How wonderful! I saw it is important in which direction do you hang the prayer flags. Well post updates on our Facebook page as soon as we hear more. is this not adding pollution to our planet? Each color on these flags is not just for good looks, but these colors symbolize an element. Despite the many deep complexities of Buddhism there is a tendency for people to think they have an understanding of the religion from a single meme or a Dalai Lama coffee-table book. You can choose to say a mantra if you wish. I will be moving shortly. Description. The Auspicious Time to Put up a Flag is During the Tibetan New Year. Is it ok if the few flags which will hang against the wide support poles dont get to blow in the wind as much as the other flags? The video advertisement also featured people receiving the type of halo Gotama is often depicted post-enlightenment, the minute they sit down to meditate. How is the best way to use it? I would like to know, since other bereaved parents have inquired how we did it, and if it would be better to use blank flags made in a different way (ie not blessed prayer flags) we would tell them that in future. Yes, we dont think that is a problem. (Note: Bambu Batu cannot be held accountable if for some reason your misuse of prayer flags results in bad karma.). WHEREAS, the 71 st observance of the National Day of Prayer will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2022, with the theme, "Exalt The Lord Who Has Established Us,"; and, WHEREAS, a National Day of Prayer has been a part of our heritage since it was declared by the First Continental Congress in 1775; and, WHEREAS, a Public Law established in the United States Congress in 1952 approved by a Joint . Bamboo Symbolism in Mythology and Folklore, Bamboo and Community in Uganda: Okere City. Rice Cooker and Dough Maker at Dolma Ling, Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Tibetan Nuns Project, How to Make Your Chicken Coop Cute! 10. If they touch the ground accidentally, just collect them and touch them to your forehead a few times, saying a short prayer (like Om mani padme hum) with sincerity and the wish to end suffering for all sentient beings. Dear Leslie, Its not a bad thing to hang prayer flags indoors. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, The quality or purity of any spiritual practice is determined by the individuals intention and motivation. Wishing you every happiness, Mary. Meaning if the wind blows West to East does the blue start in the North or South? It is always important to treat prayer flags with respect and the intention to end the suffering of all sentient beings. The reason why those streamers are known as prayer flags is that there are numerous Buddhism sutras printed on them. Dear Alanna, Were so sorry that you keep losing your prayer flags to squirrels. Perhaps there is a Buddhist temple or meditation center near you that you can give them to. First came the Free Tibet t-shirts and bumper stickers, iconic symbols of grassroots organizing and international awareness, even before the era of MySpace and TedTalks. As you are burning the prayer flags, you should try to remember the intentions with which the prayer flags were made and blessed and have compassion for all sentient beings. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bambubatu_com-leader-1','ezslot_11',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bambubatu_com-leader-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bambubatu_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',122,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bambubatu_com-leader-1-0_1');.leader-1-multi-122{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Popular inner-city Asian clothes and furniture chain Ishka offer you "karma cards" as a loyalty program. Your Consumption of Buddhism Is Self-Serving I'm not going to knock mindfulness. One should not have selfish or limiting thoughts. Ones intention is important. Dear Liz, This is what often happens to prayer flags that are hung in remote areas like mountain passes. Traditionally, Tibetan prayer flags come in sets of five: one in each of the five colors that correspond with the 5 Elements of Chinese theory. Order Gyaltsen Tsenpo prayer flags in three sizes here. Unlike some other religions from the East, Buddhism is highly romanticised in Western eyes. You can hang them with the printed prayers facing the direction you want. When disposing of old prayer flags one should burn them so that the smoke may carry their blessings to the heavens. Hi. Quickly place the thread on the glue and flatten it with your fingers. Many different founding texts are used by the different schools and the Suttas (the earliest recordings of the Buddha's life) alone compiled together are enough to fill a small book-shelf. They hang in the garden where they gently fade and fray and beautifully demonstrate impermanence. Blue, white, red, green and yellow, the colors also signify the five elements: sky, air, fire, water and earth, respectively. Thank you so much for purchasing products made by the nuns. She also brings about longevity, protects earthly travel, and guards her followers on their spiritual journey to enlightenment. Khata scarves are the most common Tibetan gifts. Sutras or mantras from three pillars of the great Buddhist Bodhisattvas, conveying things like peace, wisdom, and strength are written on them. