By Carol Hasbrouck
Sitting quietly, I am reminded
That life can sometimes be quite blinded.
Like a fist that is clenched so tight
Afraid and bound up with all its might.
But when relaxed and released, it may find
A freedom and joy, simple peace of mind.
A fist clenched so tight is like a flower
A lotus, perhaps, in its darkest hour.
All muddy and wet, with no light in sight
Being all bound up, it feels such a fright.
But the light, it knows, is always right there
It can’t see it right now. It just doesn’t dare.
Until the perfect time, the Light to arrive
For the muddy little lotus to again come alive.
Then slowly it begins, it starts to sprout forth
One petal at a time, it unfolds to move north.
Toward the bright light, always shining from above
Spread out wide, with great wings, full of love.
The once muddy flower begins to know
The darkness it felt was only a show.
It had to release, feel free and let go
For the light to enter and start to grow.
Once begun, there’s no stopping the unfolding.
The Great Light was waiting to begin Its molding
Of the muddy little lotus into something anew
A beautiful white flower sprouted, as it grew.
Into a symbol of purity, divine birth and perfection
A place for all Buddhas to gain some reflection
Of the meaning of Life, Spirit and True Love
The sacred space of knowing, shining down from above.
You and I are like the little lotus, all muddy and wet
Feeling scared and alone, bound up in our fret
Until we release, surrender and let go
To the place always there, what we already know.
Reflecting on the beautiful lotus flower each day reminds us to keep some perspective on our own life. Each morning, this symbol of divine purity and spiritual awakening emerges from its muddy, submerged resting place, unstained and unaffected by the darkness below. It shines brightly and radiates quintessential beauty for all to behold.
It is one of the most ancient and profound symbols of planet Earth. According to Egyptian myth, it is the Sun of creation and rebirth. In some parts of Asia it is the symbol of spiritual awakening and to Buddhists it represents good fortune. Buddha is often pictured sitting atop this magnificent flower. In Tantrism, the lotus represents the feminine principle and the Hindus believe the unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul.
The flower, like people, comes in a variety of colors, each with its own meaning. In Buddhism, the white lotus flower is a symbol of purity of mind and spirit. One of the most celebrated is the pink flower, considered sacred and associated with Buddha himself. A red lotus flower is connected with the heart and represents compassion and love. Blue flowers call forth wisdom, logic and common sense, all of which is needed to create enlightenment. The purple lotus can be depicted as an open flower or a bud and its eight petals are representative of the noble eightfold path; one of Buddha’s principal teachings. It speaks of spirituality and mysticism. Lastly, the gold lotus flower represents the achievement of full enlightenment and self-awareness.
But, how does this muddy little flower benefit us in our daily reflections? As human beings, we live in a world of duality: up and down, hot and cold, good and bad, fear and love. Without the one, we can’t know the meaning of the other. Not one of us can say our entire life has been one of joy or one of misery and pain. No one escapes this ever-pervasive duality on earth while being “of the world.” At times we are muddy and wet, living in darkness and fear, while at other times we spread our wings and fly high on love and the light of joy.
The goal, the craving, the eternal desire inside each of us is to experience peace and joy in all situations.
How can the muddy little lotus show us the way? By remembering that the darkness always passes, the dirt, the mud, gets washed away, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. But it will always materialize, if we work for it. The “work” we must do is to remain present, open and willing to see the light again. The muddy little lotus doesn’t worry if it will become a radiant flower once again. It knows this to be the Ultimate Truth. We do too, deep inside of us.
The daily practice of meditation, sitting quietly, connecting with my Higher Power, allows me to gain perspective of my human trials and triumphs. Thoughts come in and thoughts pass through my mind, like clouds in the sky. None of them mean anything more than the meaning I give them. By just showing up each day to connect, to be still and to open my heart, I allow God’s love to come to me and through me. I allow the Light to call forth my muddy, little humanness into the magnificent, powerful Spirit that I am. I unclench my fist; the things I hold on to so tightly. I release and let go. I surrender to the One Divine Mind, knowing that the Light is always there for me to unfold into.
The Light, the Joy, the Peace is always there for you too. Be still. Show up every day to connect with the deepest part of who you truly are. Release your preconceived notions of how the world should be. Allow the great Sunshine of Spirit to call forth your muddy, little humanness, into the radiant beautiful being you already are.
Carol Hasbrouck is a consummate student of life and love, always grateful for her many blessings and curious about what’s yet to come. She’s been a successful businesswoman in the financial arena, a motivational speaker, a published author, Chief Passion Officer of a small business focused on helping people Live Life on Purpose, and former CEO of Dames Gone Wild, a business dedicated to serving others. She is currently offering a brand new, highly effective Facebook marketing system called K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple & Sustainable. Her Spiritual Life, family and friends bring her immense joy and comfort. Her most recent passion is Dance Walking. You may spot her around town, getting her groove on, with her happy go lucky dog, Jimmy.
This article is a chapter from the book Transform Your Life! written by 60 real-life heroes and experts and available at Amazon.com, BN.com, www.Transformation-Publishing.com and all ebook formats.