As a lotus flower is born in water,
Grows in water,
And rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled,
So I,
Born in the world,
Raised in the world,
Having overcome the world,
Live unsoiled by the world.
The Buddha This meditation invites you to embody the spirit of the lotus,
A timeless symbol of transformation and enlightenment.
Across global cultures,
The lotus represents the incredible journey from the depths of struggle to radiant beauty and purity.
The lotus blooms not in pristine gardens,
But from the dark,
Muddy waters.
It teaches us that the path to awakening is forged through challenges,
And that every hardship has the potential to birth something extraordinary.
Find a comfortable position,
Open your heart to this journey,
And allow the energy of the lotus to guide you toward healing and clarity.
We will begin now.
In your mind's eye,
Visualize yourself standing at the edge of a still,
Murky pond.
The water is tinged with emerald hues,
Its surface shimmering with luminous algae,
And scattered with lily pads.
The air is still,
Carrying the scent of earth and growth.
You lower yourself to sit by the water edge,
And on its muddy surface you can see reflections of the past.
As you gaze into the mud,
Images start to dance,
Catching the light.
You see moments of struggle and hardship in your life,
Ones that were external and ones that were internal too.
See and observe these moments now,
Gently.
You can pick one if you'd like,
And don't be afraid to dig deep.
Breathe into your whole body,
And as you inhale,
Draw these memories closer,
Acknowledging them.
As you exhale,
Release their weight.
Inhale,
Drawing in the energy and the light of healing and acceptance.
Exhale the pain,
The tension.
Inhale,
Healing,
Acceptance.
Exhale,
Let the burden and the weight of the memory fall away.
With every breath,
Feel yourself becoming lighter,
As if these burdens are dissolving into air around you.
Watch as your breath ripples across the surface of the muddy water.
As you settle into this space of acceptance,
See how the surface of the pond begins to change.
The reflections of the past,
Of these painful memories,
Fade away,
And are replaced by a radiant image,
Your truest,
Most peaceful,
And loving self.
Look upon this version of you,
Notice the grace in your smile,
The ease in your being.
This is the true you,
No matter who you think you are.
Your truth is whole,
Evolving,
Infinite in potential,
And absolutely gorgeous.
The stem begins to rise,
Breaking through the face of your true self.
It moves upward,
With purpose,
Toward you,
Carrying a tightly wound bud.
Watch as the bud reaches the surface,
Unfurling slowly and deliberately.
The petals are small at first,
A delicate purple.
They bloom infinitely out,
And with each moment they expand and brighten.
Transforming from deep purple to a vibrant pink,
And the air begins to smell like melons.
The center of the flower glows golden,
Like it is blooming around the sun itself,
Right against the dark,
Murky water.
The lotus is so very breathtaking,
Its beauty stirs something deep within you.
Feel innately connected to the lotus.
Know that you are both nature,
That you are of the same.
Like this flower,
And its journey are a mirror of your own,
Reminding you that beauty arises not in spite of the mud,
But because of it.
We do not need to turn from our pain,
But rather transmute it into nourishment for our growth.
Take a moment to sit with this truth,
Letting it settle in your heart.
Energetically feel the pain you carry in your being,
Shifting and blooming into all you wish to be.
Cruelness to kindness,
Self-doubt to self-confidence,
Anger to forgiveness.
Breathe in.
Breathe in.
Expand out.
When you are ready,
Begin to return to the present moment,
Carrying the spirit of the lotus with you.
Know that lasting purity comes from much impurity.
Know that the lotus's strength,
Resilience,
And beauty live within you.
We will close our practice with this quote from Thich Nhat Hanh.
There is mud,
And there is the lotus that grows out of the mud.
We need the mud in order to make the lotus.
