Lotus Flower Prayers for Japan

On spring equinox, the Tala youth and elders, Russ, and I transformed their prayers for Japan into lotus flower origamis to symbolize their solidarity by inspiring them with the lotus as symbol of transcendence amidst the challenges. We offered these to the same river that flooded and displaced the community in 2009 during Typhoon Ondoy. See previous post here


Here's a beautiful video of the artmaking process:

Last Sunday, we made more lotus flowers using prayers from around the world sent in through the 1Mandala project. and the World Peace Prayer Society to be part of a ritual space to open the interfaith prayers in solidarity with the Japanese people at the Japanese Embassy.

View more photos here: 

The next day we brought them to the Japan Embassy and laid them out for people to place on the ritual space with interfaith symbols. It was also a chance for me to share a beautiful song by Sensei Masahisa Goi entitled Prayer for Peace together with my friend Nota Magno.

  

Interfaith prayers led by the Peacemakers' Circle Foundation

Jaffari offers the lotus flower to the embassy representative

photos by De La Salle College of St,. Benilde

View more photos here

Here's the lyrics of the poem by Masahisa Goi that I sang with my friend Nota:

May Peace Prevail on Earth

To be with God

Loving Everything and Loving Everyone

And we feel joy in the moment

May peace prevail on Earth.

Sekaiheiwa Inoru w Kamino

Mikokoro no Hibiki ni Areba

Inoru Inoru Tanoshisa