What is a real Kumlai blessing like?
Kumlais aren’t blessed by default. To be blessed, they must be brought to a temple and received during a blessing ceremony.
I’ve seen videos online from brands selling “blessed” Kumlais that show little understanding of Thai Buddhist practice and little respect for it. So I wanted to show what a real blessing looks like, from start to finish, with the video below.
The intention note
Before the ceremony, the client sent us a short note describing her intention. We translated it into Thai and printed it, so that it can be read and held during the blessing.
The offerings
We went to Wat Pha Si with the Kumlais, the printed note, and the donation in an envelope.
In the street in front of the temple, we bought a basket of daily necessities as an offering. We would usually go to the nearby market, where our team prefers to buy prepared food and fruit for the monks, but the weather that morning didn’t allow it.
The ceremony
At the Sala where blessings take place, we presented the basket and the envelope.
Then the ceremony began. The Venerable Phra Phanwit chanted while holding the Kumlais and the intention note. To conclude and give his benediction, he blew on the Kumlais.
Is it respectful to film a blessing?
Yes. In my experience, filming religious ceremonies in Thailand, such as monk blessings, is widely accepted and seen positively.
Families often attend together, and one member films the whole ceremony as a keepsake of a meritorious moment.
Every blessing we arrange comes with a video.
After the ceremony
That same day, we emailed the edited video to the client and shipped her Kumlais to her.
Request a blessing for your Kumlais
If you’d love a personalized blessing for your Kumlais, for a specific goal in your life or any other intention such as protection, prosperity or harmony in relationships, send me a short note with your request, in 50 words maximum, via the Contact page.
The base price is $60 USD / €55 EUR / £46 GBP, which includes the temple donation and offerings and a fee covering the service, the transportation and the filming and editing of the video.