Last week I did a little handiwork around the house, adding curtains to a few bare windows. This week I added some Tibetan prayer flags to the overhang on my front porch, check it out:
I know it’s not much, but they really look pretty when the wind blows. Randi found them at the “bins” in Portland (a place where everyone’s old crap goes, and you can sort through them, pick out what you want, and pay by weight). I can see them through the trees from clear across campus when I look towards my house. As always (well, most always), Wikipedia has something very nice to say about Tibetan prayer flags, and as usual it’s better than I could do:
Traditionally, prayer flags are used 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.
I’m not a Buddhist but I’m down with compassion. Have a nice day. :)
Alan
Since I began traveling out of North America in the last year and a half I’ve started to notice something profound: long hair, a beard, and sandals just screams “I am spiritual!” It’s hilarious to me because, as most of you know, I’ve never been very spiritual; I would categorize myself many ways but “spiritual” just isn’t one of them! My first experience with this was in southern India when kids on the street would walk up to me, tap me, point to my hair, and say “Sai Baba!” It wasn’t until I returned to the States when I realized what the heck they meant.