No mud, no lotus. ๐
My friend Terry posted a picture of a lotus flower last week. She shared it with the Thich Nhat Hanh quote, โNo mud, no lotus.โ
I was inspired to paint an interpretation of her photo. Her photo and photos of the progression of the painting are below.
Thank you for the inspiration, Terry. ๐๐ค๐๐ชท
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When I did yoga for the first time in 2004, the teacher said that we are all like lotus flowers; we have to grow out of the mud/difficult things that happen in life.
Itโs a common message/image in many of the Eastern texts, but that was the first time I had heard of it.
At the time, the power of those words touched my soul very deeply.
I had already experienced many difficult things, and I was very depressed, anxious, and angry.
Hearing the teacherโs words about the lotus gave me hope that maybe all my painful moments would create something beautiful.
Over and over, I have found the words to be true in my life.
And although sometimes I still resist difficult experiences, I do trust that somehow they are working in my favor, guiding me where I need to be.
I hope these words reach anyone who might need them.
I believe that we are all blossoming into the beautiful beings we are meant to be.
We have to relax and trust the process (I am reminding myself of this daily lately).
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โIf you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now, and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.โ โ Masaru Emoto
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Here are some photos of the progression of the painting and the original photo that Terry shared.
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May you always feel the LOVE that surrounds you. โค๏ธ๐งก๐๐๐๐