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Many spiritualties use the image of the lotus flower to express the human desire to connect to the Spirit, or illustrate our divine essence. Yet frequently this is done by juxtaposing the purity of the (spiritual) world above the murky waters where lotuses tend to grow, the “dirtiness” of the mud (or material world) from which the stem of the flower rises. With all due respect to masters and belief systems, I disagree with this image.
One of the things to consider is that the lotus is not anchored in the mud, as a boat is to the bottom of the lake. The lotus’s relationship to the mud is closer to that of the baby, the placenta and the mother. The mud nourishes the lotus; it is a life-line and sustains it as it grows out of the water and expands into a beautiful flower. The lotus also feeds from the sun’s rays and in a way becomes a connector, a bridge between the light and the darkness, the sun and the mud, heaven and earth. By the same token, our soul needs both the earthly and the spiritual realms
to fully expand and fulfil its potential. Just like the mud, our bodies support us in this human experience. The waters can be seen as the emotions and reactions we experience during the ups and downs of life.
The light does filter the water, which can be clearer or darker at different stages. The lotus’ roots are our connection to our past as well, to our ancestors, culture and traditions. All of this is needed for the stem to grow, from the bottom of the pond to the surface of the water. Yes, there is a call from the “light” to rise up. But without that which many consider less pure or dark, the lotus will never flower. Hence, if there is sacredness in the sun, there is also sacredness in the mud. If there is sacredness in the spiritual realm, there is sacredness in the physical realm. Both are needed for Spirit to express itself through life. So the mud deserves the same reverence as the light and we, as lotuses, must merge them both in our being, to become the flower we are meant to be.
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