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam. They should not touch the ground. But its always better to know the rules before you break the rules. Ive been told synthetic material shouldnt be burned because of harm to the environment. At the end of the day Buddhism is a religious tradition that dates back more than 2500 years and not a fad or something you "discovered" on your holiday to Thailand. Is it OK to tie the prayer flags to my pack when I climb in the mountains ? Would this be disrespectful? The Tibetan people have a long history and relationship with spirituality in their cultureso much so, that almost any thought of Tibet conjures up images of monks and temples in our minds. When hanging prayer flags one should wish that all beings everywhere will benefit and find happiness. TIBETAN PRAYER FLAGS Brief Info On Tibetan Prayer Flag Sets. The first is a long rope hung with a five-color square cloth (blue, white, red, green and yellow) in accordance with the order, printed with the Buddha's teachings as well as patterns of birds and beasts, which are commonly seenon sparsely populated mountains. I hope you enjoy! If so is it ok to create pieces of colored fabric that has their names, mimicking a prayer flag? If you are hanging the prayer flags to make yourself happy, then you can have the prayers facing in toward you or you can face the prayers outwards to spread out to the world. Therefore, burying it in the ground ensures that its components cannot be released into these vital global systems. I am interested in your thoughts on this. I found a set of Tibetan prayer flags at my grandmothers house on the floor in her kitchen and don't know if I can still fly them or if I should just This was a blog post written by the Tibetan Nuns Project, does that answer your question? Tibetan tradition considers prayer flags to be holy. The horizontal flags, known as Lung-ta or "Wind Horse", are either square or rectangular and are strung along the longest edge in a row between two high points or a high point and the ground. Traditionally, Tibetan prayer flags come in sets of five, with one flag in each of five colors, left to right in this specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. Like a tie-dye t-shirt or a Bob Marley tattoo, the Tibet prayer flags signified membership in certain segment of society. There are Two Kinds of Flags- Horizontal and Vertical. Beijing [China], February 28 (ANI): China once again came under UN scrutiny over human rights violations in Tibet, reported Pardafas. Sep 13, 2019 | Alternative Lifestyle, Bambu Batu, Eastern Philosophy | 0 comments, If you step foot into a yoga studio, take a look inside a university dorm room, or pay a visit to a bohemian neighborhood, you are sure to see a few strings of Tibetan prayer flags. i have recently purchased two sets of prayer flags, and was wondering how often i should be moving them around my altar? And some of the text on the prayer flags are purely selected from Buddhist tantra mantras, such as the White Parasol Mantra on the Great Prayer Flag. Buddhists added their own texts to increase the power of the flags. Where can I hang it? What is order of single colour vertical prayer flags, if I wish to display on both sides of my entry gate? Fortunately, mine are all cotton, because Ive ordered them from the Tibetan Nuns Project store. The five colors are arranged from left to right in a specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. Color Symbolic Meaning live, learn and work. Tibetan prayer flags fly from many porches across the inner-city, Bunning's Warehouse sells Buddha statues and water-features and Big W sells paintings of the Buddha. I hope this is understandable . Buddhism in Western Society My idea is that all of the materials that go to make up the prayer flags come from the ground Eventually they will go back to the ground, one way or another.through fire to ash or natural decomposition in the air to be carried by the natural processes, recycled to earth again. The festival is celebrated to commemorate when Sakyamuni (Buddha) attained enlightenment, and is typically observed by visiting temples, lighting lanterns and practising kindness and generosity. Either is fine. THEY ARE ALL PLASTIC NOWADAYS. Phone: 805.316.1233Email: mail@bambubatu.com. For the well-known Six-Character Mantra, it does not have one particular meaning. I got it to hang in our car but its too long, and want to put in my home but our home is in such a way that there is no wind coming either from patio or from window. Dear Mariellen, This is not a question weve encountered before, but your intention is what matters. Dear Michelle, Yes it is totally fine to string multiple sets of prayer flags together and this is commonly done. These jewels represent the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community) which are the three cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition. Eventually, the prayer flags will fade and can