The meaning behind the Blue Lotus Flower
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”
-Buddha
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”
-Buddha
The symbolism behind the color Blue:
The Color Blue is the color of responsibility.
It demonstrates the deepest levels of trust, loyalty, and honesty.
Blue is not the color to use when one is making a fuss or confronting something or someone.
The color Blue is reliable. It is sincere, quiet, and reserved in itself.
Psychologists use the color blue to represent confidence and security in one’s deepest depths of the self.
Blue is not spontaneous but rather used to show the order in one’s daily life or career choice.
Peace, tranquility, and complete mental relaxation are often represented by the color Blue.
Many health care professionals will use the color Blue to reduce a patient’s stress levels, help them to experience calmness and relaxation.
Softer hues of the color Blue help us to feel freer, and it will oftentimes help slow one’s metabolism.
Public speakers will often use the color Blue to help their audiences feel at ease and have a sense of trust in what the speaker is preaching about.
Verbal communication is often fond of the color Blue as wisdom and intelligence to the highest degree are represented by it.
Many artists will use the color Blue as it is thought to enhance self-expression and ideals.
Many religious groups associate Blue with the color of the spirit and overall devotion to ones diety. However, many non-religious people will associate the color Blue with devotion as well.
This devotion is more likely related to their home life (family, friends, etc.) as well as their devotion to their careers and morals.
Blue is a safe color. What does this mean?
It means that the color Blue is reliable and conservative. It can be used to portray a friend or family member that is always in your corner to help you succeed and to also keep you safe.
This color is non-threatening and yet persistent.
Most people would not associate the color Blue with change as it is thought to have a difficult time being flexible, especially during times of drastic change (moving far away from your homeland, or starting an entirely new career path).
On the other hand, brides require their “something blue.” during one of the greatest changes a human being will ever experience, legally binding yourself to another through the act of marriage.
In this respect, blue can be used as nostalgic symbolism and will also symbolize the woman’s trust and responsibility to her husband.
The symbolism behind the Blue Lotus Flower:
The Blue Lotus Flower (Nymphaea Caerula) is one of the only Lotus Flowers (along with the White Lotus Flower) to be native to Egypt.
It is thought that many cultures and religions associate the Blue Lotus Flower with rebirth and enlightenment in a passionate way.
Historically, the Blue Lotus Flower has been seen in artwork as well as drawings inside tombs, caves, and temples.
They were often used to show a soul being reincarnated or rebirth. It is also said that priests and nuns would use the Lotus Flower to make tea.
By drinking this tea, they are said to have experienced a psychedelic and sedative period of time for which their senses would be heightened and provide a more intense spiritual ritual.
Various religious characters are seen resting, sitting, or holding a Lotus Flower as a sign of devotion and trust in the religion as well as its pure intentions.
Buddhist interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower:
Buddhism as a religion spreads far and wide across the globe.
In fact, it is one of the most popular religions still practiced today, and new followers begin their journey to enlightenment every day.
The Buddhism religion is also one of the main origins for the Lotus Flower symbolisms. Buddhists tend to find meaning in almost everything, living or not.
However, the Lotus Flower seems to be held in one of the highest regards. Blue Lotus Flowers, in the Buddhism religion, represent common sense and pure wisdom.
Artwork depicting the Blue Lotus Flower will oftentimes show it slightly opened.
This is to symbolize the learning stage that the person is on during their path to enlightenment.
With the Blue Lotus Flower only partially opened it demonstrates all of the lessons that have yet to be completed before the flower can be fully opened and the person reaches full enlightenment.
Its center is never fully exposed. In other words, wisdom has yet to be fully gained.
The interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower in Asian Cultures:
The Blue Lotus Flower or Nymphaea Caerulea is known as the Sacred Lotus Flower in China, Japan, Bali, and various other Asian countries.
They respect this flower for its multiple different symbolisms which include:
- Being victorious over selfish attachments
- Showing love and compassion for all things, living or non-living
- Rising above the suffering of humans
- Purity of wisdom
- Patience with yourself, others and life’s greatest lessons
- Being aware of one’s true self
- Experiencing contact directly to the spiritual realm
- Various stages of enlightenment
Those who practice yoga are well aware of the Lotus position which is named for the way one looks while performing it.
During this position, your legs should be bent (as though you were going to sit cross-legged). But, instead of your feet being placed under your legs, they should be over them.
Your hands should either be resting on your thighs, upwards, in a meditative position, or, they should be centered on your chest, palms touching.
If you were to perform the Lotus position in a temple, then your feet should be tucked in a way that the bottoms are not facing upwards.
This is considered disrespectful to the followers as well as to the spiritual leader.
