Spin the wheel

This is the Tibetan Prayer or Mani Wheel that Gandalf bought me as present for finishing my book. Made by H.H Dali Lama's Charitable Trust in Tibet, inside are rolls of thin paper that have the mantra or prayer of Om Mani Padme Hum printed on it in Tibetan or Indian script. These are wound around an axle and then housed in the protective container.
Always to be spun clockwise, so the prayer follows the direction of the sun, they invoke the spirit of the the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig. Almost as popular a fellow as Buddha himself. Chenrezig live in all of us and we connect with him when we love another person animals or any part of nature.

Om Mani Padme Hum is a hard phrase to translate. It is said to house all the teachings of Buddha in this one sentence. The best interpretation is this from the 14th Dali Lama himself.

"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast... The first, Om [...] symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

"The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]"

"The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]"

"Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]"

"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, "Om Mani Padme Hum"

Whilst not a Buddhist, I feel blessed and connected to have the Mani wheel in my home. To learn and understand what is is and why it is important, is a gift in itself.

Thanks Gandalf.