Custom Malas and Prayer Tools - DestinationOM.com

Welcome to Destination OM

UPDATE: Presently living and working in Bodhgaya, India (until my return to the shop in Canada on June 5th). The first two photos in this sequence are from my room in Bodhgaya where I am busy working away at making malas; from my seat I can stare at the top of MahaBodhi Temple; the temple that enshrines the tree that Buddha obtained enlightenment under.

My assistant Catherine will respond to all emails and send you your order by post from Saltspring Island. I will be making malas from India and sending them in bulk to Saltspring Island where they will be distributed to stores, individuals, and sold at markets and festivals.

All malas will be made by me (from Bodhgaya, India) while all wrist malas will be made by Catherine from the Saltspring Island location. 

(NOTE: If you are interested in a CUSTOM MALA then you can contact destinationom@yahoo.ca and I can post a custom mala directly to you from Bodhgaya, India once we decide on the finished product. Some customers are leery of the India Post so if this is the case feel free to order directly off the website since they will all be posted out from the Saltspring Island, BC CANADA location)

Destination OM is growing and I am in the process of adding new prayer related items to the site. For example, I have recently interviewed two artisan locations in Orissa where you will be able to watch them make the items I am selling (UNDER THE LINK CALLED TRAVEL VIDEOS).

NEW ITEMS: Bamboo inscribed images of Hindu gods, Paintings of dieties, ayurvedic incense and oils, neem beads, coffee stained yak bone beads, and more.

KEEP RETURNING TO THE SITE TO SEE WHAT NEW ITEMS ARE ADDED...on a weekly basis. At the moment there are more than 40 new yak bone malas made and awaiting some time for me to post them.

April 16, 2008 - India - Brian McIntyre

SIGNATURE: The most obvious design that sets these malas apart from others is that I incorporate a "stretcher" into every mala which is a slip knot placed either at the top of the mala (opposite the guru bead) or as the guru bead iteself. This slip knot allows for the practitioner to choose the spacing between the beads ideal for them by sliding the stretcher this can be accomplised.

I learned how to make malas in Bodhgaya, India (where the Buddha obtained enlightenment) and continue to get many of my supplies from the Northern region of India. All the thread I use for the tassles and malas come from the shop where I studied.

All malas are hand made by me (unless otherwise stated) and come with a GUARANTEE FOR LIFE! I repair the malas for FREE! You post me back the beads and I post you back a newly strung mala. With love. I don't want to see a mala go unused, and they do break in time...so this is why I have this guarantee.

Do you think I need a mala?

Well the good thing about a mala is that while you are sitting in meditation you can use the beads to count inhale and exhale...and if you become focused on a certain path then you will have mantras to recite.

The benefit to counting on a mala is that you are able to gauge the time that you have been sitting in meditation. Often times our mind wanders, we get frustrated or "fidgety" and wonder "Is it over yet?" :) But with a mala, you know how long it takes for you to do a "full round (108)"...so maybe it takes you 40 minutes to do 108 beads (counting your inhale and exhale).

In the taming of the mind and overcoming its ability to force you out of meditation...you can entertain it at times be knowing "how much longer you have". As you become better at your meditations and your ability to sit becomes longer...you can lengthen your inhales and exhales or begin reciting mantras.

One mantra that is commonly used is "OM MANI PADME HUNG" (pronounced Hoong)...direct translation "The jewel is in the lotus" meaning "The jewel is within."

Quick Mala Links

Click for Indian Bodhi seed malas

Click for Natural Yak Bone malas

Click for Lotus seed malas

Click for Rosewood malas

Click for Antique and Mixed

KEEP AN EYE ON THE SITE!

Destination OM elevates to new levels as new stock arrives from overseas and the funds from sales begin to flow into communities where I have been myself and met the people. I travel throughout Asia looking for supplies but at the same time looking for locals to employ as buyers of mine.
I travel around the markets with them and show them WHO I want to buy from and what it is. I arrange to keep in contact either by phone or email and pay them a wage for buying for me.

As this business and concept have grown I have been given property to build on in Bodhgaya, India (where the Buddha obtained enlightenment). This is also a location where I get a large amount of the prayer beads (manly Bodhi and Lotus seeds). With this honour becomes a great responsibility to you as a buyer and to my friends as suppliers.
As we all work together in a purpose higher than our own, I show you what I have to offer. I make all these malas myself and you can contact me at destinationom@yahoo.ca for custom orders.

New items are ALWAYS arriving and this site is far from a stagnant brochure based site so if you are interested in purchasing from this site then please sign up to the corresponding page on the left under "get email updates" and you will be informed of any changes to this page.

I have to thank you all for being a part of this greater vision. With love. Look, read, and enjoy.