Everywhere
in Asia you will find in small ponds or lakes the lotus flower. Ever since it is
the symbol of purity and prospering. Its impeccable flower is the product of mud. It is prospering out of mud. It absolutely needs the dirtiness of the dead particles, i.e. from fish or frog garbage. The metapher of garbage stands for our past (i.e. families, ancestors, our culture). The lotus flower does not prosper on good native soil., The older and dirtier the mud is, the better it is prospering. The lotus flower is encouraging us to build ourselves in abysmal conditions.
Coming from muddy ground the lotus bud comes up into the water and strives for light and warmth. If the lotus says "yes" to its roots from the mud, it will become a strong stem. This stem is wiggling very flexible through the water. First through dull and muddy water, but then the water becomes clearer and clearer. It completely flows with the currents of the water. The stem grows into the instable space of the water (water symbolizes emotions) and is being tossed. It can cope with this because it has a firm ground in which it is rooted.
Further attracted by the light and strengthened in the waters of life, the lotus bud is coming to the surface of the water. There it unfolds first its green leave and is laying as a bud for a moment of time on the surface of the water until it decides on a nice and sunny day to completely open its flower. Slowly it unfolds petal after petal and is swimming in its purity and beauty on the surface of the water. Its petals do have a pearl effect. This means it does no longer take up any dirt. Even the dirt of a strong monsoon rain is rolling off.
Indian gods are often shown sitting on a lotus flower as a throne. Thus, they demonstrate that they derive from the dirt, the mud and have gone through the shades. The flower is swimming on the water of life, waves cannot harm it, rain and dirt are rolling off.
The lotus flower stands for the pure „self“- the immortal, unsoiled divine part in us. It is about bringing this inner treasure up to the light and to fulfillment.