Garlands of Prayers for Everyone, Everywhere

From Michele Bilyeu

My now completed garland of prayer flags waves across the entry way in our home in Salem, Oregon. I feel their grace, their power, and their love... every time I look up, or pass under them.

And I look in absolute and utter amazement at this KTSX news photo of a school ceiling in Oklahoma. The signs of the horrific devastation of a tornado's path.

Tattered curtains and broken lights and a view of the heavens above. An incredibly powerful image that evokes the feeling of prayer flags and bells.  

Prayers now released and finding their way across the 20 mile path of destruction. Beauty of spirit within chaos, loss, pain, and destruction. And it reminds me of my own roots and why I am so drawn to these signs, and symbols of something far greater than just the destruction. 

 I am reminded that after everything else is destroyed..there is still goodness. and there is still great love.

............http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2013/05/garlands-of-prayers-for-everyone.html

Aloha

Sonia Hagemann has sent this flag

"My latest prayer flag is Aloha and that one was sent to Boston last week.

The word Aloha has many, many definitions with love perhaps top of the list."

More flags from New Orleans

 

"Here are my prayer flags that I finished & hung today.  They represent my prayers for all creatures great and small, my tree of life is my prayer for all mankind, and my prayer for living in  peace with our worldwide neighbors.   I can’t wait to see the Dalai Lama tomorrow in New Orleans."

Yvonne James



Prayer Flags for New Orleans

Susan Tracy Thompson shares these flags.

"Hello!   The Dalai Lama is in New Orleans this weekend, and has asked the residents of  our beautiful city to hang colorful prayer flags from businesses and homes…..   I began making my "Prayer for New Orleans" two years ago.I make them in traditional Tibetan colors, each emblazoned with a silk screened print of a prayer for New Orleans, including:

REPAIR
REJOICE
RENEW
RECYCLE
REBUILD
RETURN
REOPEN
REBIRTH
RELAX
REMEMBER
RECOVER
REVIVE

A friend recently took his Prayer for New Orleans to the Mount Everest Base Camp. 

Thank you for creating the Prayer Flag Project!" 

To Boston with Love

 Michelle Bilyeu shares these flags for Boston

"When I first discovered that the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild was asking for prayer flags for Boston, I thought to myself..in this order...I'm not a 'modern' quilter...(I like to see myself as improvisational,or liberated, not 'modern';)..... I've already made a Boston prayer flag (and shared it)....I don't have one single moment of extra time and..... how can I keep doing what I do.... and survive my busy life....and then......as I always, always do..

.....ok, so why can't I make a prayer flag for Boston????

So, I did!"

You can see more photos and read more about these flags here.

Good Health

Another flag wishing those that need it Love and good Health

"West" and "Boston"

West

Today these flags are from Faye West.
"I've been making prayer/ memorial flags on and off for years (if I don't make a flag its a spirit doll).
Some are for peace love and happiness and some are about events that have happened in the world or to me. Making flags or dolls about whats happened helps me come to terms with different events as well as placing a prayer out there.

'West' is for the folks at West, Texas after their fertilizer factory fire/explosion.That must have been a hell of a night of chaos and worry a bit like being to hell and back."

Boston-front

"Boston is of course about the Boston bombings, if you look at the swirls they make question marks because I just don't understand how you can do something like that."

Boston-back

"My response to such a horrible event is to love ,love those how suffered and love those who caused the suffering.That is why the flip side of Boston flag has the old slogan of "make LOVE not war" on it.

Hoping you like or at least can relate to my prayer flags"  cheers Faye

Prayers in the park

Robin, Billy, Jonathon, Jonah,and Diana

Donna Mitchell from Schertz, Texas has sent us these photos.

"My prayer is for Love because I believe everyone on this earth deserves to be loved. My wish is that the wind will carry this little prayer to someone who really needs it. I took 5 children that I love to the park and told them the story of the Prayer Flag Project. We all made our prayers and our flags as uniquely different as we each are!"

Thank you Donna

Healing, Health, Recovery

These have been made with someone particular in mind, but shown here to share these wishes to anyone who needs it.

Spiritual Awakening

Linda Arandas shares with us her Passion Fruit Prayer Flag.

"I wanted to tell you that my dear friend's daughter is struggling with drug addiction and I intend to give this flag to her, as a reminder that I am praying for her recovery and spiritual awakening.
I chose to paint a Passion Flower--which symbolizes Spiritual Awakening. I used acrylic paint on primed canvas. My intentions were to create a flag to offer hope to people who are struggling with addiction---a prayer for recovery."

Comfort, Love and a peaceful Heart

 

Diane Knauff created this flag in response to a review of a book she read. The theme for the flag came from a quote from the book.

… when the world quiets to the sound of your own breathing, we all want the same things: comfort, love, and a peaceful heart.

More details can be found on her blog.

Believe and Be Well

Carol Farmayan from Houston, Texas shares with us a flag that she has recently made for a friend. In her words, "I wanted to give her some positive, cheerful healing energy ".

Flags for Boston

Today we are joined by Shari.   

"I took a day off from my usual painting to make some prayer flags to send love, peace, and healing to all those involved in the recent Boston bombings.  All I could use was my supplies that I already had (I don't have a car) so I had to use what was on hand.  I sewed, stamped and embroidered 12 flags, measuring about 9 x 11.  Using hemp twine to hang them on my porch, I sent hope and love into the wind to travel all over the world.  

I have family and friends in Boston, so it really makes my heart ache to see it all on TV.  Maybe my little effort will ease someone else's pain.

Thank you for letting me share this with you."

If you feel like making flags for Boston, the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild have launched a project 

To Boston With Love. Follow the link for all the details.

Peace

Jamie Fingal; In light of recent events in the USA, my prayer flag is for peace in the homeland

My collection of prayer flags in my studio is growing

Sew Happy

Monica Dennis has recently been introduced to the delights of making Prayer Flags.

This is her first contribution!

Love is...Looking in the Same Direction

Michele Bilyeu dedicates this flag to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. 

She eloquently explains her thought processes over on this blog post.

Student Collection

Julie Hernandez, an art teacher in North Texas, who first shared a flag with us here, has now sent us these flags that she has made with her students.

Enjoy!

A collection of Six Flags from Liz Pearce

Hi
Liz Pearce from New Zealand here.
I have completed my prayer flags for the season of Lent.
 
I always used donated or recycled materials for my prayer flags. 
I have even used clear plastic bags and these proved quite effective.
I would encourage readers to make a prayer flag using whatever is at hand ... don't make excuses. 
Use found materials - paper, plastic, fabric, weed-matting ... go wild!
Use a glue stick or glue gun, if you can't find a needle and thread.
Use a felt pen and simply draw or write.
Let the prayer flag be messy ... loose threads can add texture and meaning.
Don't wait for 'good ideas' ... any piece of art that considers others makes the world a better place for each of us.
Don't judge or compare your flag with others ... you are a wonderful and unique you ... let it shine through your creation.
 
And enjoy the process!!!!
 
Liz

Perspective

Annie, who is very busy moving country at the moment, has still found the time to make this flag!

Read all about it here

Prayer Flags from Norway

 Veronique is a teacher in Norway who shares with us some of the flags created by her pupils.

It is an ongoing project that she has been doing for the last 2 to 3 years.

The themes have included Peace, and a look at attitudes that create a good atmosphere in and out of the classroom.