Mandalas are a traditional art form that is often created in a similar fashion to that of the Lotus Flower.
Mandalas are symbols of spiritual and divine energy as well as often used during meditation as a focal point.
Those who practice or are treated by Chinese medicine may frequently be treated with or treat others with the Blue Lotus Flower tea.
The tea made from this particular Lotus Flower offers a sedative aspect that can aid insomniacs without the groggy side effects the following day.
Hindu interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower:
Hinduism is another very common religion practiced around the world.
They too, hold the Blue Lotus Flower in high regard and respect it for its various meanings to the culture.
Those who practice Hinduism are taught to see the Blue Lotus Flower as a symbol of eternity, prosperity, fertility, and natural beauty.
However, they are more likely to speak of the White Lotus Flower than any other coloration.
They see the purity of the White Lotus Flower and its ability to remain unscathed by the muddy water and find stronger meaning in it for such.
While Hinduism followers may have a closer association to the White Lotus Flower, they still find that the Blue Lotus Flower is a good representation of the Universe.
This is evident in their artwork displaying their Gods and Goddesses resting on, sitting on, or holding a Lotus Flower.
The interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower in Egyptian Culture:
As the legend goes, chaos and darkness reigned over the waters of Egypt.
The Blue Lotus Flower then rose from the dark depths of the water, shining its beauty on the land.
As the blue petals of the flower opened, a young God appeared, sitting in the Blue Lotus Flower’s center. This young God sat on the flower’s center, its golden heart, and a sweet aroma was released into the air of the day.
The light that exuded from the young God ended the darkness, and thus, this being became the Sun God and known as the source of all life.
As the Blue Lotus Flower closed up its petals as evening approached, the chaos and darkness that had just been banished, now returned.
With the entering of dawn, the Sun God would return on a new Blue Lotus Flower, and the darkness would again be banished.
This path would continue on at the start and end of each day. Until the Sun God decided to create other beings that could assist him in this process and who would also share this world with him.
The Sun God used his thoughts to create other Gods and Goddesses along with the rest of existence.
He welcomed them and gave them each a name to be known by the people.
The Egyptian people took an interest in the Blue Lotus Flower, and they recognized how it would open its luminous blue petals at the dawn of each new day and would close them again at dusk.
As they revered in this daily process, the Egyptian people began to associate the opening of the Blue Lotus Flower with the dawning of a new day, the arrival of the Sun, light, and goodness.
The blue colored petals surrounding the brightly colored orange center seemed to resemble the sun in the blue sky.
They then began to associate the closing of the Blue Lotus Flower with the dusk at the end of each day, the loss of the Sun, the light, and the darkness that was soon to arrive.
Egyptian people began using the Blue Lotus Flower and its daily blooming process in their artwork to depict the story of creation.
Egyptians obviously have a deep passion for the Blue Lotus Flower and respect for everything they believe it stands for.
This would be mainly due to the legend explained above. The tombs, temples, and artwork from Ancient Egypt show the Blue Lotus Flower very often as it was native to their country.
They are the earliest people to have water gardens and landscaping. They would create drawings where the water garden, pond or another water source was full of floating Blue Lotus Flowers.
The pond, water garden, or another water source full of Lotus Flowers would then be surrounded by papyrus palms and acacias.
This incredible flower was seen as a life plant. By this, I mean that the Egyptians used it for fertility purposes, during childbirth, for various rituals and parties, and finally, as additions to the burial tombs of the dead.
The interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower in Roman and Greek religious works:
The Egyptians knew of the Blue Lotus Flower for around 3000 years, using it for its medicinal and recreational purposes as well as believing in its symbolism and holding it to one of the highest respects.
In 300 B.C. the Greeks arrived and began to discover the Blue Lotus Flower and all it has to offer.
It was then that the Blue Lotus Flower gained such popularity, and as the Roman Empire came to an end, the flower was in high demand in India and Britannia.
Native American interpretation of the Blue Lotus Flower:
The Native Americans were likely never lucky enough to experience the narcotic effect of the Blue Lotus Flower or even embrace their sense of smell with its natural perfume.
However, they most likely discovered the Yellow (or golden) Lotus Flower during their travels.
It is believed that the Native Americans used the Yellow Lotus Flower as a source of food.
This would have been particularly true if they had to roam (travel) for a long-distance because the Yellow (or golden) Lotus Flower would have made a very portable source of food.
The Native Americans likely consumed as much of the plant as they could including the shoots, roots, flowers, and seeds.
The Lotus Flower roots were essential to the Native Americans during the cold winter months
So, while the Native Americans of the time may have never experienced the beauty and significance of the Blue Lotus Flower, they made good use of the Yellow (or golden) Lotus Flower that was at their disposal.
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