In the ancient Lhasa City surrounding the Jokhang Temple, Tibet, Buddhists of all ages lie face down, bodies outstretched, to express their devotion to their faith.

Called prostration, this Buddhist gesture is used to show one’s loyalty to the Buddha, his teachings and the spiritual community – known as the ‘The Triple Gem’.

“Pilgrims who repeatedly prostrate themselves while making the circuit, take one step, make a Tibetan prayer gesture, raise their hands in prayer, and lay down on the ground, their arms extended in front of them. Then they stand up and place their feet where their fingertips had just touched and repeat the process again.”

Prayer beads are used to keep count of the times a mantra is recited, breaths while meditating, counting prostrations, or the repetitions of a buddha’s name