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Lotus
Story of the Lotus
“The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud --- the obstacles of life and its suffering. ... The mud speaks of the common ground that humans share, no matter what our stations in life. ... Whether we have it all or we have nothing, we are all faced with the same obstacles: sadness, loss, illness, dying and death. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one. ”
Goldie Hawn
Just like the lotus we too have the ability to rise from mud, bloom out of the darkness and radiate into the world.
Ever since I was a child, I was strongly drawn to the image of the lotus flower. I would draw it, paint it, meditate on it. It truly mesmerised me, it made me feel calm and reassured that the world is a place of harmony, peace and beauty. And that was a very intuitive experience. Later when I looked deeper into its story, into its universal symbolism I realised where my sense of awe was coming from. It had its roots in the journey of the flower itself. Where the lotus flower originates, where it grows and how it comes into the world symbolically depicts the human journey. Because of that it can resonate so meaningfully and strongly with those undergoing transformation.
The lotus flower builds its roots in the darkest, murkiest of swamps. The sludge of the bog is where its seeds are planted. As it grows, it is completely unphased by its surroundings as it sees the light of the sun glistening on the top of the water and that is its only desire. To move towards the light. As it reaches the top it slowly blossoms into a thousand petals sharing its love with the world. Completely untouched by its surroundings of darkness and mud, its pale and vulnerable petals open to the sun and to all who gaze at its beauty. While it never forgets where it comes from, its roots buried deep down it is the perfect symbol of the light and the dark. The joys and challenges of life.
The light and the dark are intertwined. The one needing the other just as much. For without the dark there is no light. We look to the lotus as a symbol that despite the odds, despite where we have come from, what we have been through or what we are currently facing – there is always a light. Even if we can’t see the light, just knowing it is there is enough. Trust that the light is always there for you. Trust in your capacity to bloom. Allow yourself the vulnerability of the petals delicately balanced atop the water. Allow yourself to look back at where you have come from, and then continue to grow towards the light – it is waiting for you. It is always waiting for you.
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