The lotus plant is a prominent image in Eastern philosophies. In yoga we learn the lotus or half lotus asana. In North America the water lily could be comparable, offering beautiful flowers rooted in swamp waters.
This mantra or blessing might help us along the way to develop and grow from life's suffering or "muddiness".
May we exist like a lotus
At home in the muddy water.
May we bow to life as it is.
Here's some interesting information about the actual plant.
Seeded in muddy waters, the lotus rises above the mud and produces beautiful and
fragrant flowers. The big showy bloom may be 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) in diameter. The
flowers open for just three days. Then each petal falls silently into the water, one by one, at
a short period. The large green seed head or pod remains on the top of the stalk for a long
time as it darkens and ripens. The pod then falls to the water, where it floats face down releasing its seeds to take hold in the mud. The seeds then germinate in the following
Spring and give rise to new plants.
All parts of the lotus are edible. The immature seeds can be eaten raw or cooked, they
have chestnut like flavor. Ripe seeds are roasted and ground into flour, or boiled to extract
oil. Lotus roots produce starchy tubers and have the flavor of sweet potato. The young,
unrolled leaves are cooked as a vegetable.
Lotus seeds have very hard, impermeable seed coats, and can remain viable for a very
long time. Recently, lotus seeds of 1,200 years from China have germinated. What an incredible plant!
