Hi, I’m Karissa. I am a yoga teacher and artist. I design and make gemstone mala necklaces and bracelets with intention, healing, and beauty in mind.
Mokṣa (mok-sha) is a Sanskrit word that in its most spiritual form refers to freedom or liberation from saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth. Some texts include freedom from limitations leading to self-discovery/self-knowing as well as freedom from physical or psychological pain and suffering.
I chose the name Moksa Yoga when I started teaching yoga a number of years ago. The teachings of yoga asana helped me heal the back pain I’d experienced for years. The spiritual teachings of yoga started me down the path of healing my relationship with spirituality.
Shortly after I started teaching yoga I taught myself how to restring and knot my first mala. I hoped to use my mala to deepen my mediation practice. A practice that was, and still is very challenging for me. While I still don’t have much of a traditional mediation practice, the practice of making malas became very meditative for me. Making malas and bracelets has uncovered a creative side of me I didn’t know existed and rekindled my childhood love of crystals.
Malas for a cause
I believe in doing good for those around me and for the environment. I founded Moksa Malas on the premise of giving back to something that was very important to me, animal rescue. I am a mama to four rescue animals, two dogs, Lela and Cooper (below), and two cats, Kali and Artemis. A portion of your purchase supports animal rescues across the country. Additionally, every order is packaged in reused and/or recyclable materials.
