The sacred flower of the Egyptians. What does the lotus flower mean?

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Lotus has always occupied a special place in ancient Eastern philosophy, it is not for nothing that it is called the "sacred flower of the Egyptians." In some religions, there is still an opinion that the Earth is a large lotus that has blossomed on the surface of the water surface. Despite the fact that these distant "dark" times of delusions have long since sunk into oblivion, and a large number of revolutionary, great discoveries have clarified all the secrets of the universe, legends still continue to exist at the moment.

Lotus

In order to understand this plant, you need to know its meaning. Lotus is the sacred flower of the Egyptians, it personifies beauty, the desire for purity, light, the sun. This symbol has a lunar and solar meaning, because it has the same relation to fire and water, divine light and hellish darkness. This is a kind of interaction of the lunar power of water and the sun, a world that is reborn in a vital whirlwind.

Meaning of the symbol

The main and main meaning of the symbol remains a certain fundamental force, directly related to the feminine. And be that as it may,any of his personification in one way or another affects such moments as fertility, fame, prosperity, he alth, offspring and longevity. There are some traditions that also associate the white lotus directly with the sun, purity, silence, oblivion and peace. And its structure, due to its peripherality, tells us about the interaction of yang and yin, male and female.

The sacred flower of the ancient Egyptians

Flashing back to ancient Egypt, one cannot help but notice that the lotus was one of the most revered plants. After the waters of the Nile spilled over the fields as a result of the flood, many seeds of this flower remained there. As soon as the flowers bloomed at sunset, the more flowers there were, the happier people became. The sacred flower of the Egyptians meant a good harvest for them. The lotus was considered the breadwinner of all the people. And those girls who were going to get married wove wreaths from it, the premises of the newlyweds were decorated in the same way, and the petals were even placed on the wedding bed.

When guests appeared on the doorstep, the hosts decorated their heads with similar wreaths. The lotus was always placed on the table closer to the sweets, and if it began to wither, it was instantly changed to a fresh one. Thus, neither the guests nor the room where they were, never lacked these flowers.

These plants were used to create very beautiful decorations in the form of garlands, which were used to decorate the whole country during the holidays, with special attention paid to temples and statues.

Comparison with gods

Neifor whom it is not a secret that the sacred flower of the Egyptians was quite often combined with divine images and other sacred symbols. One of the most revered gods, the symbol of the rising sun, Horus, was associated with him. Also, the lotus was made in the form of a throne for such deities as Osiris, Nephthys and Isis. It is known that Queen Nefertiti also wore it. Recent studies have shown that upper and lower Egypt had different emblems, and if the latter was depicted in the form of papyrus, then the former as a lotus flower. All newborn babies were exclusively on the petals of this flower, right up to that time, until the Great Roman era appeared. So the god Ra was born from a lotus.

Plant in China

In the Middle Kingdom, the lotus is a symbol of Buddhism. A flower that takes root directly in the mud, but after that grows out of it already pure, the fruit of which reaches for the sky, is an image of aspiration to the pure, heavenly and higher. This applies not only to Buddhism, but also to such a religion as Taoism. Ancient scriptures say that on the day when the Buddha was born (April 8 according to the modern calendar), the lotus blossomed. Also, this flower is constantly remembered in various wishes and congratulations to this day. For example, in modern China, you can find postcards that depict a boy holding this plant in his hands, there is no literal translation, but figuratively, it says that this is a wish to have everything that is needed in abundance. And in the troubled times of China, young girls who were in noble and decent families of high society, crippled their legs, tying them,and called it "bent lotus". It was believed that thanks to this procedure, the girl had a very graceful gait.

Flower in India

In this country, the lotus is a symbol of the spiritual world and a certain space for the opportunity to create. And just like in Egypt, this flower is associated directly with fertility, water and the goddess Padma, who personifies all this. In India, in the era of the Aryans, the plant was associated with the wife of Vishnu, whose name was Yaakshmi. According to the legend, which many modern inhabitants of the country still believe in, Brahma, who directly created our whole world, was himself born from a lotus flower that grew in the navel of Vishnu, who was sleeping on the water. The lotus is still considered so important in Hinduism. The meaning of this flower in Buddhism is no less worthy. It is believed that Gautama Buddha had thighs, legs and eyes made of lotus. And all the Buddhist teachings that subsequently reached Tibet, one way or another, are related to this plant. Even in Tibetan prayers, the lotus is often mentioned. And the interpretation of some of them encourages us to consider the sexual union of male energy and the female flower as a kind of spiritual principle, without which there can be no full life in nature. In the teachings of yoga, the maximum intellectual cognition, which is associated with the rising of energy lotuses in the body, is also compared to its flowering on the crown of the head.

Lotus plant

The spiritual lotus flower, whose significance is hard to overestimate, has several differences from its definition inbotany. The plant itself has several varieties, for example, in India and China it is predominantly a cereal. Not only bakery products are made from it, but also tinctures for oral consumption, as well as incense. As for Egypt, it is more of a water lily, the roots of which are directly in the earth, the stem passes through the water, and the petals and the flower are on the surface. Although there are other types of plants that grow in this way, only the white lotus is able to rise to a height of up to 30 cm above the surface of the water due to its incredibly powerful stem.

Ancient and modern science

In fact, any lotus flower, the meaning of which is continuously connected with the Feng Shui technique, has a fairly large, if not the most important, place in this teaching. The plant represents the birth of life, which is why there are so many references to it in Chinese poetry. Based on the methodology of the teachings of Feng Shui, the lotus is the personification of purity and harmony of form. Thanks to him, any person can finally get the long-awaited inner peace and great life wisdom. At first glance, this flower may seem very gentle, light and vulnerable, but at the same time it has tremendous energy power. For many people, he serves as an example that once again proves his faith in the best, despite even the most difficult life situation. In order to make sure for yourself that this flower deserves the most flattering words and the highest praises, you just need to look atfull cycle of its growth.

Talisman

If you decide to make a gift to yourself or a loved one, then the lotus flower is the best, which means not only your wish for the best, but also care for the person, and you need to make the right choice. When considering the many forms and figures of this plant, it is worth noting that you do not need to chase a large size. Sometimes a large flower will be an unjustified waste of effort, time and money. First of all, you need to focus on your preferences and regarding the interior of the room.

If it is supposed to be purchased for subsequent installation in a bright room, then a crystal figure will be an excellent option. Thanks to the stunning effect of the refraction of light on its petals, the whole room will shine in a new way, and the light will become infinitely pure. Such a fragile and light figurine will bring a lot of inspiration to your room, from which your life will shine with new bright colors.

You can buy similar figures in specialized oriental stores, or if you find yourself in one of those countries where this flower is revered, then you won’t find a better souvenir at all. Such a talisman should be treated very carefully, protecting it, then it will be able to give you a lot of new emotions, success in all your creative endeavors, love affairs, spiritual impulses that will accompany you all your life.