Spiritual Awakening & the Sacred Symbol of the Lotus

Spiritual Awakening & the Sacred Symbol of the Lotus The Lotus is a type of water lily that has been considered sacred for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians depicted it in hieroglyphics to show that it was used in religious rituals and was associated with the priesthood and royalty. The lotus is also used in religious rituals within Hinduism and Buddhism as well as other Eastern religions. But what is so special about the lotus flower? Even today, this flower symbolises the path and process of spiritual awakening and is as popular with spiritual seekers now, as it was in ancient times. The Lotus, Quan Yin & Spiritual Awakening When it comes to spiritual awakening, one of the most inspiring symbols is that of The Great Mother Goddess, Quan Yin when she is depicted as seated on a lotus blossom. This is a powerful symbol for meditation and contemplation; it conveys essential truths of her nature and spirituality and through connecting with this symbol, we can learn to progress the healing path through compassion and sacred expressions of love. The journey of Spiritual Awakening is also called self-realisation, spiritual ascension, The Great Work, ‘union with the Godhead’ and individuation. Consciously pursuing this path is considered a sacred process and is a common theme in many religions, philosophies and spiritual practices. When it comes to Quan Yin, her philosophy is simple: “There is one path to love: Love is the path.” For many, the Lotus as a sacred symbol expresses this essential truth. But the meaning the symbol conveys goes much, much deeper and reveals the true magick and mystery of the human life-journey. The lotus grows in the murky, muddy and filthy edges of bodies of water. Where the debris of decay and death form a putrid sludge, the lotus seed finds life-giving nourishment. Buried in the mire, the seed splits itself and begins the process of growth. In the darkness, the seed can trust only to faith and instinct in its journey. It doesn’t know what it will become. It hasn’t seen “the light”, and yet, it finds the will to grow. This portion of the journey of the Lotus provides us with a symbol of hope and determination. It reminds us to have faith in the process and to be patient. It reminds us that no matter where we start out, even in the dirt and darkness, there is a way to grow and exceed our apparent limitations. The Roots of Lotus & Our Experience of Death The roots of the lotus extend into the bottom of the river or pond, drawing sustenance from the mud; its stem rises through the ever-shifting waters, to the surface where, it blossoms into beautiful white-pink flower when it reaches the light. We can reflect on this symbol by thinking about what the mud actually is – it contains the broken down nutrients of many tiny creatures and plants so in many ways we can look at the Lotus as demonstrating the idea that death is part of a natural and essential process. As humans, we can struggle with concepts like death and end up feeling that they are somehow bad. Certainly, the experience of loss and grief is hard! Our experiences of death are usually the most painful experiences we have as humans so it can be difficult for us to rationalise the cycles of life and death because we associate that cycle far more with loss, pain and suffering than we do with growth, hope and joy. The Rise of the Lotus & the Human Healing Journey The Lotus reminds us to look at those challenging thoughts and feelings from a different angle. The Lotus reminds us that there is a way up. That beyond the murkiness and mire at the bottom, there is another layer. The Lotus moves through the water as it grows and the water is symbolic of our emotions and spirituality. This growth happens because it is wired into the DNA of the lotus; whether it wants to move on from its muddy residence or not, it will. And just as we can feel trapped in the darkness of our experiences, our nature is still to live, to grow, expand and evolve and translate the mess and muck into something more magickal, hopeful and soulfully aligned with our higher selves. As we rise through the world of water, we process our feelings and get in touch with our spiritual selves. We gain a new perspective of the mud we came from and we start to realise, we may have thought we were just seeds, but in fact, we were always something more than that; that wasn’t the end of the journey, it was the beginning. The Blooming Lotus, Higher Consciousness & Spiritual Enlightenment When the work of integrating our experiences, accepting ourselves and working out what’s really important has been done, like the lotus, we reach the surface of the water. Often we’ve been working towards the light without even realising that’s what we were doing. And when we get to the surface, we are able to experience and express the Light of Divinity within by blooming, just as the Lotus does! Our blooming is our awakening; it is the process of enlightenment and the raising of our consciousness to the point that we are able to perceive the higher spiritual aspects of life that are expressed around us. And the fact that the mud proves to be just as sacred in the journey of the lotus reminds us that our own mud and the loss, grief, pain and suffering that gets broken down into it, isn’t just “badness”, it’s also where we are rooted into our lives; and it’s how we continuously recycle our energy as we move through times of growth or gain, death or loss and rebirth. Every cycle takes us forward on our healing path and rather than being a circle, our progress reveals our path to be a spiral as we gradually evolve to embody more of the soul and our higher divine aspects as we experience the ups and downs of life. The Symbol of the Lotus for Meditation In summary, the lotus is a popular symbol of enlightenment because its life mirrors essential elements of the journey of the human soul: through darkness, death and decay, life blossoms. The soul is realised through accepting and assimilating the messiness of life – and only by doing this, is it possible to realise our potential, find our way to the water’s surface and blossom as we turn our faces to the brilliance of the sun. The ‘heavy’ experiences of life on the physical plane ultimately provide the wisdom that feeds the soul and allows its full expression. For many, the lotus is a symbol of inspiration on the spiritual path. It reminds us that true beauty springs from being fully grounded in the realities of life, while striving towards the light by keeping our highest aspirations pure. Meditating on the symbol of the lotus can help us to understand our own journey – especially during dark times and when we feel uncertain. If you feel drawn to work with this energy, you can find the Lotus Fountain Healing Technique course on the Mayastar website. Go to... Articles Menu Archangel Chamuel: Limitless Love & Healing with the 3rd Ray Animal Medicine Article Developing an Affinity for Abundance | Law of Attraction Article Your Abundance Altar: Inspiration, Innovation & Ideas Ascended Masters Article Rose Quartz Bath | A Healing Ritual by Maya 5 Ways to Increase Your Intuition 5 Ways to Use the Violet Flame of St Germain Maintaining a Healthy Aura Psychic Protection on the Healing Journey Best Crystals for Healing Psychic Self Defence & Spiritual Health Mayastar Philosophy