LOTUS FLOWERS
By LEONARDO DELIZO
By LEONARDO DELIZO
The Lotus Flower and its Symbolic Place
The Lotus flower basically symbolizes the clarity of heart as well as the mind. In other words the Lotus flower represents strength, good luck, long life as well as honor and respect.
The lotus was of great significance to many ancient cultures, and in particular to the Eastern religions. From ancestral times, the lotus regularly appears as a symbol of purity, peace, transcendence, enlightenment, rebirth, beauty, and fertility.
In India, the lotus flower is considered to be of divine origin and is viewed as sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. Buddha was said to sleep on a lotus six months of the year, and Shambala (Buddhist heaven) is sometimes represented as a field of flowering sacred lotuses.
The idea of enlightenment is symbolised by the life cycle of the sacred lotus plant because it begins its life humbly in the mud of ponds but soon grows and sends stems and flowers well above the surface of the water (up to 50cm), thus showing the path of spiritual enfoldment.
It also has unusual flowering habits; its flowers ‘wake up’ (open) at dawn and go to sleep (close) at about 2pm. Some lotuses are even known to open up at night and close during the day, ignoring the normal sunlight hours favoured by the majority of flowering plants, and effectively transcending normal time cycles.
The lotus is one of Buddhism’s most significant symbols. It is a symbol of enlightenment and purity of the mind. The lotus symbolizes many aspects of the path to enlightenment.
A closed blossom signifies the potential for enlightenment. An open blossom signifies full enlightenment.
The colors of the lotus also have significant meanings. The white lotus symbolizes Bodhi, the state of total mental purity, spiritual perfection, and the pacification of human nature. Love and compassion is associated with the red lotus. The blue lotus is the flower that symbolizes wisdom. The Buddha is associated with the pink lotus, the supreme flower.The lotus flower holds a special place in us because it symbolizes humans’ strive in this world.
Meaning of Lotus Flowers
The meaning of a lotus flower ranges from divine purity and enlightenment, as in Buddhism, wealth, as in Hinduism, to rebirth.
The Egyptians used the lotus to symbolize the sun and rebirth and it was also a symbol of Upper Egypt.
In Buddhism, lotus flowers mean purity of speech, mind and body rising above the waters of desire and attachment. The lotus is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols. Different colors of lotus are symbolically used to represent aspects of perfection. There are four colors, which are pink, blue, red and white. Red represents the heart--its purity, original nature, compassion, passion, love and other qualities. White symbolizes spiritual perfection and complete mental purity. Pink represents the Buddha and is the supreme lotus. Blue means wisdom, knowledge and victory over the senses.
Lotuses in Hinduism symbolize prosperity, beauty, fertility, eternity and eternal youth. Like Buddhism, it also means purity and divinity. A lotus is often used analogously for how people should live. One book that does this is the Bhagavad Gita at 5.10, where it states: "One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water." Lotuses are also used to represent chakras, or the body's energy centers.
THE SYMBOL
Lotuses are symbols of purity and ‘spontaneous’ generation and hence symbolize divine birth. According to the Lalitavistara, ‘the spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the new lotus in the muddy water which does not adhere to it’, and, according to esoteric Buddhism, the heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus: when the virtues of the Buddha develop therein the lotus blossoms. This is why the Buddha sits on a lotus in bloom. In Tantrism, it is the symbol of the feminine principle. The lotuses are usually differentiated by their colour and grouping, in three or five flowers, which may or may not be combined with leaves.
White Lotus
This symbolizes Bodhi, the state of total mental purity and spiritual perfection, and the pacification of our nature. It generally has eight petals corresponding to the Noble Eightfold Path of the Good Law. It is the lotus found at the heart of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, being the womb or embryo of the world. It is characteristic of the esoteric sects, and the lotus of the Buddhas.
Red Lotus
This symbolizes the original nature of the heart (hrdaya). It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion, activity and all the qualities of the heart. It is the lotus of Avalokitesvara.
Blue Lotus
This is the symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, of intelligence and wisdom, of knowledge. It is always represented as a partially opened bud, and (unlike the red lotus) its centre is never seen. It is the lotus of Manjusri, and also one of the attributes of Prajnaparamita, the embodiment of the ‘perfection of wisdom’.
Pink Lotus
This is the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity; sometimes confused with the white lotus it is the lotus of the historical Buddha.
