Rudraksh is the seed of a particular tree species which usually grows at a certain altitude in the mountains — mainly in the Himalayan region. Rudraksh has a very unique vibration. You might have noticed that when you go to a new place, in some places you can fall asleep easily whereas in certain other places you cannot fall asleep even if you are physically tired. This is because if the situation around you is not conducive to your kind of energy, it will not let you settle down. A rudraksh is a very good support because it creates a cocoon of your own energy. It is a very good tool for a person who constantly eats and sleeps in different places.
A rudraksh is also a kind of shield against negative energies. It is possible for some people to use negative energies to cause harm to somebody else. There need not be a huge fear about such things, but a rudraksh is a kind of protection from that.
The number of faces a rudraksh can have varies from a single face up to 21 faces. They are used for different purposes so it would be improper to just buy some rudraksh in the shop and put it on the body, but a five-faced rudraksh or a Panchamukhi is safe and good for everybody. It is for general well-being, health and freedom; it lowers your blood pressure, calms your nerves and brings a certain calmness and alertness in your nervous system.
A guru usually energises a rudraksh in different ways for different kinds of people. For people in family situations, the rudraksh is energised in one way. For a sanyasi, the rudraksh is energised in a completely different way.
The rudraksh was always dealt with by people who held it as a sacred duty in their lives. Traditionally, for generations they dealt only in rudraksh. But once the demand became too much, commerce came in. In India, there is another seed called badraksh which is a poisonous seed. To look at, it is exactly like rudraksh. Only if you take it in your hand and if you are sensitive, will you know the difference. This is a poisonous seed; it should not be worn on the body, but this is being sold as rudraksh in many places. So it is important that you get your rudraksh from a trusted source. If you have chosen to purify your life, rudraksh is a good tool, an aid, a little support on the way. When somebody is walking the spiritual path, he wants to use every little support that he can find on the way to see that he enhances himself, and rudraksh is definitely a very good support.
