How do I count japa on a mālā?

use the right hand, move one bead per mantra with the thumb, start next to the meru (head bead), and turn back instead of crossing it.

A japa mālā usually has 108 beads plus one larger bead, the meru or sumeru. Hold the mālā in your right hand, draped over the middle finger (or ring finger in some traditions), and pull each bead towards you with the thumb as you complete one repetition. Most traditions avoid using the index finger, which is linked to ego and pointing.

Start with the bead next to the meru. When you complete 108 and reach the meru again, do not cross over it; turn the mālā around and go back the other way. Many people keep the hand and mālā inside a cloth bag (gomukhī) during japa, and keep the mālā off the floor.

One round is one ‘mālā’. Whether you do one, three or sixteen rounds, regularity is what matters. If you lose count, simply continue — God is not counting your mistakes.

108 beads + the meru · Source: common japa practice

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