JOURNAL - NOV - The Horse Of Good Fortune
The Horse Of Good Fortune
November 2018
Strung along mountain ridges and rising in vibrant totems across the Himalayan plateau, prayer flags are a potent symbol of Tibetan Buddhism, believed to spread compassion and wellbeing across the universe with every flutter of their sacred mantras.
Of all the infinite varieties, the most prevalent is the Wind Horse or ‘lung-ta’, imprinted with the image of a steed carrying the burning jewel of enlightenment on its back, representing good fortune for all humanity.
While many flags are now factory-produced, printing by hand on woodblocks infused with centuries of ink is considered a personal act of devotion and is said to increase the flag’s potency.
In one remote village, I meet an elderly man, taught the ancient tradition by his late grandfather. “Life is full of obstacles”, he tells me, hanging rectangles of colourful cotton out to dry, “but thanks to the power of the Wind Horse, good opportunities will always abound.”
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