Just Like The Lotus

There was a beautiful image of a lotus flower that came across FB today.  The caption read, " No mud, no lotus."  I often teach about the lotus in my classes.  We usually do an asana called Lotus flow, which begins with hands in prayer position as you inhale the hands go upward over the head, as you exhale the hands open wide.  Since it is a flow we do several of them.

As we go through the flow, I talk about how precious and beautiful the lotus flower is.  It is considered to be sacred, much like our western dogwood blossom.  I talk about how the lotus oil is used in the finest perfumes, but it only grows in the mud, the murkiest of waters. And then I talk about my personal philosophy of the lotus, how it also represents the heart...I believe that we all have this incredible lotus flower that lives in our hearts...full of beauty...and no matter how sordid or dirty our past, that blossom can bloom from our hearts with love.  We all have the potential to bloom like the lotus.

Tonight, no matter how bad you feel, how guilty you might feel, no matter how much your past haunts you...with kindness and love, with effort...you can rise up out of the mud just like the lotus.

Your life, your blossom can be one of beauty, just like the lotus.

Goodnight, Sweet dreams