Prayer Wheels, also known as Mani Wheels, are ancient ritual items used to spread blessings as well as to serve as a reminder to be mindful throughout the day. Each prayer wheel contains a scroll of mantras, usually Om Mani Padme Hum. Mantras and chants are often recited while the wheels are spinning, amplifying the blessings as they are released. Prayer wheels function to set a mantra in motion. Each turn of the wheel is comparable to reciting the mantra.
In early Buddhism, the wheel became a symbol of the Dharma or teaching. The term "Turning of the Wheel" refers to the first sermon preached by the Buddha in Sarnath, India, and other teachings.
Prayer Wheels come is a variety of sizes, ranging from small hand-held wheels to large temple wheels set on a foundation. Prayer wheels are made from various woods, metals and stones, some very simply crafted and some decorated in ornate detail.
