Thousands of Tibetans, including the 14th Dalai Lama had to flee from their country and live in exile around the world.

 

Their Prayer Flags continue to represent the tradition of sending out prayers, but they also remind us of a nation of gentle people who have been robbed of their home. Prayer flags are still stamped with prayers and hung to let the wind carry their messages in Tibetan refugee villages.

 

Most of the Tibetan Prayer Flags we see today are made in those communities. And so, people around the world have adopted the custom of hanging Prayer Flags to commemorate special events and to transmit their blessings.

It has been suggested by contemporary Tibetans that we create our own prayer flags by imprinting them with poems, prayers and symbols from the great faiths of the world in hopes of uniting them in a spirit of peace and harmony. The Peace Flag Project provides the opportunity for people to make flags that express their wishes for the world. The flags may be hung indoors, but they are intended to be strung up outside where the wind will disperse their messages. After some time the prayer flags will fade and fray (they purposely are not hemmed) symbolizing the natural passing of all things. When that happens, the flags are to be burned to release the last of their prayers and then replaced by new flags that contain our renewed wishes. Or you may simply put new ones over the old ones.

Every time you look at the flags, let them remind you to continue to send out your own prayers for world peace, kindness and generosity.

As you do so, you will also benefit from their blessings.