Prayer flags travel ~ messages to be read out loud

March 30, 2009
Winter has almost broken here. There are still a few small patches of snow that linger in my yard, but more evident are the purple crocuses, the green shoots of daffodils and the verdant moss draped over the rocks. I am a life long New Englander, and I never cease to be in awe of the cycle of nature.

The Woven Voices project continues to grow and reach new corners of the earth. I have photos here with flags hanging in locations from as far as India and as close as Massachusetts. I have sent flags to Nepal, Africa, Germany, Haiti, Indiana and Maine this winter (still awaiting photos :). This photo is of Brother Martin from the Saccidananda Ashram
in Tamil Nadu (southern India) holding a prayer flag. I traveled there last year and my husband went there this year on a pilgrimage.

On April 11th at 2 PM in Market Square, Portsmouth NH, I will read the messages that have been gathering since last fall. I have close to 300! Please join me to help read or simply listen to these powerful messages of hope, dreams and peace. This batch of messages hail from as far as Washington state and as close as Maine.

Volunteer weavers are always welcome. Here are some of my weavers celebrating a long string of completed flags! And check out these creatively woven prayer flags still on the loom!

If you live nearby, please join me and weave, or to participate in the message reading on April 11th at 2 PM market Sq. Portsmouth NH. If you live afar, please send messages of hope and peace soon, so that we can include then in this first public reading of 2009. This project stays alive because of the commitment and support of many people. My heartfelt thanks to all, Sarah

PS. Any and all donations of threads, ribbons and sewing trims are welcome. You can ship these to my mailing address.

There is something about prayer flags in the snow

March 9th, It snowed 7 inches, Phew!
Today I sent four prayer flags to a friend who is heading off to Nepal to work with school age children in two remote villages. I sent her off with four prayer flags to hang in the schools. My fingers are crossed that we will get some great photos! But meanwhile, here in Maine, we have prayer flags in the snow. Here are photos from the Prospect Harbor Library and a friend's porch in Minot Maine. And still more flags will go out to folks here in the USA this week.

Piles of snow and piles of prayer flags

Today we were hit with another major snow storm, a nor'easter, in fact. So my teaching gig in MA was canceled and I had time to unroll the dozens of prayer flags that have been woven over the past month. Here is a photo of the pile of flags and the piles of snow outside my studio door.

This means that as soon as I can get them all sewn, I will be sending out a batch to my message writers. Thank you everyone for your faith and your patience!

The messages continue to arrive in my mail box. I have collected about 250 that need to be read. It appears that this might wait until the weather is warmer. I have some feelers out for inside reading locations, but no luck yet.

Stay tuned! Thanks to everyone for all your support. Special thanks to all the weavers!
Sarah