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France Robinson stands Tuesday with prayer flags at her house in Ashland. Robinson sells prayer flags made by Tibetan Buddhists in Nepal through her local business, West Wind Collections.Jamie Lusch

While many New Year's revelers rang in 2009 with midnight parties and resolutions, France Robinson planned to mark the new beginning by hanging colorful prayer flags, believed to bring blessings as the wind whisks away the messages written on the flags.

The practice of flying flags on auspicious occasions such as a new year, weddings, children's naming ceremonies or the opening of a new home or business originated more than 1,000 years ago, said Robinson, who sells prayer flags made by Tibetan Buddhists in Nepal through her local business, West Wind Collections.

As Buddhism has gained popularity in the United States over the last 25 years, so has hanging flags on New Year's Day, Robinson said.

"I don't really do resolutions, but I create my intentions for the year because it's a powerful new beginning," she said. "When you raise prayer flags, it's said that it's most important to send your intention with the raising of the new flags, to get really clear about what one's intentions are first, then raise the flag so those flags carry the intentions."

Standard prayer flags contain five colors, each representing different elements: blue for sky, white for clouds, red for fire, green for ocean and yellow for earth. They are usually emblazoned with deities, teachers or gurus and prayers in Tibetan script and are treated with high respect, prevented from touching the ground and burnt when they are discarded.

For Americans, Robinson has created her own line of prayer flags written in English, and blank flags on which customers can write their own prayers. She sells flags for global peace, abundance and rainbow celebration flags to honor gay pride. Healing flags are the most popular set, she said.

The practice of hanging flags is not limited to Buddhists, Robinson said, adding that although her spiritual practices are closest to Buddhist teachings, she considers her religion to be an eclectic mix.

"The (flags) are about peace and compassion and healing and abundance, things that all spiritual practices embrace," she said. "They are universal prayers and blessings, things that don't insult anybody of any faith."

Alaya Ketani, who has dabbled in Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism and Christianity, has two strings of those traditional flags fluttering over her front door and along the gate that she hung just after moving into a new home three months ago. The flags have brought a positive energy to both her house and neighborhood, and they make her feel safer, she said.

"It's like a blessing to the house; people who are mischievous are going to pass right by," she said. "They're a transmission of blessings and compassion on the poor and needy, so every time a breeze blows, the prayers that are on the flags travel."

Kerry Zook received a set of abundance flags sold by Robinson as a gift and hung them on a trellis in her yard when she moved into her home. The flags have prayers for not only abundance of wealth and resources, but for wisdom, peace, freedom and healthy food as well. She has a second set of blue flowered flags on her front porch and an older, tattered pair adorning the grave of her dog.

"I just like the idea of putting your good intentions out into the world for yourself or other people," she said.

She planned to hang a new set of flags for New Year's and do an energy cleanse with meditation and a focus on the positive, she said.

And as for the first set, she is still awaiting the rewards.

"I'm still waiting, but it's coming, I know it's coming," she said. "It's not just the flags. You've got to take action too. They help get you in the right direction."

Staff writer Julie French can be reached at 482-3456 ext. 227 or jfrench@dailytidings.com.