Does anybody here ever use a mala? I never use one for Zazen, which i keep traditional, but I often do use one for a weird kind of metta practice. The mala is 108 beads, and as I sit on my Zafu, I hold the mala with my left hand and touch each bead in turn with my right thumb and forefinger, one bead per breath. Touching the first bead, I tell myself, silently, "I inhale peace, I exhale anger." For the second bead, I inhale love and exhale hate. For the third, I inhale generosity and exhale greed. I repeat these three recitations 36 times, until I have run through the strand of beads.

I learned this from a Tibetan friend and i like the practice. but, is this compatible with Zen practice?