Namaste’s life stones

Friday, February 4, 2011

FAITH will save those who believe.

For six years Alice Balinggan – Shakya, proprietor of Namaste, has been giving hope to those who choose to take it.

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Six years ago Shakya started with the idea of opening up the Nepal-inspired curio shop in the city with little hope it would click. Now people come in droves from all over the country, inspiring her to keep on. “We exist because people are there for me,” Alice said.

The small shop at Porta Vaga mall along Session road is lined with strands of Citrine, Clear Quartz, Black Onyx, Jade, Red Agate, Amethyst, Tiger’s Eye, and Smokey Quartz. There are over 180 stones to choose from. Apart from stones, local wood art, metal, gold and copper accessories are also available.

This year, Shakya received testimonies from customers claiming stones from the shop have given good business, better family relations and improved career paths. “There are success stories and they touch my heart.”

The testimonies come from doctors, lawyers, businessmen and even housewives who have chosen to make the sacred stones a part of their lives. Shakya says the stone crystals when worn go side by side with your body vibes, making it a personal piece.

“We advise the customers, we talk to them on what stones they need and they tell us their stories, it is a personal experience for each one of them.”  

Namaste has loyal customers from as far as Cebu, Pampanga, Manila, Daguapn and Subic with more coming in every month with various needs and wants. “Different stones attract different people,” Shakya said.

Shakya is a Cordilleran who married a Nepalese. Her mother hails from Mankayan, Benguet, from a Kanakaney tribe while her father is from the lowlands. Innocent of highland folk’s penchance for charms she started selling goods from Nepal in 2004 during the Baguio Flower Festival.

For the month long festival, Shakya will have a booth at Baguio Flower Festival’s Session Road in Bloom, going back to where she started years ago, bringing her products closer to the people.

Six years ago, the shop started with shawls, clothes and native crafts. However, business became brisk. Namaste Philippines was then born. The shop has branches all over the world like Spain, Korea, Nepal, Hong Kong and China serving those who believe in the power of stones, with their simple beauty and renowned power to heal and harness good vibes. 

Soon Namaste will open shop in Dagupan City in the summer if plans go well. It will make the precious, rare and semi-precious stones more accessible for those who believe in them or for those who simply want them as accessories.

Namaste also sells masks, metal crafts and Tibetan and Nepalese traditional crafts, prayer wheels and carvings. Bestsellers include beads, necklaces, and pashmina scarves.

Namaste attendant Meg Reyes said although it is the year of the rabbit, those born under the Chinese sign are not that lucky. In fact tough times face this lunar sign.

Reyes said, “It will be very tough for those born under the year of the rabbit, health, career, wealth and love problems will hound those born under this year.”

Proper stones to thwart ill luck are needed to survive the trying year, cautioning these will not stop the bad vibes but will help prevent it.

Reyes said the luckiest signs this year are those born under the year of the Dragon, Monkey, Dog and Sheep. Those under the year of the goat will have an average to fair chance of attaining what they want.

Dragon signed people will be lucky but have to watch out for being overconfident while Rabbit signed folks should look out for a rocky love life, with a third party problem looming.

Reyes said often times people confuse the shop as a fortune telling booth, often asking for predictions. She would then explain the power of stones and the ability of people to control their lives.

“I don’t want people to keep on spending their money here, we guide them on the essentials that they need and advice them on how to control their lives, with the stones merely helping them in their journey,” Shakya stressed.