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mayyoubewell

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My Interests:
Prayer, Meditation, Angels, Interfaith issues, Music, Books, Education, Travel, Gardening, Current events, Art, Environment, Holistic living, Health, Cooking, Marriage, Pets, Dreams

Who I'm praying for:
compassion will triumph over selfishness

What is your current spiritual mood?:
Indecisive

What's your spiritual type?:
Undefinable - These labels (and most labels) don't work for me.

About Me

The Spiritual Meaning
of the Lotus

by Rev. Sue Annabrooke Jones

     The lotus flower, a type of water lily, is held sacred among many of the world's religions and cultures.

     With its roots in the mud, the lotus rises through the murky water to blossom clean and bright, symbolizing to the Buddhist purity, resurrection and the enlightened being who emerges undefiled from the chaos and illusion of the world.

     The eight-petalled lotus that is used in Buddhist mandalas symbolizes cosmic harmony, and the thousand-petalled lotus represents spiritual illumination.

     In the iconography of the Greek and Roman Christian Churches, the Archangel Gabriel is portrayed holding a spray of water lilies in every picture of the Annunciation when he appears to the mother of Jesus.

     The Hindus of India noted that the ungerminated seeds of the lotus contain perfectly formed leaves, a blueprint for the future plant. Thus to the Hindu, the lotus represents divine ideation passing from abstract into concrete form.

     The lotus is featured prominently in Egyptian art and architecture, especially in connection with Egypt's temples. In Egyptian mythology, the lotus was associated with the sun, because it blooms by day and closes by night. The lotus also symbolized rebirth, since one Egyptian creation myth tells of the newborn sun god rising out of a floating lotus. The blue lotus was sacred to the ancient Egyptians, who valued it not only for its rich perfume but also for its narcotic ability to produce heightened awareness and tranquillity.

     To Native Americans, who found all parts of the American lotus edible, the flower symbolized the sun's power to transform energy into food. The seeds were once an especially important part of the Native American diet; in fact, the genus name Nelumbo means "sacred bean."

     The lotus is also highly esteemed by Taoists. Among the Eight Immortals of Taoism is Ho Hsien Ku, her symbol the open lotus blossom, signifying openness and wisdom.

     A feature of the lotus plant that has found its way into Chinese poetry is its stalk, which is easy to bend but difficult to break because of its many strong fibres. Poets liken this quality to the bonds between lovers or family members.

     The lotus flower is a favorite of Taoist artists, who paint it to remind us of the miracle of beauty, light and life, and to communicate an understanding of the Tao and of our place in the world.

My Basics

Gender: Female

Relationship Status: Married

Faiths: Other
Faith Description: wholistic spirituality a bit of christianity a bit of buddhism with an emphasis on what brings people of various backgrounds TOGETHER.

mayyoubewell's Journal

hurray for the world!!

Posted: Jun 29, 2008 7:47 PM

Heavenletter # 2773 Published on: June 28, 2008 God said: The way plants grow through the crust of the soil and appear,... (more)

Posted: Jun 4, 2008 7:57 PM

(more)

waterlilies

Posted: Jun 2, 2008 5:11 PM

(more)

mayyoubewell

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mayyoubewell's Friends

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Theophilus Nicholson

Essence of buddha

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Holistic Spirituality

10 Ways to Simplify Your Life - April 17, 2008 at 6:43 AM

As we face an ever-increasing pace of life governed by email, instant messaging, and 24-7 busyness, we may become paralyzed looking at the options. These tips, based off of Christian principles,...

Daily Eco Tips

Today's Eco Tip for July 6, 2008 - July 6, 2008 at 1:00 AM

Skip the unnecessary pre-wash cycle on your washing machine and save time and money. Also, look for detergents that work with cold water to save energy from the water heater!