721 RITE 2

Use a thick rug or pad to protect your back as you lie on the floor. Lamas perform the rites on what Westerners call a prayer rug, which is about two feet wide and six feet long. The rug is fairly thick and is made of wool and a natural fiber. It is used solely to insulate the body from the cold floor, but since religious significance is attached to everything the Lamas do, it is called a "prayer rug."