Purple lotus
This is the mystic lotus, represented only in images belonging to a few esoteric sects. The flowers may be in full bloom and reveal their heart, or in a bud. They may be supported by a simple stem, a triple stem (symbolizing the three divisions of Garbhadhatu: Vairocana, lotus and vajra), or a quintuple stem (symbolizing the Five Knowledges of Vajradhatu). The eight petals represent the Noble Eightfold Path and the eight principal acolyte deities of the central deity on the mandalas. The flowers may also be depicted presented in a cup or on a tray, as a symbol of homage.
Uses
Because of its purifying and protective virtues, the lotus oil has a lot to offer to the ‘ever-giving’ therapist.
Lotus can be added to an aromatic bath or a massage blend, or diffused in the air as a way to recharge energies and clear away unwanted thoughts.
As lotus oil is very intense, it is at its best when diluted or blended with lighter essential oils.
Making Scented Water Mist:
Take a plant spray container, fill it with water and add 2 drops of lotus oil, 1 drop of neroli, 1 drop of tuberose, and spray in the air regularly; as well as gently perfuming the room, this will keep the air humidified (protect all electronic appliances and computers!).
Aromatic Bath and Massage Blend:
Choosing a special carrier oil for the occasion, perhaps Camellia oil or macerated lime flower oil, I personally find Camellia oil (Camellia oleifera or sesanqua) as it softens the skin and protects it from effects of the weather. It is also said to offer protection from harmful UV rays.Add 5 drops of lotus oil, 5 drops of neroli, and 2 drops of frankincense (Oman) to 50 mls of Camellia oil.
Self-care
Light candles in your bathroom and put dried flower petals of rose, chamomile, and lime blossom into your bath (obtained from herbalist shops) and put on soft music, Apply the massage oil to yourself and sit in the bath for as long as you feel like, shutting the world out.
Pharmacological effects of Lotus Flower
1) Yeonjayuk : Fruit and SeedThey are good for people who are very sensitive. Improvement of Kidney function. Good for curing insomnia.
2) Hahyeop : Lotus LeafGood for curing diarrhea, headache, Vertigo, hematemesis, night (nocturnal) enuresis, detoxication.
3) Ujeol : RootGood for curing hemoptysis, hematemesis, nose bleeding, hemorrhoids, bleeding in anus.
4) Yeonbang: Lotus PipGood for curing haemorrhoids, prolapse of the anus, and various bleeding. (Hemostatic)
5) Yeonsu : PistilGood for curing dysentery and bleeding. Good for people who dream too much.
6) Yeonjasim : Embryo in SeedGood for curing eyeball bleeding and bleeding. (Hemostatic).
Healing Effects of Lotus Root
It has widely used as the invigorant and very helpful to rest from ones fatigue and for mental stability.
Effective to cure Lung disease, anemia, melena, beriberi, etc.Effective to cure gastric ulcer and gastritis.
Effective to cure Haemorrhoids, bleeding, diarrhea, night enuresis, etc.
Detoxication function for removing Nicotine.
Good food for curing low blood pressure.
Neutralization function to remove various poison.
Herb medical Use of Lotus Root
Lotus root tastes sweet or pucker.
It is very helpful to stop bleeding.
It has widely used to cure hematemesis, hemoptysis, bleeding pee, etc.
To cure them, it is used with other Herb medicines.
It is taken as a juice or roasted.Effective to cure gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
Lotus pip is effective to stop the chronic diarrhea and to cure cardiac disorder.
Lotus pips is effective to cure nervous prostration;
3rd grade students of high school, salary men, the climacterium women, and feeble men, etc.
Embryo of lotus pip is effective to cure the heartache.
Effective to stop bleeding with smashed lotus roots.
Effective to stop nosebleed with lotus root juice.
Effective to cure gastritis and stomach by eating lotus root soup.Effective to cure mushroom poisoning, bleeding, haemorrhoids, diarrhea, lumbago night enuresis by drinking lotus tea made of lotus leaves.
It makes skin clean and fresh to drink tea made of lotus roots and lotus leaves. Lotus root juice prevents high blood pressure and removes hangover and phlegm. Effective to prevent or cure chronic fatigue, nervous non-stability, and insomnia. In addition it is effective for people who cough a lot, people to get hoarse. Without an reason, it is effective to remove e meditative huhave or to stop nosebleed.
I am looking for high quality lotus photos for inclusion in a forthcoming book on lotus. Can you send me some . I will acknowledge your help and can also give you a copy of the book when it comes out, Please reply.
ReplyDeleteravinair.pn@gmail.com, Dr PN Ravindran