The Prayer Flag Project
The Prayer Flag Project is a moving installation that will take place in Canada over the course of the summer 2014. The purpose of this project is to inspire people to actively participate in creating their own spiritual space and to promote community wellness. It will consist of a movable tent and strings of prayer flags that will be set up at festivals and in parks during the summer.
The project will be for people to write their own prayers for peace and happiness on blank prayer flags that the artist has created. A station will be set up in a tent that explains what the flags mean, with supplies available for people to make their own. The prayer flags will then be hung on the strings attached to the tent. Over the course of the summer the number of flags will grow and the prayers will travel all over parts of Canada and the US. This project will begin May 3rd starting at the Blossom Party festival in Alexandria.
Text in the outside of the tent-
The ancient Buddhist prayers, mantras and powerful symbols displayed on them produce a spiritual vibration that is activated and carried by the wind across the countryside. All beings that are touched by the wind are uplifted and a little happier. The silent prayers are blessings spoken on the breath of nature. Just as a drop of water can permeate the ocean, prayers dissolved in the wind extend to fill all of space.
The text on the inside of the tent-
Make your own Prayer Flag!
Spread Your Prayers Over the Countryside
What is a prayer flag?
The Buddhist prayer flag tradition has a long continuous history dating back to ancient Tibet, China, Persia and India. The Tibetan word for prayer flag is Dar Cho. “Dar” means to increase life, fortune, health and wealth. “Cho” means all sentient beings. Prayer flags are simple devices that, coupled with the natural energy of the wind, quietly harmonize the environment, impartially increasing happiness and good fortune among all living beings.
Placing prayer flags in and around one’s home or business imparts a feeling of harmony, increases the spiritual atmosphere and brings to mind the teachings of enlightenment. By placing prayer flags outdoors their sacred mantras are imprinted on the wind, generating peace and good wishes.
What do the symbols mean?
Each color corresponds to a different primary element - earth (yellow), water (green), fire (red), air (white) and space (blue) – the fundamental building blocks of both our physical bodies and of our environment. According to Eastern medicine health and harmony are produced through the balance of the 5 elements.
There are many different types of symbols on prayer flags, depending on tradition. The symbol in the middle of these flags is the Wind Horse. It represents good fortune; the uplifting life force energies and opportunities that makes things go well.
Guarding the corners are symbols for the Four Dignities - These four animals: the Garuda, the Sky Dragon, the Snow Lion and the Tiger. They represent the qualities and attitudes necessary to develop on the spiritual path to enlightenment. These are qualities such as awareness, vast vision, confidence, joy, humility and power.
What is written on a prayer flag?
Texts on prayer flags can be broadly categorized as mantra, sutra and prayers.
A mantra is a power laden syllable or series of syllables with the capacity of influencing invisible energies and forces that govern existence. They are often repeated as a form of meditation.
Sutras are texts derived from Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha who taught in India 2500 years ago.
All other texts on flags can be loosely called "prayers" and include supplications, aspirations and good wishes written by various masters throughout the history of Mahayana Buddhism.
Make your own!
When raising prayer flags proper motivation is important. If they are put up with the attitude “I will benefit from doing this” – that is an ego-centered motivation and the benefits will be small and narrow. If the attitude is “May all beings everywhere receive benefit and find happiness,” the virtue generated by such motivation greatly increases the power of the prayers.
Choose the color that you feel best represents your prayer. Then, write your prayer over and over until you fill the space. Take the flag and hang it up and let the wind spread your good wishes and extend to fill all space!
(The majority of explanatory text taken from the article
from Timothy Clark at Radiant Heart Studio.)
Look for this project during the summer and be sure to add a flag!