be replaced with new prayer flags. What can I do? Some people have asked whether it is appropriate for non-Buddhists to display Tibetan prayer flags. Hi! As a memorial to him we purchased prayer flags from a local Buddhist community, and adhered images cut from his many beloved T-shirts to the blank backs of the flags. Lha gyal lo, I have a dear friend who has died and spent most of her adult life in Nepal. No you do not have to burn them and get replacements. I understand the order and colour of the flags but does it matter if the blue flag is first when hanging them or the yellow flag first ending with the blue? However, they are really meant to be hung outside where the winds can carry their prayers to all sentient beings. I want to be able to see them all dancing in the wind but the middle ones are wrapped up! 5. White for air. Ajahn Brahmavamso, a well-known British Theravada monk based in Perth, illustrates the importance of mindfulness being accompanied by the Buddhist Triple-Gem foundations of Sila (morality), Samadhi (concentration/peace of mind) and Panna (wisdom), as similar to a cat that stalks with the intention to kill. I live in a desert so I am a bit lost. Therefore, taking prayer flags to your friend after your visit to Tibet is the right thing to do. They were cut, retied, flags cut from the strand then thrown on the ground, in my yard. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Each hue signifies an element and the flags are always arranged in a specific order, from left to right: blue, white, red, green, yellow. Mariusz. The Tara prayer flags have a lovely image of Tara in the center. The old-style marriage is that the man and the woman are married under the arrangement of their parents. If youve enjoyed these reflections on Tibetan prayer flags, you might also enjoy some of the following articles about Buddhism and Eastern spirituality. Should I remove the flag and respectfully burn it or simply reattach it? In the mountains of Nepal and Tibet, the tradition dates back to at least the 11th century. It's a great way to stay To those familiar with the symbolic language, the message is clear. He is predominantly a follower of Theravada Buddhism. Right now I have mine hanging in a southern direction in my bedroom window. Would it be disrespectful to sew stone beads to the rope holding the prayer flags? What was left of them, in the tree, I brought inside. I am moving to a new home, can I hang the prayer flags I currently have at my old home? Can I use Tibetan prayer flags? Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. So this could be photos, prayer flags, thangkas, etc. I recently got beautiful prayer flags as a gift from my friend, I am a student in college and we are not allowed to hang items by the window (fire hazard) the best place I can hang them without it being a hazard is on my wall with the most sunlight.. is this appropriate ? The key is, as you clearly know, to try to dispose of prayer flags with the greatest respect possible. Traditionally, Tibetan prayer flags are hung left to right in this specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. In Tibet, the tradition of hanging flags began more than 2,000 years ago. Prayer flags are made of block-printed fabric using traditional printing techniques going back hundreds of years. Prayer Flags Must Be Treated With Respect Considered sacred, and therefore must be given utmost respect are the prayer flags and the text, mantras, and symbols. Dear Wendy, The prayer flags could be doubled back or looped if need be. Are Tibetan prayer flags appropriation? The contrast between old and new prayer flags is a reminder of impermanence and the continuing cycle of birth and death. Palden Lhamo They should not be placed on the ground or put in the trash. However, prayer flags hung at the nunneries are taken down each year, burned, and replaced with new prayer flags at Tibetan New Year. You don't have to be a Bhuddist to hang prayer flags, but there is a right way to hang them. Your email address will not be published. Theyre made of paper and I think Id need separate them and pull out the string in order to recycle them. Maybe I will put them in a bag for Goodwill or another place that accepts donations. In any case, here are some signs your practice may be causing harm through cultural appropriation. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bambubatu_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bambubatu_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bambubatu_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',113,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bambubatu_com-large-leaderboard-2-0_1');.large-leaderboard-2-multi-113{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. We have 20 Acres half of which is left to nature. The key is to try to dispose of your prayer flags with the greatest respect possible. ): if they are hung on a balcony, is this the view of them from the inside, or from the outside? Made by Nuns; Japanese Incense . Since you have some synthetic prayer flags hanging on your patio now, when you want to replace them, perhaps you can take the old ones out into a forest or natural place