Mani Moments

Just a short drive from Jyekundo town lies one of the largest Mani stone fields in the whole of Tibet - the Gyanak Mani. According to my trusty guidebook (Footprint - Tibet, by Gyume Dorje - whom both Mr Shi and Pema had the pleasure of working with before), the mani stone field is about 1 sq km wide. I took my time to take in the sight of devotion of such monumnetal scale.


Painting of Buddha marks the start of the mani field, facing west.


Circumambulating the mani field in a clockwise direction


Tibetan devotee spinning her prayer wheel while circumambulating the mani field

Rest in peace at the foot of a holy mani pile

Young and old partake in the walk of faith

Beautiful hand-paintings of buddhas

For my dog-loving friends!

Spinning the golden mani wheel to set prayers in motion

More devotees spinning the mani wheels while circumambulating the field and its adjoining monastry

Prayer flags adorn the mani field in the setting sun

Lamas joining in the prayer walk

House of prayer beneath blue sky

Scripture verses etched on mani wheel

White stupas- the receptacles of offerings - reach skyward

The sun setting behind the mani field

Devotees making their rounds

A young monk helps an old lady fetch water from a well

A myriad of activities by the monastry

A devotee prostrating himself while circumambulating the mani field - the highest act of devotion

As we drive back to our guesthouse in Jyekundo, I reflected on the sights of devotees carrying out their acts of religious devotion independently and openly - walking, praying, spinning the mani wheel, prostrating. What are they praying for? Are they praying for more? Or thanking that they have more? Whatever their prayers may be for, I think to myself: How easy it is to overlook such simple acts of daily devotion? How easy it is to forget that each mani stone on the mountainous pile was painstakingly carved with lines from scriptures and handpainted? How easy it is to take for granted that each step taken around the field was an individual's show to God his deep belief perhaps in exchange for protection for his family or thanksgiving for there is food on the table? How remarkable the man who in full view of the public carries out the highest act of humility - by prostrating every step of the way - and for how many rounds God only knows....

How many of us take the simple blessings in our life for granted? And how do we show our appreciation to the powers that be, or for that matter, the things and faces around us?

Perhaps it's time to take a mani moment.