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Buddhist prayer flags, colorful panels of rectangular cloth, are often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas. They are used to bless the surrounding countryside and for other purposes. Prayer flags are believed to have originated with Bön, which predated Buddhism in Tibet.
Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the elements, and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in specific order: blue, white, red, green, and then yellow. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana. Blue symbolizes sky/space, white symbolizes air/wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. According to Traditional Tibetan medicine, health and harmony are produced through the balance of the five elements.
Prayer flags have been used for centuries to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.
By hanging flags in high places the blessings depicted on the flags are carried to all the surroundings. As wind passes over the surface of the flags which are sensitive to the slightest movement of the wind, the air is purified and sanctified by the Mantras.
The prayers of a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure to the elements. Just as life moves on and is replaced by new life, Tibetans renew their hopes for the world by continually mounting new flags alongside the old. This act symbolizes a welcoming of life's changes and an acknowledgment that all beings are part of a greater ongoing cycle.
Because the symbols and mantras on prayer flags are sacred, they should be treated with respect. They should not be placed on the ground or used in clothing. Old prayer flags should be burned.
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Stitched for a friend going through chemo, when words just didn't seem enough.
More details: www.driftwoodthimble.com/blog/the-mindfulness-quilt-praye...
Delegates pause for a moment of prayer following the May 12 morning discussion and expressions of confusion in the plenary at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference. From left are Vasylyna Babych and Laszlo Vukszta, Ukraine-Moldava Provisional Conference, and Alexander Pererva and Alexandr Meinikov from the Southern Russia Provisional Conference, Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
When the faithful prostrate themselves during prayers, they touch their foreheads to ceramic tablets such as the ones seen here.
At the Masjed-e Shah Mosque, Esfahan, Iran.
Delegates pause for a moment of prayer following the morning discussion and expressions of confusion in the May 12 plenary at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference. From left are Vasylyna Babych from the Ukraine-Moldava Provisonal Conference and Alexander Pererva and Alexandr Meinikov from the Southern Russia Provisonal Conference. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut
ロンシャンの礼拝堂
architect: Le Corbusier
location: Ronchamp, Haute-Saône, France
completion year: 1955
I play ultimate frisbee with a group of friends. This picture was uploaded for a post on striving and rest for the prayer blog.
Man praying outside the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia during Ramadan.
Personally I like the geometry, textures and colour of this photo but what do you think?
Thoughts, Comments, Critiques all welcome
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Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama lived roughly between 623 and 543 BCE and he founded Buddhism as Gautama Buddha. Lumbini is one of four magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha, the others being at Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya and Sarnath.
Lumbini, where the Buddha lived until the age of 29, has a number of temples, including the Mayadevi temple, and others under construction. Also located here is the Puskarini or Holy Pond where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he, too, had his first bath, as well as the remains of Kapilavastu palace. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate awakening and finally relinquished earthly form.
A prayer flag is a colorful panel of rectangular cloth, often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas. They are used to bless the surrounding countryside and for other purposes. Prayer flags are believed to have originated with Bön, which predated Buddhism in Tibet.
Photo I shot of a seminarian in prayer for a diocesan Catholic newspaper. I had a fairly poorly-lit chapel, and everything was an earthy-brown tone, so bouncing was out of the question. I did like, however, the contrast of the stained glass windows with the dark interior, so I wanted to use that light.
I had him kneel while holding his breviary (prayer book) in a pew, and I lit him with a bare SB-24 about 3 ft. behind and 1 ft. above him (using a human light stand)—this light was used for the rim effect on his back—as well as an SB-24 bouncing off a brolly in the front for a soft key light on his face. Everything was triggered using poverty wizards.
I like the plaque (ema) with the boy in his underwear. You circle the parts of the body you want god to cure. The one in the bottom row has every part of his body circled. Ouch!
Buddhist prayer flags are omnipresent in the eastern Himalayas.You can see them in clusters of 3-4 or see masses of them fluttering somewhere on the mountainside.There is nothing as peaceful as sitting amidst them in the deep silence listening only to the sound of the wind blowing through them gently.
“What would you think if there were a river running by the door of the house of anyone of you, and he bathed in it 5 times a day, everyday, would any trace of dirt be left on him?” The people said: “No, there would be no trace of dirt on him.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “This is like the 5 daily prayers, through which Allah cleanses you and washes away your past sins”
Bukhari & Muslim