The flower also blooms in the most unlikely of places such as the mud of murky river water in Australia or Southern Asia. Not only does it find sanctuary in the muck, but due to the waxy protection layer on its petals, its beauty is blithely unaffected when it re-blooms each morning. It continues to resurrect itself, coming back just as beautiful as it was last seen. With such refusal to accept defeat, it's almost impossible not to associate this flower with unwavering faith.
Although cultures have largely dubbed the lotus as a spiritual figurehead, it is most emblematic of the faith within ourselves. It is particularly what the Buddhist proverb, aims to edify; living life with unwavering faith, as the lotus does, ensures the most beautiful revivals.
The Scene. Type keyword s to search. Getty Images. And a longstanding Buddhist story states that the Buddha appeared atop a floating lotus, and his first footsteps on Earth left lotus blossoms As divine as the Gods, the flower of rebirth was thought to contain magical properties as well. A sea of lotus flowers in Italy. In addition, in Chinese culture, the lotus represents feminine beauty and matrimonial harmony and contentedness.
In Vietnam, the lotus is the national flower. For the Vietnamese, the lotus symbolizes optimism and hope. In Greek mythology, the lotus plant takes on a much different meaning than it does in Eastern spiritual teachings. For the ancient Greeks, the lotus symbolized hedonism and even apathy. In the Odyssey , Homer told the tale of the lotus eaters — inhabitants of an island where the locals subsisted on lotus plants.
When the islanders fed Odysseus and his sailors the lotus plant, they got high and fell into a stupor of laziness. Some historians surmise that the lotus plants in the story were actually poppies because of their opium-like effects. In Egypt, a blue lily grows in the Nile River Delta, and it is often described as a blue lotus flower.
In ancient Egypt, the lotus also symbolized transformation, notably of death and rebirth to the afterlife. The Egyptians also associated the lotus with the rising sun and the sun god, Ra. In Victorian England, flower symbolism was a popular past time.
For the Victorians, exotic flowers were especially interesting because they were not as accessible in the 19th century as they are today. Lotus meaning in Victorian England was emblematic of estranged love. It also symbolized verbal eloquence. The lotus is a wonderful symbol for a tattoo.
Lotus flower tattoos show the world that the wearers are spiritual people — both works in progress and avid students who are working on their own spiritual growth. A lotus tattoo also shows the world that you are generous and open-hearted.
In addition, a lotus flower tattoo can demonstrate your reverence for Eastern spiritual teachings and the expansion of consciousness.
Tattoos are extremely personal to every individual. Your lotus tattoo can also symbolize your own personal journey and your ability to rise above the challenges and hardships of your past. The lotus says that regardless of your environment or any troubles in your life — you remain pure of heart, mind, and soul. Lotuses Nelumbo nucifera are fairly easy to grow if you provide them with the right conditions.
Here are some general guidelines for planting and caring for lotuses, as well as some links to resources that provide more details. You can also grow them in containers. Lotus plants can grow in U. Lotus flowers bloom from early to late summer. They are warm-weather plants that love the sunshine. In fact, lotus plants need 5 — 6 hours of full sun per day. So, make sure you plant them in a sunny spot in your yard, patio, balcony, or window.
They will grow in partial shade but they may not thrive in the way they will in full sunlight. Plus, you experience the full life cycle of the plant. I like this video from Urban Gardening , which walks you through the process.
Seed germination takes a few days. Then, after you plant your sprouted seeds in a container with water or a pond if you are lucky enough to have one , the small lotus leaves will start to appear in 10 — 15 days. Lotus plants need special soil that is a heavy topsoil or clay, which makes it easier for the roots to cling to under water. Essentially, lighter soils will just float away. In addition, you have to be careful not to damage the tip from which the roots grow.
New tubers should be planted in containers with 2 — 4 inches in water, and in mud that is about 4 — 6 inches deep. As the plant matures, in can live in a water depth of 6 — 12 inches. I like the instructional videos from Bergen Water Gardens on growing lotuses because they have a few different videos based on the container size.
Lotus plants thrive in warm water. It can take 2 — 3 months before lotus buds appear. When it comes to feeding your lotus plants, timing matters. Wait until the leaves are above the surface of the water. Use a plant food that is designed for aquatic plants. And stop fertilizing over the winter. Not only are lotuses beautiful to look at and spiritual meaningful; they also have a number of practical uses. Also related to life, Buddhists see the flower as representing rebirth and reincarnation. The flower also signifies purity, spirituality, and self-cleaning.
The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law is an essential Buddhist scripture that highlights the teachings of Buddha about the lotus.
The lesson states that without mud, there can be no lotus, but the lotus remains untainted by the mud. This scripture serves as a reminder that suffering and happiness are not mutually exclusive. Without one, you cannot have the other. Within Hindu symbolism , the lotus is associated with prosperity, fertility, and beauty.
The lotus is also associated with a number of Hindu gods and relates to the sacred Padma lotus. The Padma is the part of the soul that drives people towards spiritual enlightenment even through struggles. This drive is similar to the manner in which the lotus flower pushes through the mud and muck to reach the surface.
The lotus is associated with several Hindu gods, including Lakshmi , Brahma, and Vishnu, who is known as the Lotus-Eyed One and is known for beauty and purity. Other gods are depicted with lotuses in artwork because of the association with purity and divinity. Another association given to the lotus, according to some followers of Hinduism, is creation. Similar to how the lotus blooms with sunlight, Hindus believe the world bloomed into creation in the presence of consciousness.
The lotus flower is used as an analogy for how to live life, as explained by Bhai Gurdas Ji, an influential Sikh figure and writer. These writings are referred to as keys to understanding Gurbani and grasping the basics of Sikhism.
Accordingly, just as the lotus remains unsullied in the water, you must stay unaffected by the evils of the world. Another important point is the idea that as the lotus loves the sun and blooms for it, so will the person who, through loving devotion, know the Lord. Those are just two of the many references he makes to the lotus flower throughout his teachings.
It is mentioned an estimated times as representing the human soul. Other meanings of the lotus in Sikhism can be considered the same as the general symbolism of the lotus. However, it is worth noting that the lotus flower is not commonly used as a Sikh symbol today.
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