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 profoundly lyrical and non-sectarian or philosophical. Prayers may represent narrow interests. But traditionally, most feature soul-lifting wishes for justice and the well-being of all life-forms--the path that will lead them to happiness. As teachings, prayers should stimulate reflection and practice of the central values of Buddhism, such as compassion.