Japa Mala Bead FAQ
This is the frequently asked questions about our mala bead company. If you have a general question about mala beads or japa meditation, please visit our japa & mala FAQ page.
Are your gemstones genuine/natural?
Yes, all of our gemstones are 100% genuine, but many of our stones are enhanced in some way by the manufacturer (which is typical for the entire gemstone industry). We do purchase the best quality and most natural stones available. We do not use any plastic or glass (or any other type of fake beads) in our malas.
Are your sandalwood, tulsi, bodhi seed, or lotus seed malas made of genuine materials?
Yes, we import our sandalwood malas direct from reputable sources in India and Nepal.
What kind of bone do you use in your malas?
Our bone beads are from Yak or Water Buffalo that have naturally perished.
How are your malas blessed?
We bless our malas during a simple yet potent ceremony just before shipping them out. Â We bless them with incense, light, prayer/mantra/sacred sound, and intention.
Can you use any mantra with any mala, or is it better to stick to your suggestions?
You are free to use any mantra with any mala that you wish; our mantra suggestions are just suggestions based on the energetic properties of the materials used in creating the malas.
Where are your malas made?
Most of our malas are made by us in our studio workshop in Asheville, NC. Â If the mala is not made by us, then it is indicated on the individual product page. Â We import some malas from India and Nepal.
Where are you located at?
We are in Asheville, NC.
Why am I being charged tax?
We only charge tax for orders that have a shipping or billing address in NC. If you do not have an NC address and you are still getting charged tax make sure North Carolina is NOT anywhere on the page.  Check “Calculate Shipping Price” and “Your billing/contact details” and “Shipping details.”  If NC is on any of those sections, the cart will add sales tax.
Do you have a store in Asheville?
No, our mala studio is not open to the public.
Can you ship my order overnight?
Yes. Choose “FedEx Overnight” as your shipping option. Due to the exorbitant cost, we do not offer overnight or express shipping for international orders.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, but there are a few countries that we do not ship to due to PayPal not accepting payments from those countries. You may be charged extra handling or customs fees depending on your country’s customs and international delivery policy.
Do you do custom malas?
Yes. Please contact us to discuss the details of what you would like created. Â It is easiest for us to modify an existing design to suit your needs. Â Please note that the sale of all custom orders is final.
Do you have any coupons?
Maybe… we occasionally we offer coupons on our Facebook page and through our newsletter. If you don’t see any coupons on those sources, then we do not have any current ones available. We do not know in advance when coupons will be publicized. We keep our prices as low as possible so we cannot offer any individual coupons or discounts.