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some may consider it a contradiction, but that’s only because their ideas of passion and fulfillment are rooted in myth or make-believe.
georgia o’keeffe knew it:
with its smooth and fluttering lips, the lotus beckons for a touch of its button with but the tip of the tongue.
even its name is sensual: nymphaea caerulea.
yet it is not like the sirens, luring seamen to foolishly smash their boats against the rocks, in search of a lustful prize that was only a chimera.
that’s because the lotus doesn’t seek another’s surrender. it inspires — and by doing so, only becomes that much more desirable.
no matter where it is, whatever the situation or circumstance, no mud can stain the lotus, no taint can cling to it.
its life begins, in fact, amid the muck of a pond floor.
when it is ready, the lotus rises slowly toward the light. once it surfaces, it blooms in deep, dark, spectacular colors — transcending its origins down below.
in metaphorical terms, the lotus not only overcomes the darkness and suffering of this world. it escapes the materialism, the lack of commitment and devotion that attachment breeds. in doing so, it blossoms, investing itself not in its own reflection but in the nourishment of another’s.
no surprise that, through ancient history, the lotus has produced goddesses — pure, yet incredibly desirable.
such intense power inspires emotions so deep that its beholders may have not even realized existed.
they thirst for a lick or two of its nectar, a taste sweeter than even the pomegranate seed. they are mesmerized, oblivious to the mad rush around them. their search for a simple soul kiss — the ultimate unifier — is quenched by a look or a touch that banishes all fear and holds anxiety at bay. they float through their day, riding a cloud of calm.
it’s why homer’s lotus eaters in “the odyssey” never left their island: they knew nothing this profoundly enthralling could be found anywhere else. the spell was cast, and they were grateful to remain for as long as it lasted.
in its unique way, the lotus offers a gift that many have sought and a scant few have found: a taste of nirvana.
simply beholding such beauty — not possessing it — is enough to inspire one to go beyond a place ever traveled. the passion unleashed, the chains of confinement removed, they, too, rise toward the light. life is no longer about attachment to the muck. desire is reborn.
and once again, the lotus — at once luscious and lovely — has achieved its purpose.
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