There are two
schools of thought when it comes to the hand positioning of
counting...there is the most common way with the mala over your index
finger, then there is the other with your mala over the middle finger.
I was taught to use to mala over the middle finger because the index is considered the ego...and to involve the ego in your recitations would be fruitless. The thumb is the master.
When the index finger (ego) bows to the master (thumb) it is in the shape of the "perfect" symbol or "okay" ... the two fingers make a circle and the other three are spead out. The other form of us saying okay is the "thumbs up"...the recognition of the master.
In counting you go up one side of the bead to the point where your thumb meets the first knuckle, then you proceed down the other side until the tip of your thumb meets the end of the bead that meets the thread and the next bead...mantras are to be recited in a fashion that is rhythmic and thus the fingering of your mala will become rhythmic as well.
A great mantra to use for a beginner learning to focus on the breathe is the hum-sa or so-hum mantra (Phonetic translation in Hindi is so-Ham and Ham-sah meaning I am He, He is I...In this mantra "I" refers to atman and "He" refers to Brahman. Thus the mantra affirms that the atman and Brahman are one and the same; an individual is the atman wrapped up in a physical body).
As you rise up the bead you inhale while saying HUM (this is taking in the sadness and darkness of the world) and proceeding down the bead you exhale saying SA (releasing love, light, and blessings to all). In introductory practices of loving-kindness you first learn to focus on yourself, then project to a loved one, then to your entire family, then to someone your dislike, then to your town, city, community, country, globe, universe...until you are able to feel your love and kindness glow with intensity and intention.
SO-HUM
