Review from the New Age Retailer

March/April 2003

Trade magazine for New Age book and music stores

In Skyelines by Skye Alexander

Goddess prayer flags and banners - Karuna Arts

Karuna Arts Flies flags of many colors and many cultures to help bring peace to our troubled planet. Tibetans traditionally hang prayer flags outside temples, shrines and homes. The breeze causes them to flutter and release their blessings. Messages of peace, love and harmony waft on the wind to all parts of the globe, bringing good tidings. Like Tibetan prayer flags, Karuna Arts' flags and banners feature sacred images, but without the usual printed prayers.

Designed by artist Amara Wahaba Karuna Nuit-Cat, whose illustrations have appeared in Sage Woman and other publications, these flags honor the divine feminine in many of her beloved forms, among them Kuan Yin, Isis, Mary, Yemaya and Inanna. Goddesses are hand-batiked on 100% rayon in a range of vibrant colors. Individual pennants may be hung to attract and send the special blessings associated with a particular deity, for instance, Kuan Yin's mercy, Lakshmi's abundance, or Tara's healing ($4 wholesale). Or, string a goddess banner that features six different images affixed to a cord in order to convey a wealth of good wishes ($17.50 wholesale). Because balance can be achieved only through the union of male and female energies, Karuna Arts' collection includes flags of favorite gods, such as Shiva Nataraj, Green Man, and Hotei. Like the goddess pennants, god flags are available as a string of six deities.

Karuna Arts also offers flags decorated with angels, elemental images, fairies, dragons and spiritual or religious symbols, as individual pennants or grouped together on strings, printed on cotton or rayon ($4 to $23 wholesale). Larger, 2.5-by-3.5-foot, all-rayon banners encourage unity with inspirational pictures and interfaith symbolism ($20 -23 wholesale).

Karuna Arts' prayer flags send messages of peace to one and all.

REVIEW IN MAGICAL BLEND MAGAZINE, DEC 03 Featured in Center Gift Spread

The vibrant colors on theses prayer flags and benners will brighten any room with the light of interfaith, multicultural spirit. Honor the divine feminine in her many cultural forms by giving a beautifully rendered Divine Goddess Pennant String-- including Mary, Isis, Gaia, Lakshmi Yemaya and more-- to the god or goddess in your life. You'll foster world peace by gifting someone special with Karuna's batiks this season.

REVIEW IN SAGEWOMAN MAGAZINE DEC 2003

Yemaya Prayer Banner, Ancient Goddesses Pennants String, and Divine Goddesses Pennants String by Amara Wahaba Karuna. Karuna Arts, 2001-2003.

A while back, I got to thinking about the whole concept of prayer flags and the premise that they send a message to the Divine based on whatever is printed on them. I wondered if maybe part of the world,s problem comes from flying way too many flags devoted only to national or other exclusive group identities, instead of positive spiritual ideals. So I was delighted to receive the catalog and samples from Karuna Arts.

I opened the package to find a spill of brilliant colors, soft fabric, and goddess images from around the world. The Yemaya Prayer Banner ($35) measures 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide, made of fine rayon and hand- batiked in Bali. The quality of art is impressive: crisp white lines separate areas of different tints which create the picture. Yemaya rises from the cerulean waves, her mermaid-tail thrashing in yellow in turquoise, her cinnamon skin glowing with health. Shells, leaves, and beads adorn her body as she holds up a conch shell. Behind her, the sky flames orange and purple. The banner is double-bordered in yellow and blue. Yes, I know, it sounds like an explosion in a paint factory! But it doesn't look that way. It looks as natural as a sunset or a spray of tropical flowers.

This size of prayer banner makes a magnificent altar cloth or drapery behind an altar. Other featured images in this line include Green Tara; Mary, Queen of Heaven; and Mother Egg. There are also long chakra banners (5' x 1') which would make nice door hangings, table runners, or mantel cloths. A related line offers slightly smaller (3' x 2') prayer flags silk-screened onto cotton; choices here include Angel of Healing, Quan Yin, and Soul Spring. The colors look a bit softer than the batiks. These also make ideal altar hangings. The Ancient Goddesses Pennants String ($35) consists of six small pennants, flat on top where the cord runs through, and pointed on the bottom. Each depicts a different goddess: Dakini (Hindu) on scarlet, Akua,ba (African) on goldenrod, Innana (Middle East) on green, Quan Yin (Buddhist) on white, Nathor (Egypt) on royal blue, and Ariadne (Crete) on violet. These are quite clear and charming renditions of famous images, like voluptuous Innana cupping her breasts or tall Nathor with arms upraised.

