Tibetan Prayer Flags

Visitors to Tibet and Tibetan communities around the world witness many unique cultural traditions. One of them is the practice of suspending brightly colored cloth flags in high places, allowing them to flap in the breeze until they disintegrate. These are called Tibetan prayer flags. Constructed out of new material, flags are embellished with images, mantras (prayers). They are suspended in the air because it is believed that the wind activates and empowers the flags’ messages. Prayer flags hang in abundance off of buildings, posts and even high mountain passes.

Designed to aid in spiritual practice and to facilitate business undertakings and travel, prayer flags originate in astrological and religious traditions. The colors of the flags represent different elements: white represents wind, yellow stands for earth, blue embodies water, red emulates fire, green is neutral. Black fabric is never used to make a prayer flag. The mantra "Om mane padme hum" frequently appears on prayer flags. This mantra means "Hail to the jewel and the lotus," and refers to Chenrezig, the tenet of compassion, a central deity of Buddhism. Another popular image on prayer flags is that of a wind horse, or lungta in Tibetan. In fact, prayer flags are frequently referred to as lungta.

White horses are legendary animals in Tibetan culture. Shenrab, the founder of the Bon religion, which preceded Buddhism in Tibet, was led into the country by his magical white horse. As a result, horses are seen as carriers of religion. Another important cultural figure who had an important relationship with white horses was Gesar of Ling. This mythological hero had a spirited winged horse. According to tradition, Gesar was sent by the gods to Tibet to restore heaven on earth. Exiled from his home, the Land of Ling (present day Kham), by his uncle, Gesar reclaimed his territory and rightful bride by winning a race with his powerful horse.

Embellished with symbols of vitality and messages conveying key Buddhist concepts, prayer flags frequently hang until they are reduced to shreds, literally dissolving in air. They demonstrate the manner in which Buddhism is a unifying element of Tibetan culture.

Key Terms

mantra - Syllables or words set apart for the worship of a deity

lungta - Windhorse or prayer flag

om mane padme hum - "Hail to the jewel and the lotus"

compassion - Deep feeling of sympathy or the sharing of suffering with others

Chenrezig - Deity of compassion

deity - A buddha or bodhisattva, a divine being

Making a Prayer Flag

Objectives

1. Students will understand how prayer flags are used in Tibetan culture (historical and cultural understanding).

2. Students will learn about the materials, designs and methods used to create prayer flags and what they symbolize (perceiving, analyzing and responding).

3. Students will find different solutions in the process of creating a wish flag by exploring materials, design, line, shape, color and printmaking techniques. (creating and performing).

Materials

Paper, pencils or pens, damp sponge pieces, styrofoam food trays, scissors, water soluble printing ink, brayers, plexiglass or cookie sheets, fabric squares or rectangles (white, red, yellow, green or blue), newspaper.

Motivation

1. Show photos (if available) of different styles of prayer flags in context, i.e., hanging on mountaintops, on tops of homes, etc. or look at several different styles of prayer flags. (You can get them at a local Tibetan market or meditation supply store.)

2. Explain the custom of hanging prayer flags to generate beneficial experiences for all beings. Discuss the imagery of Tibetan prayer flags and their significance.

3. Have students think about wishes for themselves and other living things. What are their wishes? How can they represent them with shapes, writing and/or figures?

Procedure

1. Students sketch their ideas for wish flag designs on paper. Remember to tell them that because this is a printmaking project, the image will be reversed. This is especially relevant if they would like to include writing in their design.

2. Cut off the vertical edges of the styrofoam food trays, creating a flat smooth surface of styrofoam.

3. Draw the wish flag designs on the styrofoam using water soluble markers. Instruct your students to press lightly. Erase mistakes with pieces of damp sponge.

4. When the design on the tray has been completed, students can use a pen or pencil to engrave their drawing into the styrofoam.

5. Roll out the printing ink onto a piece of plexiglass or a cookie sheet using a brayer.

6. Place the styrofoam tray with the engraved design facing up on a stack of newspaper pages. Roll the ink onto the styrofoam tray.

7. Carefully remove any inked up newspaper from underneath the tray. Leave the tray with the ink side up on a clean piece of newspaper.

8. Place a piece of fabric or paper on top of the inked tray and rub.

9. Lift off the fabric or paper and admire the work.

10. Repeat as many times as materials and time allow.

Evaluation

Attach flags to strings and suspend the strings of flags within the classroom and outside the school. Have students write poems and stories that include the wishes from their flags. Read them aloud to the class and the school at an assembly.

Curriculum Connections

Buy fabric for making wish flags. Give the students the dimensions of the fabric you have and the size of the wish flags they will create. Have students determine how many wish flags they will make and how much fabric will be left over. (Math)

Observe the air and wind. Chart the weather according to air quality and wind velocity. Research extreme weather that relates to wind such as sandstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and El Niño. (Science)

Hang the wish flags outside the school. Observe them over time and record their deterioration. (Science)

Have students write stories about other children who make wish flags and what happens to them. (Language Arts)

Look at the Tibetan flag and explain its symbolism to your students (see following page). Identify other cultural flags and their symbols. Discuss the symbols in relation to cultural identity. (Social Studies)