"Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion."
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
I took a close-up of this white prayer flag while trawling through the hills of Paro, Bhutan.
They say those who are the happiest often live the simplest lives. After returning from a two week long stay in Bhutan, October of 2007, I have come to find this philosophy wholeheartedly accurate. Probably one of the last places in the world where people live in complete harmony with the land, Bhutan was a delightful refreshment from the hustle and bustle of America's urban cities.
Let's just say, Colorado, Vermont, and Oregon combined don't even have as much green as you'd see in Bhutan.
Perched on mountains, strung across roofs, windows (and almost everywhere else there is a spare hook or patch of land), tibetan prayer flags frame the land of Bhutan. Constructed from an array of colorful cloth, each square patch is traditionally woodblock--usually printed with symbols and scripture.
The five colors on a prayer flag represent the elements and are often arranged in a specific order. Blue/white colored flags, symbolizing water and sky, are often seen strung alongside mountains, placed randomly throughout trails for safety and guidance. While green/yellow flags are widely scattered across fields and farms for good luck during the planting season.
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