Bhutan is a deeply spiritual country, where religious customs strongly influence people's values. Three marks of faith shape the Bhutanese personality.

The first is prayer. Prayer includes short, daily individual acts and liturgies led by monks or lay priests that continue for days. The purpose and duration of prayers vary greatly. Typically, prayers concern what people desire in this life, but they may stretch into the next life. Rituals and petitioning prayers are conducted frequently to solicit gracious and compassionate actions from protector deities. Prayers may consist of mantras or sutras (the Buddha's teachings). They may be ...