The Story of the Lotus

Joan Rood for Daniel Peralta

The story of the Lotus is so wonderful. It thrives in mucky, muddy pools of water - it raises itself up through the muck and mire of the pond and blooms in all its glory. At the end of the season the plant dies and goes into a dormant phase. In India, the ponds dry up and the Lotus plants lie dormant until the next rainy season. Once the rains come, the plant regenerates and finally pushes itself through the muck and mire reaching for its climax and beauty.

The plant has its roots deep in the soil under water. The long, cylindrical stalk passes through the water and rises above the water's surface. The mud in which the lotus roots grow represents material life, while the water through which the stalk passes represents the astral world. When the plant reaches the surface of the water and opens its bud to the sun, it represents spiritual being.

Interpreted in life - sometimes the roots of our material life have to be in the muck and mire in order for us to learn our lessons. However, we always have a connection (stalk) to our spiritual roots and our soul (the bud that blooms) is always striving to reach its highest potential. It reaches for the light and when it finds it, it radiates that light back to the world for all to see.

Here is some more info on the Lotus: The crown chakra is often called "The Thousand-Petalled Lotus", which is a symbol of final revelation. It is believed that the transformation of the world into paradise can occur through the lotus, which expounds fully the oneness of all life. In Buddhist tradition, the fully-opened lotus has a strong solar character, and its petals are likened to the rays of the sun; it is a symbol of enlightenment. In the Egyptian tradition, also, the same theme is repeated. Meditating on the lotus brings harmony into all aspects of our being, within and without. Given the lotus plant's potency as a symbol, and its thousands of years of association with spiritual practice in many traditions, we believe that this essence is the foremost flower essence on this planet. As a flower essence, Lotus has many uses. It is called the spiritual elixir. It helps in meditation by calming the mind and improving concentration. Thus it assists in spiritual growth. It is beneficial when used as a spray around the places of ceremony. When combined with crystals, it is very powerful in its effect. Lotus is an excellent elixir for balancing, cleansing, and strengthening the aura. All the chakras are aligned and balanced by releasing, adding, or directing energies to them, thus resulting in better health and harmony. It is a good harmonizing essence for interpersonal relationships as well as for our connections with our animals. Lotus aids in cleaning the entire system of toxins - physical or subtle. It can be used in bath therapy, and can also be used locally along with lotus oil, or in a cream or lotion base with Lotus essence added. The essence augments the effectiveness of Kinesiology, Aromatherapy, Homoeopathy and tissue salts and is also used on acupressure points.