Living Life The Lotus Way

Lotus perfectly symbolizes Yoga. It is a symbol that transcends time and religion. It signifies divine birth in spirituality. Denoting beauty, strength, purity, spiritual awakening, love, compassion, faithfulness,prosperity, fertility, and re-birth, lotus is considered to be the womb of both physical and spiritual world. In yogic science, lotus pose is a pose of awakening the dormant energy. It symbolizes the whole life. Understanding the life of lotus and qualities of lotus helps us to understand the worldly life better and direct the soul to higher consciousness.

In Yoga, the different aspects of awareness are symbolized as different types of lotuses. The seven elementary chakras in our body are represented by seven types of lotuses. The lower chakras have fewer petals. The more the petals, the higher the frequency of energy. In yoga we aim to direct the energy from lower to higher chakras through appropriate guided yogic practices. The soul is said to exist in the lotus that is inside the heart. The slow but sure unfolding of the petals, in response to the Sun denotes the opening of the soul gradually to higher possibilities. The unopened bud symbolizes the soul with dormant energy, yet having enormous potential and ability to unfold and blossom.

Lotus emerges in the still waters of ponds that signify the importance of stillness, an entryway to the commencement of spiritual journey towards universal consciousness. It grows best wherever the sludge is thick and water is muddy and polluted. The muddy environment denotes the instinctive impulses within us during our worldly travel. We are being exposed to various environments and we are travelling both outside and inside of us. Life is but a voyage of self discovery. Our mind is affected witnessing all kinds of dirt both within and outside us. One option is to be allergic to the dirt and keep ourselves out of the dirt just putting up the shutters leading a sealed life. Another option is to be with wakefulness and utilize the same dirt as a manure to spread out the true essence in us.

We need mud to get a strong footing and grip in the earthly plane. Being in the water, yet not dampened by it is yet another virtue of Lotus. But practically is it possible to undergo circumstances untouched at all times flowing through life safe and sound? We may succeed at many times, but certainly not at all times. If we are that great, on the first place, we would not be on earth. Then what can be the method to overcome this? One may need to just change the direction directing towards light and constantly receive light like lotus. This would automatically keep up the strength and drive away the dirty obstacles. Standing apart we can carry out the tasks without worrying about the results. We must go through trials and sufferings of earthly life rising above the situations so fresh and pure using the experiences as a fertilizer and finally standing taller above them like a lotus. By going up we are also giving up our old habits and patterns. Being in an environment yet unaffected expressing the natural beauty of one’s own self without blemishes against the same background is a beautiful quality for one’s spiritual enfoldment. Is this quality not needed to every individual? Yoga is a scientifically proven means to achieve this state helping the individual to gain mastery.

Let us break away our unwanted desires and attachments and re-emerge. It is the victory of soul over our false ego and limited knowledge. Lotus does not blossom in the winter since it is not tolerant to cold atmosphere. The petals close and control the inner circulation. It does not mean it is weak. It only waits for a suitable environment to spread its fragrance. Thus let us not condemn the mud, for without it, growth is not possible. Allowing the lotus in us to be blown, nothing from outside can affect the strength and resoluteness. With Grace that is showered on us like sunshine we need to be attentive in concentrating on receiving the energy than focusing on obstacles. Let us aim upwards, gaining wisdom with help of Grace spread outwards, yet again bend downwards to spread the true essence of seeds in us down to earth

Hari Om!