Light Force Ministries

My new bf is on his journey through Buddhism and I thought that Mala Beads might be a nice gift for Valentine's day. Would this be an appropriate gift from me or are these something that would come from another buddhist? dharma teacher? I'm fairly ignorant to the ways of Buddhism.

The Buddhist rosary consists of 108 beads. Even the old name of the Christian rosarium is an imitation of the Buddhist rosary. The Sanskrit japa-mâlâ, a garland for recitation, was taken as a japâ-mâlâ, a garland of roses. The “original” reading is, of course, japa, not japâ.

To anyone familiar with Dattatreya Siva Baba (or Sri Siva and he's possibly known by other names - I only recently gotten into his work) I have a question about the mantras.

Right now, I'm only chanting Thiru Neela Kantam (the karma-busting mantra). I think you have to do that everyday since karma is continuous. Today since I've found a useful rosary to act as mala beads, I've started doing 108 repetitions of Om Nama Sivaya. Those are the two mantras I most likely will be chanting everyday.

But I want to know what's the time period for mantras? I want to start chanting other mantras for negativity or beauty but it seems as if I " should wait " a few weeks or so to finish clearing up my karma. Is that how it works? Or should I continuously chant Om Nama Sivaya and everything else once in awhile?

I would like to hear if saying the rosary in Catholicism or doing the beads (japa) in Hinduism or in Buddhism has had any effect on anyone's spiritual life in any way.
I'm asking not as a skeptic. I'd like to hear if there have been any changes in how you feel, like feelings of peace or greater spiritual awareness, any kind of subtle change.
Please share your stories.