“Be like a lotus. Let the beauty of your heart speak. Be grateful to the mud, water, air and the light.”~Amit Ray
Big Red excerpt:
At one point, we interrupt the adventure to stop near an opening in the jungle that dips down to the bank of the Rapti river. My mahout slides off the elephant and runs out onto a narrow tree floating in the river. I’m left atop Mumbai, swatting away squadrons of mosquitoes. If anything, that heavy-duty spray I used seems to be attracting more than repelling. Struck by another aha moment, I begin to contemplate beekeepers apparel. Not a single part of your body would be exposed to the elements, and those bee veils would look quite fetching with one of my wide-brim hats. After twenty minutes, my mahout scoops something out of the water and runs back holding an exquisite bright-pink lotus flower. Thinking it’s for me, I anticipate taking it in my hands. It’s been said that a lotus flower’s beauty rising from the muddy water suggests our own spiritual potential and that no matter how long we have lived in the muck, our innate beauty is always present within us. Regrettably this gift of nature isn’t intended for me. I guess the generosities of Buddha do not apply in the jungle.
Note: The photograph of the lotus blossom is the one taken from the Rapti river.
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More about the meaning and symbolism of the Lotus Blossom
The pink lotus flower is perhaps one of the most celebrated flowers there is. It’s considered sacred, and is associated within the highest realms of Buddhism.
We don’t need to be Buddhist to understand that we are all like the lotus flower. No matter which stage of life we are at, the conditions that produce a beautiful life are not always ideal, but that never stops the lotus from rising through adversity, opening its petals, and blossoming in the sun.
Goldie Hawn said it best: “The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud — the obstacles of life and its suffering. … The mud speaks of the common ground that humans share, no matter what our stations in life. … Whether we have it all or we have nothing, we are all faced with the same obstacles: sadness, loss, illness, dying and death. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one. ”
Big Red teaser:
“As we drive past a restaurant, I catch a glimpse of two divine thunderbolts painted on its facade. Shocked and totally unprepared, I shake my head. I need to get a better look at what must have been my eyes playing tricks. “Dawa, can you please back up?” The car pulls up alongside the white-washed restaurant. Nope, no trick. The length, diameter, and overall stature of these thunderbolts takes my breath away.”
Order Big Red to find out who or what are the two divine thunderbolts. The answer may shock you!
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Red-Learned-Simplicity-Suitcase-ebook/dp/B071DPSB6C