and hang them on a tree. Each hue signifies an element and the flags are always arranged in a specific order, from left to right: blue, white, red, green, yellow. You can buy Tibetan prayer flags through the Tibetan Nuns Project online store. We would suggest that it is better not to take apart the set of prayer flags. At the same time, he managed to bring Tibetan Buddhism, or at least some version of it, into the forefront of popular Western culture. The five colors are arranged in a specific order from left to right: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. With so many now made from synthetics, safe, respectful disposal has become a real challenge. Tibetan prayer flags are flown without any understanding or consideration of their religious meaning. In the highlands of the Himalayas, devotees hang their prayer flags far and wide. We are moving and our old prayer flags need to be taken down. Each set of prayer flags has five colors representing the different elements: blue for sky, white for clouds, red for space, green for water . The third type of prayer flag is composed of five pieces of colorful streamers without lettering and a single color trimmed main banner square cloth, which are printed with Buddha's teachings and patterns of birds and animals. They believe that God will help those who hang prayer flags. I truly love this idea to give thanks to our well being and compassion for all life! Your question about prayer flags is not one that we have encountered before. As a writer and consultant, Fred is a leading voice in the world of bamboo. Presenting Khata expresses good wishes and respect. Normally they are hung outdoors so the prayers can be carried by the wind, but people do hang them inside too. The issue of burning synthetic prayer flags doesnt not really come up for them because their prayer flags, like the ones we sell in our online store, are made of cotton. It is considered disrespectful too if the Buddhist flags lay down on the ground or keep still. Well, getting these prayer flags as a gift from someone is considered a good omen. Meditation shouldn't be limited to Buddhism, but it's important to acknowledge where it comes from and its traditions. The new-style marriage is that men and women have the freedom to choose their spouses but still follow the etiquette of the traditional Tibetan wedding. The Peace Flag Project is based on the Prayer Flags of Tibet. Thank you. As the flags like people age and die, we must replace them, setting out new prayers and intentions. It's a Tibetan indigenous religion. Almost every monastery enshrines her. And while easily accessible teachers - such as some of the works of the Dalai Lama - should be welcomed and celebrated, it's important to remember that you don't know everything there is to know about Buddhism from reading one book of quotes. Check the top 10 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The colors blue and white represent the sky, the air, red represents fire, green represents water, and yellow represents earth. These prayer flags are often tied to willow branches and can be seen everywhere on the roofs of buildings in Lhasa's old town. Tibetan Prayer Flags. If that is not possible, then you can bury them underground in a clean place. Does this have any symbolic meaning? One of the goals is to spread their blessings outward so over the entrance might be good, but over the altar is good too. Yes, you can hang the prayers outside your house. For hundreds of years of history, hanging prayer flags has become a traditional custom in Tibetan regions, which is a self-cultivation way. Ideally, people hang their flags on sunny, windy days. In the end, whether youre praying, meditating or interior decorating, its the intention that matters most. You can always hang new ones along with the old ones. Buddhist Prayer flags On April 15, 2020, hundreds of Michiganders turned up in the state's . Make sure this fits by entering your model number. According to Tibetan Buddhism, those five colors are related to the five Buddhas and five kinds of wisdom, which increases the mystery of Tibetan prayer flags. Thank you, Daniel. I have never heard this step from anyone else. Instead of getting Buddhist monks to promote the project, they got an array of Western scientists and academics to testify that the benefits of meditation have been proven "real" according to Western science (in case you thought monks have been practicing it for 2500 years for no reason). Prayer flags are believed to have originated within the religious tradition of Bon. As Buddhism grows in the West, it is natural that the initial points of contact will be through the pre-socialised systems of reasoning. First used in the Bon religion, an early form of Tibetan Buddhism, they symbolized natural elements through association with primary . Janet, thanks for your question. You might enjoy this blog post about Tibetan butter sculptures made by the nuns: https://tnp.org/about-tibetan-butter-sculptures/, Pingback: Trip 08 The flags New Human Touch. This is a common prayer flag, especially at New Year, symbolizing new ventures and beginnings. 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