What is prayer wheel?

Here's some information about prayer wheels:

Prayer wheels are cylindrical wheels on a spindle made from metal, wood, stone, leather, or coarse cotton. Traditionally, the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is written on the outside of the wheel.

Larger prayer wheels may contain millions of copies of this mantra inside. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers. The more rotations, the more merit.

They are often used in Tibetan Buddhism as a way to accumulate merit and purify negativity. The wheels are typically spun clockwise, as the direction in which the mantra is written is that way. Mantra, or sacred sound is contained in the prayer wheels.

Prayer wheels come in various sizes. Handheld wheels are common, but there are also large wheels fixed in place in monasteries and temples. Some are powered by water, wind, or even electricity.

The concept of the prayer wheel is based on the belief that sound and intention have power. By physically turning the wheel, practitioners activate the mantra within, sending out positive energy and blessings into the world. It's a form of active meditation and a way to engage the body, speech, and mind in spiritual practice.