SEPTEMBER 2022
Way back in the early '70's, I was living in an tiny cabin on the Lost Coast of Northern California overlooking the Pacific (lucky me!) One day, while exploring the winding trails in this magical community, I came across a dilapidated and deserted cabin. Inside, tacked to a wall, was a woodblock print on rice paper that the previous occupant had evidently USED AS A DARTBOARD! I recognized the tattered print to be a Wind Horse prayer flag design. Taking it home, I laboriously traced and transferred the design to high quality drawing paper, filling in what had been erased by the dart holes. A few years later, I worked with Lama Dawa Chhodak correcting the mistakes in the text and translating it. We made a silk screen and began printing the prayer flag in our studio.

I always kept a bundle of various prayer flags to give away when traveling in India and Nepal. By far, the most popular flag design with the Lamas was this Large Wind Horse flag.

The drawings and text on this rather large prayer flag are so full of profundity and good wishes that I wanted to share an explanation and translation with you all!
~ Timothy Clark
Owner of Radiant Heart Studios
During September, the Large Wind Horse Prayer Flag is on sale for $8 (30% off). It's a large print 18"x 26" on 100% cotton. It can be put up indoors or outdoors.

THE LARGE WIND HORSE PRAYER FLAG
 
 LAYOUT
In the center panel is the Wind Horse, symbol of life energy and good fortune. On the crown of its head is the Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment. In the center of the Wind Horse is a Lotus Wheel Yantra. 
 
In the 4 corners of the prayer flag are four auspicious animals known as the "Four Dignities": the Garuda (wisdom), the Dragon (gentle power) the Snow Lion (fearless joy), and the Tiger (confidence).
 
The top center panel depicts the “Rigsum Gonpo,” the deities representing the 3 main aspects of Enlightenment: Avalokiteshvara (Compassion), Manjushri (Wisdom), Vajrapani (Power).
 
In the side panels and at the bottom are drawings of the Eight Auspicious Symbols and
in the center of the bottom panel are three hybrid creatures known as the “Union of Opposites,” where pairs of animals traditionally hostile to each are joined to symbolize peace and harmony.
 
At the bottom of the side panels are two swastikas, an auspicious symbol of good fortune symbol found in most ancient civilizations. The symbol had a 4000+ year history of benevolence before it was unfortunately adopted by the Third Reich and hopefully it’s sinister meaning will fade over time. In Tibetan culture the swastika represents the stability of the earth element. 
 
 ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE LARGE WIND HORSE PRAYER FLAG

 At the top of the central panel is the Guru Rinpoche’s mantra
OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUNG
VAJRA GURU PADMA THOD TRENG TSAL VAJRA SAMAYA DZA SIDDHI PALA HUNG AH

In the upper right-hand and at the left of the panel:
OM AH HUNG
OH ROARING TIGER, LION, GARUDA, DRAGON – AWAKEN AND ASSEMBLE
 
Note: There are blanks in the text lines where a person’s astrological age symbol can be inserted in order to personalize the prayer flag. If you don’t know your year sign, email me with your birth date and I’ll look it up for you.
 
At the bottom of the center panel:
HEY! FOR THE ONE WHOSE YEAR SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol) MAY THIS MAGICAL HORSE, WITH ITS SUPREME SPEED AND POWER BRING PERFECTION TO YOUR BODY AND LIFE! MAY YOUR LIFE BE LONG AND MAY GOOD FORTUNE FLOURISH!
MAY THE WISH FULFILLING JEWEL GAIN WHATEVER YOU DESIRE!
MAMA AYU PUNIYE JNANA SARWA SIDDHI PUSHTIM KURU SWAHA
 
Around the perimeter of the Lotus Wheel Yantra:
WHOSE AGE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol) BE HEALTHY AND STRONG!  HAVE WEALTH, DIGNITY AND POWER! BE STABLE LIKE A MOUNTAIN! BE HONORED FAR AND WIDE! 
MAY YOUR WISHES COME TRUE!  
OM YE DHARMA HETU PRABAWA HETUNTE KHENSAYA TA GATO HAYAWADATI 
 
In the four petals of the lotus (moving clockwise from the top)
OM WAGI SHARI MUM! OM A HUNG! 
MAY YOU COLLECT THE ABUNDANT FRUIT OF THE WISH FULFILLING TREE. AMASS IT ALL.
MAY FIRE’S WISDOM ENERGY GRANT YOUR WISHES

 OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI! OM AH HUNG!
MAY STABILITY INCREASE ON THE EARTH.! AWAKEN AND ASSEMBLE!  
BY METAL’S WISDOM ENERGY MAY BENEFICENT GOVERNMENTS BE STABLE!
 
