with entrepreneurs in the developing world by providing micro-loans for them to follow their dreams. We love that 93% of those loans are given to women. The organization is educating, empowering and uplifting those in a world where opportunity isn't always available.
In April 2013, team Mala Collective was proud to Live Below the Line, eating on $1.75 a day to raise awareness around extreme poverty. We ate on this amount for five days, gaining more insight and mindfulness around the limited resources that those around the world live with.
We were proud to donate 10% of sales during the challenge week to Opportunity International.
Local love
Mala Collective is also conscious in donating to and attending events where we can give back.
We donate to organizations like Karma Teachers, who offer free yoga to those on Vancouver’s Downtown East Side to promote the act of selfless giving, and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization, which offers mentoring to youth.
We also love sharing the goals of inspiring organizations like Girlvana – which is working to promote female empowerment and consciousness in young women through yoga, meditation and a healthy lifestyle.
It makes us feel pretty great. And we think you should experience the love, too!
Mala Collective co-founders Ashley & Matt
