Prayer flags on the winds of thought
I received a gift from a student, Brian, who recently concluded our Moving Into Balance health and awareness program. Every participant brings such gifts to the group – each brings the gift of him or her Self, all the challenges they face, and all the victories they achieve; but here was a special gift, a book about the Prayer Flags of Tibet.
One passage struck me, that I wished to share: with a gentle pen it draws the line between structure and freedom, where the flow of grace is all-important, while the form through which we are accustomed to meeting that grace is perhaps less so:
Those who worry that the “incorrect use” of the flags may offend or even impede spiritual growth may heed the advice of such teachers as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who reminds us that, as a general rule, intention outweighs orthodoxy. In other words, if a high lama performs a perfect ceremony with darkness in his heart – even if the ceremony appears to be effective – negativity will result. Whereas, if a novice hangs the wrong prayer flag in the wrong setting with earnest compassion, a great blessing may be performed that will resonate inside and all around this practitioner for a long time to come.
So hang your prayer flags – whatever form they may be – in the most sacred manner, that your action, your home, and your life may not be one of constriction, but one of blessing!
