Prayer flags

Do you see the brightly colored flags under the little roof of this hermitage? We put them there on tHo's birthday!

Prayer flags dancing in the wind

 

 

When I arrived back here after my time in Vietnam, I right away felt the fresh air, I saw the mountains, the lovely decorated houses, and I knew I was back in Bhutan, but all this also reminds me of Switzerland, Austria, places I also do call my home…Mountains, fresh air, nice wooden houses, …..but most of all what makes Bhutan so unique are all these prayer flags dancing in the wind,

 

Every bridge, every “holy” place, every cross road, threshold, everywhere, prayer flags are dancing and rejoicing in and with the wind.

 

It is October, autumn is starting here, the apples are ripe and some leaves change their colours. It is also getting cooler, especially at night.

 

And there is often a nice soft wind, 

 

All these prayer flags are a constant reminder of the spirit! Of devotion and of all the prayers for the well being for all those we love, for all beings, floating in the wind, reaching them where ever they are, joyfully and light.

Like horses galopping in the wind....

 

Seeing these colourful prayer flags we feel fulfilled and happy! We feel “elevated” from our daily preoccupations. The prayer flags are like a mindfulness bell, a reminder...

 

When I was child in Austria you would find a cross all on top of a mountain, little chapels on the way…

 

I remember as a child climbing with my father up to some mountain peaks, arriving at the cross and feeling my soul widen and rejoice at the communion with nature. I remember praying in my own words inspired by the beauty of the mountains, the sky…and that which makes all this alive.

 

In modern culture what are the “signs” that elevate our souls and that you would find getting out of a cable car up at some ski resort? …Commercials of sun protective lotions? Of a high performing Swiss watch? of chocolate or energy drinks?…reminding us that we actually always need more and that we are “devoted” to consumerism?

 

When rereading my blog, I find these words a bit harsh...but still it is so good to be for a time in a place where priorities are set right, where our vulnerability is fully aknowledged! We need   protection, and our prayers are not "superstition" but a simple human necessity to connect with our deeper aspirations and the spirit in and around us!

 

 

Yesterday we went to a talk on Rabindranath Tagore in the Indian Centre in Thimphu. It was very interesting. Tagore tried in his time, the time of industrialisation, colonisation, to keep the “spirit” alive, to have the human being with his/her richness at the centre of all his creations. He brought “spirits” together and lighted fires in many of those he met. He was not afraid to affirm what might seem "not modern", crafts, traditions, spirituality, arts, as totally ahead of time,

 

I had to think of the GNH Centre and its role of “bringing spirits together”, of cultivating a lively spirituality adapted to the needs and questions of our time. Of its task to have the human being and all living beings in its centre and to light “fires” far beyond Bhutan.

For sure I will bring many prayer flag back to the Swiss alps and make them dance in unison with the wind of the spirit! The wind of the spirit that is free to blow anywhere....

 

 

 

 

 

Together with our friend and neighbor Julia we added some of these prayer flags at Tigers nest
A young monk helping us at Yeshe Tsogyal's hermitage to attach some prayer flags

Commentaires

14.04 | 09:07

Je progresse un peu en anglais et j'ai presque tout compris. Merci Lisy pour ton magnifique engagement dans cette belle réalisation qu'est TTG.

11.04 | 01:36

Looking forward to your next article beeing amongs the friends and development of TTG.THANK YOU And all the best.

08.04 | 08:20

Beautiful Lisa,- yes for sure being among the clouds gives a whole wonderful other dimension, - if we listen into it, as you did. Thank you

08.04 | 07:44

Wonderful blog entry, than k you Lisi