How this "necklace" design from an ancient Tibetan monastery is revolutionizing meditation

Let’s be honest, when you think about Tibet, you imagine beautiful monasteries nestled amongst mountains, filled by monks wearing orange robes. The last thing on your mind would be jewelry!

However, one of the most ancient monasteries in Tibet, the Drepung Monastery, is changing this perception with a powerful new "necklace" design which it developed with the help of two American jewelry designers.

The most special thing about this necklace?

It's not actually a necklace!

It's actually actually a powerful meditation aid, that just happens to also be wearable as a fashionable "necklace".

The story of how this "necklace" was created is also a heartwarming story about the American Dream and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Edward Yu and Vivian Yu are two siblings whose Tibetan parents immigrated to Laredo, Texas in the 1980s. They grew up to become top-level jewelry designers who worked with some of the most prestigious jewelry brands in America, including Mejuri and Zoë Chicco, helping to create stunning pieces of jewelry worn by celebrities like Serena Williams and Julia Roberts. 

This made them rich and successful, but not truly satisfied or happy. They wanted to design a piece of jewelry that not only looked good, but could make a positive difference to peoples wellbeing.

They discovered their golden opportunity during a three-years long trip to their parents homeland in Tibet.

During this trip, Dr. Edward Yu and Vivian Yu came across something that changed everything they thought they knew about jewelry.

It all happened at a famous Monastery that has existed for literally hundreds of years - The Drepung Monastery of Tibet.

At the Drepung Monastery, Dr. Edward Yu and Vivian Yu came across monks wearing a strange "necklace" around their necks.

It looked like this.

It's a string of beads that the monks used to count their mantras.

The "jewelry design" brain of Edward and Vivian starting getting curious. They wondered what these mysterious items were, and why every single monk at the monastery was wearing them.

With the help of a local translator, they started interviewing the monks.

Every single one of them said variations of the same thing.

"This is not a necklace!"

"It's not a necklace? But you are wearing it around your neck!" asked Vivan, via her translator.

"Yes but it isn't too look good. It is a spiritual item, for counting the mantras." said the monk.

"No no... it is not decoration. It is a spiritual friend, for travelling along the Kora", said another (the Kora is a type of spiritual pilgramage in Tibetan Buddhism).

"No it is not a necklace. It is for meditation. For the jog gom", said another monk, at the entrance of the temple (the jog gom is a special type of meditation, characterised by the mind focusing on a single object). 

It was as if a rocket was going off in the brains of Vivian and Edward.

What if everything they thought they knew about jewelry was wrong? What if the real purpose of a jewelry wasn't to look good but something much more profound and, well, spiritual?

What if they could combine everything they know about jewelry design with the ancient spiritual wisdom of these monks?

When Edward and Vivian came back home to Texas, they went straight to work. They wanted started a small company from their uncle's garage.

A spiritual jewelry company that combines their knowledge of jewelry design with the spiritual traditions of Tibet. 

As they worked on the designs, they made frequent phone calls with the monks at the Drepung Monastery (yes, the monks have phones, this isn't the 19th centry!) to ensure their authenticity and alignment with Tibetan traditions.

It wasn't long before their jewelry company took off.

It’s not just the stunning beauty and craftsmenship of their jewelry that’s taking America by storm. It's the fact that they are helping Americans meditate more effectively, remember their mantras and affirmations and discover their spiritual selves.

Their most popular product?

It's based directly off the traditional design of the ancient "necklaces" the monks at the Drepung monastery were wearing.

The only difference is the material. Instead of using wood, like the monks, they used their favourite stone that was the preferred material of their jewelry design mentors - Lapis Lazuli.

Using 108 Lapis Lazuli beads (108 is a special number in Tibetan Buddhism) and mysterious Tibetan beads known as Dzi Beads, they created the "necklace" that would put their names alongside the legends of America's jewelry industry.

The Karma Item's Lapis Lazuli Mala.