Prayer Flag

Prayer Flags are a method for sending forth prayers for world peace, generating auspicious conditions and well-being. They are often displayed in the garden or over entries to create a peaceful meditative environment. According to Tibetan tradition, when prayer flags are hung in the wind it is believed that these Prayers may be carried out in the wind to benefit all beings.


Tibetan prayer flags or wind horse are square in shape, and traditionally printed in the color sequence of the five Buddha families; blue, white, yellow, red and green. These colors also represent the elements: earth (Yellow), water (Green), fire (Red), air/cloud (White), sky /space (Blue).

They are normally woodblock printed upon square of cottons, or more rarely upon silk and inscribed with various prayers, mantra, deity images, and auspicious signs. Tibetan Buddhists have hung Prayer flags for centuries outside their homes, and places of spiritual practice for the wind to carry the beneficent vibrations across the countryside. It’s believed that Prayer flags bring happiness, long life and prosperity to the flag planter and those in the surrounding area.



The traditional prayer flags are printed with the Wind Horse (Lung-ta) and four supernatural creatures (Garuda, Dragon, lion and tiger) are often printed upon prayer flags. These five animals, which represent the center and four directions, speedily carry these prayers as blessings upon the wind to the four corners of the earth. There are also prayer flags with Buddhist auspicious signs, protectors and enlightened beings such as Buddha, Green Tara, Padama Sambhava etc.

Prayer flags may also take the forms of long strips of prayer printed cotton, which extend along the whole length of a flagpole. Flowing valances of colored silk may also separate a series of hanging square prayer flags.

Dharma flags may be placed either inside of a building to increase the spiritual atmosphere or outdoors where the wind can carry their prayers. New prayer flags are hung at auspicious occasion, such as the Tibetan New Year festival of Losar.

 These colors represent the five elements which is earth, water, fire, cloud/air and sky.
Blue – space or sky
White – air (sometimes referred to wind or cloud)
Red – fire
Green – water
Yellow – earth

The Wind Horse (Lung-ta) carrying the “Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment”, is the most prevalent symbol used on prayer flags. It represents good fortune; the uplifting life force energies and opportunities that makes things go well.
When one’s lung-ta is low obstacles constantly arise. When lung-ta is high good
opportunities abound. Raising Wind Horse prayer flags is one of the best ways
to raise one’s lung-ta energy.




 According to Tibetan calendar there are certain days when a BADEN is present. Baden is a demon of the Naga element spirits, so raising the flags when that energy is active can actually have a negative effect. This does not apply to prayer flags which are already up, it only apply to the raising of new flags, once it is up, there is no need to take it down until they disintegrate. The dates below have been calculated according to the Tibetan Medical and Astrological institute as inauspicious days to hang  flags for year 2012-2013. 
 March - 26: April - 7, 19, 25: May - 7, 18, 23, 24: June - 4, 29: July - 10, 25: Aug - 6: Sept - 1, 14, 28: Oct - 10, 24: Nov - 6, 20: Dec - 2, 16, 29: Jan - 24: Feb - 5: 

5 roll set Pray Flag     $ 20.

Om Mai Prayer Flags    $  5.

           
Awesome set of 10 om mani prayer flags in Tibetan and English
Size: cotton set of 10 4 inch flags.