This prayer wheel is the second incarnation of a traveling prayer wheel project by Renee Prisble Una. The first project focused specifically on Chicago and was much larger in scale. This smaller version uses contemporary silhouettes of people as decoration and subject for the intension of the project.
This prayer wheel gathers the prayers and wishes of those who interact with it. The prayers are then transcribed on to the internet for anyone to enjoy.
Click here to read the prayers.
Traditionally and in this case, the prayer wheel functions as a kind of prayer technology. By spinning the wheel, the participant “activates” all the prayers inside as if they are being read out loud many times in a row, as many times as the drum rotates. The prayers are radiated out into all of existence by the act of spinning the wheel.
What is a prayer wheel?
A prayer wheel is a Tibetan spiritual technology. Contained within the spin-able cylinder, which may vary in size from a hand held device, to over six feet tall, is a scroll with a sacred mantra written thousands of times. The idea is that when the wheel is spun, the mantra radiates out over all of existence as a type of blessing. The exterior of the wheels are commonly decorated with the mantra as well. |
