The meaning of the Lotus Flower

The lotus flower floats on the surface of a lake, with firm roots, but moving freely with the flow of water. This is where we strive to be – anchored in our roots, but able to move and change with any situation.

The lotus flower represents eternity, purity and divinity, and is used to symbolise beauty, prosperity and fertility. Many Hindu Gods are represented sitting on a lotus, or holding a lotus flower. In Buddhism the lotus symbolises the highest state of man.

In Yoga, energy centres, or chakras, are represented by lotus flowers. The Lotus position, padmasana, is adopted in meditation to reach the highest level of consciousness, found in the thousand-petalled lotus chakra at the top of the head.