OM MANJUSHRI TIKTA HARA HUNG PHAT! ON AH HUNG! 
MAY YOUR HEALTH AND CLARITY FLOURISH BY METAL’S WISDOM ENERGY
MAY YOUR STRENGTH BE LIKE IRON
 
OM WAYE DAM MAMA! OM AH HUNG!
MAY YOUR ENDURANCE INCREASE LIKE WATER! BY WATER’S WISDOM ENERGY
MAY YOUR ACTIVITIES BE LONG AND CONTINUOUS LIKE THE RIVER
 
In the center of the Lotus Wheel Yantra:
OM HRI! DHI! MAMI DHI BAM MANJUSHRI MUM HRI! PRAJNA VARDHA HRI! DHI SOHA
FOR THE ONE WHOSE AGE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol) MAY GOOD FORTUNE PROSPER!
MAY YOUR BODY BE STRONG, BE BRAVE, AND POWERFUL. OVERCOME ALL OBSTACLES.
MAY GOOD FORTUNE AND TRUTH PREVAIL!­­
 
 Beneath the Garuda (upper left)
AS THE GREAT GARUDA, INCOMPARABLE RULER OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS,
COMMANDS ALL BY ITS GREAT POWER,
MAY THE ONE WHOSE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol) GAIN WISDOM AND SUPREME VICTORY!
MAY ALL WISHES BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE PROSPERITY OF THE WIND HORSE!
MAHA KARUNA SARWA SHRI MAM PUSHTIM KURU HO!

 Beneath the Dragon (upper right)
THE TURQUOISE DRAGON’S MELODIOUS THUNDER RESOUNDS IN ALL DIRECTIONS!
MAY ONE WHOSE AGE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol)
GAIN FAME AND CONQUER ALL THE REALMS!
MAY ALL DESIRES BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE POWER OF THE WIND HORSE!
MAHA MEKHANTA SARWA SHRI MAM PUSHTIM KURU HO!
 
Beneath the Tiger (lower right)
HEY! THE TIGER IS POWERFUL AND CONFIDENT. 
FOR THE ONE WHOSE AGE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol) MAY POWER INCREASE AND MAY UNDERSTANDING, OMNISCIENCE AND SELF RELIANCE GROW!
MAY GOOD FORTUNE ABOUND AND ALL GOALS BE ACCOMPLISHED!
MAHA WAKTRI SARWA SHRI MAM PUSHTIM KURU HO!
 
Beneath the Snow Lion (lower left)
HEY! THE SNOW LION IS STRONG AND FEARLESS. 
FOR THE ONE WHOSE AGE SYMBOL IS (insert year symbol)
MAY DIGNITY AND VIBRANT ENERGY INCREASE! CONQUER ALL NEGATIVE FORCES! 
MAY THE GOOD FORTUNE OF THE WIND HORSE EXPAND AND PROSPER!
MAHA SARWA SIDDHI MAM PUSHTAM KURU HO!
 
Large Wind Horse with Maroon Border
Size: 21"x 28"
Large Wind Horse with Blue Border
Size: 21"x 28"
We have a few Large Wind Horse prints with 2" cloth borders - on sale for $16 (33% savings) while they last.
If you like the Wind Horse symbol but would like sets of smaller flags we carry sets of 8"x10" Wind Horse prayer flags . They come on sewn on ropes in sets of 5, 10 and 25.
The Wind Horse Flag (Tibetan: Lung-ta) is the most popular type of Tibetan prayer flag. Carrying the flaming Jewel of Enlightenment, the Wind Horse symbolizes the uplifting lIfe force energy that brings good fortune. Raising ones "Lung-ta" increases health, wealth and power. Putting up Wind Horse prayer flags is one of the easiest and most effective ways to raise one's "Lung-ta" and benefit beings in the vicinity.
THIS MONTH'S PRACTICE & NAGA OFFERING CALENDARS
This month, the Nagas are partaking and enjoying the essences of their food. If you make offerings to them on a teb day this month, the area will not suffer from drought and you will never go hungry. If you make offerings to the Nagas during a dok day, no Naga will attend your ceremony - which means there will be no result.
There are many very good days (teb) to perform offering ceremonies for the nagas during this month - September 5 (Guru Rinpoche Day), 14, 16, 17, 18, 24 (Dharmapala Day), 27. There are only four days that are doks, the worst are the 8th (Medicine Buddha day), and 9th.
We appreciate feedback from our customers; encouragement ,suggestions and constructive criticism.

We also appreciate photos of prayer flags on display, especially ones you got from us.

Email us at: prayerflags2@gmail.com