Wow - I have not blogged in forever, since MAY! So, I am gonna start with the Lotus Flower. I am fascinated by the Lotus flower. I want to be like this symbol of enlightment. How amazing that this flower has appeared in mythology and religion for thousands of years from Egypt to India to Asia. I really feel a connection to Buddhism and I wonder if I was somehow connected to it in a past life.
The Lotus Flower grows up through the mud in swamps and ponds and produces a beautiful and fragrant flower. The flower is big, around 8-12 inches in diameter, and is open for only 3 days. Then each petal falls silently into the water, one by one, over a short period. It opens and blooms at dawn, then closes and returns to the darkness at dusk.
The Lotus represents the Higher, Divine Self. As harsh and dark as the world
can be, each of us is still connected with our Greater, Sacred Self. This thought
is highlighted in Buddhism. Each person has the ability to reach their full potential, and therefore, "bloom" in the midst of the muck.
The Lotus also represents purity, because the mud of the swamp does not effect its beauty. The blooming in the morning and folding in at dusk represent rebirth and regeneration. The Chakras of the body are all represented with a
different Lotus flower per chakra. (your Chakras are so interesting,
one of my older posts has more on them)
"Buddhism explores how to transcend the troubles of human existence, to leave behind the sea of pain, the house of fire. Becoming Buddha-like is the highest ideal. Out of the muddy water the lotus springs forth beautiful blooms, much as Buddhas free themselves from worldly worries. "
-Von Baeyer
"You yourself are the water, You yourself are the fish, and You yourself are the net. You yourself cast the net, and You yourself are the bait. You yourself are the
Lotus, unaffected and still brightly-colored."
-Sri Guru Granth Sahib
