Why put a bird on it? Why bird prayer flags?
The prayer flags of Nepal carry messages of hope, peace, connection & a reverence for the natural world.
They are Messengers of Joy & Goodwill.
They do not carry prayers to the gods, rather their prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind, spreading goodwill & compassion to all.
While in Nepal I hung many, many flags for my dying friend back home.
I spun many a prayer wheel asking for her safe passage.
Flags that were given to me by her myriad of friends came with specific instructions:
Fly them high in the mountains for there Martha will find peace.
They are Messengers of Joy & Goodwill.
They do not carry prayers to the gods, rather their prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind, spreading goodwill & compassion to all.
While in Nepal I hung many, many flags for my dying friend back home.
I spun many a prayer wheel asking for her safe passage.
Flags that were given to me by her myriad of friends came with specific instructions:
Fly them high in the mountains for there Martha will find peace.
Everywhere in Nepal whether in Kathmandu or up high in the villages, prayer flags color the skyline, drape the bridges, hang in doorways. They captured my complete attention.
I needed to create my own flags to voice my hopes, connections & reverence.
A wing and a prayer philosophy sent me flying into making these ‘Messengers of Joy and Goodwill'.
They represent three things: my deep connection to nature, my curiosity about birds & my hopes for a sustainable world.
What if you…
Go outside. Be still. Just be. Stop. Look. Listen. Be in nature.
You may be graced with the presence of a bird.
You may get a brief opportunity, just enough to view its colors before it flies, to hear its song before it leaves.
Ever wonder: why is that bird here and not there?
What does it eat? How does it find its way back to this place year after year?
Where do birds sleep? Why are bird nests all so different?
How do they live at 20 below zero?
Why have so many songbirds disappeared?
Bird and butterfly migrations show us the interconnected web of life we exist in.
Yes, we are totally connected to nature.
Be awestruck by birds’ ability to navigate, taking advantage of the winds,
the stars, the good weather, working their way north.
Could we go north, south or anywhere using innate navigational skills?
Did the human species ever have that incredible awareness of surroundings?
What are you in awe of?
My first collection of flags were made to hang up, to show my gratitude, my awe, my joy, my respect for our environment.
Are you curious about the way birds fly or perch on the telephone poles and sing or the fact that they migrate thousands of miles for food or do you admire their extraordinary ability to navigate & their architectural skills.?
Aren't you in awe? TELL ME
• Fly the flags over your door to welcome you home...
• Give the flags to a friend to add a bit of joy to her day...
• Let the flags hang in that tree outside your kitchen window...
• Brighten up that college dorm room with a collection of bird flags...