This way of using olive cores for making prayer beads or malas is well-known in the Middle East.

In the mysticism of the region, the Olive Tree holds a special place. Enduring the difficulties of the sun, the cold, the arid conditions and despite the rough terrain, it possesses exceptional longevity, generously offering its fruit and the best oil for our health.

It is a symbol of the divine essence which flows in man, despite the difficulties of life in an imperfect world. Just as we extract its oil, which gives light to lamps, we must extract, from our own current of existence, the subtle essence which flows in us, and concentrate it in a niche at our heart to serve as a flame of illumination.


"Allah is the light of heavens and earth;
A likeness of His Light is as a niche in which is a lamp,
The lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a shining star, like an atom,
Lit from a blessed olive tree,
Neither eastern nor western,
Its oil giving light though fire touch it not.
Light upon light.
Allah guides to His light whom He pleases."

The Holy Koran, "Light", 24.35


The dove of Noah brought an olive branch, after the decay of man and the divine wrath; this tree is today a symbol of universal peace.

The leaf of the olive tree is green on one side and white on the other. It is not rare that the wind, the sun and the play of shadow set the hills ablaze with a silver fire.

In presenting these malas of Olive cores, we hope that they carry all these qualities and spread them in the life of the followers who they serve.

May a thousand suns light your inner life!!!

The olive cores have been emersed in bees wax enriched with the essence of a multitude of herbs and fragrant materials as well as propolis.

If you would like to make your own mala in olive cores, you can find the method at this address:

http://www.buddhaline.net/annuaieredubouddhisme/goodies_mala.html