The Divine Goddesses Pennants String ($35) consists of six different pennants with more varied backgrounds. These are Mary, Mother of Jesus (Christian) on blue and white, Isis (Egyptian) on orange, Yemaya (African) on fuschia and green, Gaia (Greek) on deep blue, Lakshmi (Hindu) on burgundy, and Green Tara (Buddhist) on turquoise and white. Some of these are more original presentations, particularly Gaia cuddling the Earth in her arms. The whole string runs about nine feet long; individual pennants measure 1' x 2'.

Each is hand- batiked on rayon in the same brilliant colors used on the large prayer banners. Pennants are top-hemmed with a channel through which the cord runs, and tacked in place so that they don,t bunch up when hung. These strings are ideal for Pagan churches, covensteads, and other groups but also beautiful for private use. Also worth mentioning are the Elemental Magic Pennants and the Angel Pennants ($30 each), which consist of five flags apiece. Individual pennants are also available for $7 each.

Aside from their obvious use as decorative or ceremonial hangings, I couldn't help looking at these gorgeous flags with a crafter's eye. You could make a long skirt or a sundress from the large prayer flags, and a blouse or short accent skirt from the small pennants. Imagine wearing that to your next ritual or Pagan festival! In fact, Karuna Arts also carries a line of clothing, available on their Website at: www.karunaarts.com. You can also go there to learn more about the Balinese artists, the batik process, and the silk-screen process which create the products.

In an age of mass-produced secular junk, these lovingly-made goddess flags really stand out. The prices are reasonable considering that each is an original work of art. The rayon and cotton are all fully washable, printed with rich permanent dyes. They would make spectacular gifts, especially for occasions like an initation or croning ceremony. Most highly recommended."

by Elizabeth Barrette

REVIEW IN PANGAIA MAGAZINE

"I originally received a catalog and samples from Karuna Arts for SageWoman, with an emphasis on the goddess-oriented items. When I went out to the Website, I found a bunch more unisex and god-oriented goodies as well. This led to a whole new review

The Dragon Cape ($40) is among the most spectacular items offered. Handmade from soft, lightweight rayon and batiked in brilliant colors, it depicts a pair of dragons twining together. You can choose from blue and violet dragons on a purple background, the same dragons or a red and gold pair on black. These capes have a very simple, elegant pattern: basically a generous rectangle with a hood at the top, and a drawstring at the neck for closure. The hood is about 18 tall, very deep; looks great pushed back or raised, and you can cover your face completely for a mysterious effect. The cape itself measures about 4.5' from neck to bottom hem. Wear this and heads will turn! Check out the new Dragon Magic and Dragons of the World ($36 each) pennant strings. Each has four pennants, long triangles pointing down; they measure about 2' wide by 3' long and are available separately for $10 each. I especially like the Ancient Gods ($35) pennants string, five flags in batiked rayon. Bold colors depict gods from around the world. Each string measures about 9' long, individual flags 1' x 2'. Individual pennants are available for $7 each. Pennants are top- hemmed with a channel through which the cord runs, and tacked in place so that they don,t bunch up when hung. These strings are ideal for Pagan churches, covensteads, and other groups but also beautiful for private use.

Another category of prayer flags is silk-screened on cotton, with a little more detail and softer colors. These measure 2' x 3' and go for $30. Choices include Kwan Yin, Pan, and Yemaya.

Karuna Arts also offers an impressive line of peace and interfaith products. The lovely Universal Peace Flag String ($30) features nine flags, each about 10 x 9 with the word "Peace written in different languages. Choose from rainbow colors or a softer palette of blue and white. The Rainbow Peace Symbol and Peace Dove ($7 each) are available as individual pennants measuring 1 x 2,. A lovely piece of artwork called The Children's Peace Dance is available as a flag string ($30) or banner ($35) and pictures a multiethnic ring of children frisking around the Earth.

The Universal Spirit set has two strings ($30 each) depicting holy symbols from nine different religions per string. Each small flag measures about 9 square. Then there is the Interfaith Banner ($40) which measures 2 meters by 3 meters, decorated with many different religious symbols. This size of prayer banner makes a magnificent altar cloth or drapery behind an altar. You won't find exquisite stuff like this at Wal-Mart. Karuna Arts offers a fine selection of lovingly made Pagan products, all fully washable. These make ideal gifts for initiations, coming-of-age ceremonies, or handfastings. Most highly recommended.

by Elizabeth Barrette