We all love flowers because they are beautiful to look at
They carry amazing scents and smells, and are usually considered a symbol of love and affection.
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From marriages to Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and even death, flowers find their way in our everyday life. So what is so special about flowers, and why have some flowers been raised to the levels of deity and purity, among others? Today, we’ll talk about lotus flowers.
The lotus flower is a beautiful species of aquatic plant in the family of Nelumbo Nucifera. It is regarded as a unique growing flower, but due to its uncanny nature of growing in the murkiest of water bodies, the lotus flower has earned its ranks as a sacred flower, among others.
In many religions, mythologies, and cultures, the lotus flower is seen as a symbol of resilience. Depicting good luck and strength to rise above the depths of conditions made to crush just like the lotus flower blooming in all its glory over a dirty, murky pond.
Modern History of the Lotus Flower
Lotus flowers have a rich history spanning over many years when they were first discovered in Southeast Asia. Many Egyptian hieroglyphic texts also indicate lotus flower, as so does the Greek folklore. However, the South East Asian region has been the most historically significant to lotus flowers. In fact, the lotus flower is the national flower of both India and Vietnam.
The cultural significance was gained for the lotus flower when the Buddhists of the region took a keen interest in the flower. Even today, both Hinduism and Buddhism have a sacred persuasion for lotus flowers. The lotus flower can be seen as a symbol for religious awakening from temples, buildings, and religious symbolism.
It was also stylized as a lotus flower throne in Asia, used by Buddhist figures to elevate divine figures. Even in Egyptian scriptures, the lotus flower denotes the path from death to rebirth with the context of the afterlife. Many Buddhist, Jain, and Indian Hindu imagery considered the gods and goddesses emerging from the lotus flower.
Moreover, the lotus flower is still taken in associated with “Lakshmi,” the goddess who brings in good luck, especially of the monetary kind. Hence, many banks and financial institutions in the Indian and Southeast Asian subcontinent can be seen having a red lotus flower as their logo.
Lotus Flower through the Lens of Spirituality
Due to its religious significance, the lotus flower has made its way into people’s lives through spirituality as well. From the symbol of overcoming adversity to divine birth, rebirth, and rising against turmoil are some of the common symbolic references used with lotus flowers.
Nature can be observed that lotus flowers usually bloom in standstill water bodies like ponds and murky pools of water accumulated in one place. Hence, the aspect of resilience and blooming against all odds even when the conditions are not in favor of you is what comes to play.
Moreover, the lotus flower is also seen as a singular source of creation and a mandala of nature. Because the flower has a center point with its petals blooming outwards in a symmetric pattern, lotus flowers are seen as a spiritual guidance symbol towards finding your Feng shui.
Different Types of Lotus Flower
There are four different types of lotus flowers that are commonly found and held sacred throughout the world. Let’s take a look at their individual significance pertaining to color:
- White – purity, ability to cut through obstacles
- Pink – inviting feminine energy, divine birth
- Red – fire, energy, inspiration, passion, expression, monetary good luck
- Blue – rarity, delaying Nirvana to help others, love, compassion
Bottom Line
All in all, the lotus flower is a sacred flower and symbol and should be respectfully used to denote the deeper meaning to not offend anyone. We can all learn a thing or two from nature, but surely even man-made beliefs and metaphors don’t fall short when it comes to the lotus flower. You can always use it to pick yourself up from the depth of great despair, blooming a lotus flower over the murkiest of waters.
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