The Lotus – Rising Above

Prelude
Have you ever seen a Lotus Flower growing? If you haven’t, go find a Lotus pond and observe. You have missed something very incredible. Most plants will only grow in a good environment, in good soil, and with clean water. The Lotus flower, on the other hand, thrives and produces its beautiful flowers out of murky, brackish pond water.. Let’s follow the tale of one Lotus Flower and see what we can learn.

There once was a Lotus seed, held in a Farmer’s hand.

Inside its protective husk the Lotus seed slumbered, dreaming of color, air, and universes forever full of bright light.

It was at peace.

Then one day the Farmer took his staff, poked a hole in the ground, and planted the seed deep in the black earth. Shocked awake by the change in its environment, the Seed shook and trembled. Everything was suddenly dark and scary. What had happened? Why was it here?

Scared, cold, and miserable, the Seed huddled in its husk. Where were its bright dreams now? Where was light and air? It yearned for them. Then one day the Seed heard a strange sound. Something was plop-plop-plopping way high above it. What could it be? The Seed was very frightened. A little after that something cool and wet seeped into the dirt around the Seed. It didn. t feel pleasant. It was too new and different. The Seed was not happy. The Seed tried to escape the creeping damp but the soil around the Seed was too heavy. Then an odd thing happened. The Seed started to feel… different. It began to feel & charged up and ready. But, ready for what? All the Seed knew was that it was no longer content to hide in the soil and be miserable. Suddenly the Seed needed and wanted to change.

With a mighty thrust a little miracle happened!

The Seed broke open its shell!

Before the Seed had hid from the Soil. Now a sprout, the former Seed pushed against the Soil and slowly started moving through it.

The Soil was cool, wet and very, very heavy. Pushing hard against the heavy Soil the whole way, the Sprout grew this way a bit, and then that way a bit. First it grew a little to the left, and then a little more to the right. As hard as it pushed against the Soil, the Soil pushed back, trying to stuff the Sprout back into its husk.

“Little Sprout, this is too much for you,” the Soil whispered. “This is taking you sooo much effort. Do you really want to do this? I don’t think you can. You are too span and weak. Why don’t you just crawl back inside your husk and sleep some more? I’ll keep you safe. You could stay with me forever.”

“No!” The Sprout replied, grunting from the effort of growing, “I want more. I want to be free of what holds me back. I want to be free of my doubts, free of my fear, and free of my limitations. I’ve already changed a bit. I’m not going to let you influence me anymore.”

The Sprout struggled and struggled against the weight of the Soil. Slowly it made progress. Slowly it pushed the Soil away from it. Slowly it was moving forward. The Sprout stretched, stretched, and stretched for what felt a million miles.

As it was straining and growing, an Earthworm worked its way by the Sprout. “Hello. What are you doing?” the Earthworm asked the Sprout.

“I’m…… uffff… groooowing,” replied the Sprout.

“Well that sounds … interesting. Excuse me, but I have dirt to eat and tunnels to bore,” stated the Earthworm as it wiggled its way on past the Sprout.

As time went on, the growing Sprout noticed that the Soil started to change. First, it got warmer. “Hmmm,” thought the Sprout, “I must be onto something.” Then, unexpectedly, the soil became softer and much, much wetter. Growing became a easier and the Sprout began to be able to see a teeny-tiny little bit ahead of it through the muck and murk..

Encouraged, the Sprout continued to grow. As it grew higher and higher through the murky water, it sunk its roots down deeper and deeper into the Soil. The higher it grew, the brighter the Sprout’s surroundings became. Excited, the Sprout grew straight towards the brightening light.

“Ah ha! That is where I am supposed to go,” thought the determined and focused Sprout, “I’m almost there!”

“Wait! Come back!” called the Water to the Sprout, “Why are you leaving me? Don’t you want to stay with me?”

“You want me to stay static and stagnant like you are,” answered the Sprout, “But I don’t want to do that any more.”

Suddenly …

Foooosh!

The Sprout broke through the surface of the murky pond!

“Wow!!! Everything is so bright!” thought the now young Plant. “Now what am I going to do? Oh, I should gather all the light and energy that I can. “

As it continued to grow above the surface of the stagnant pond, the young Plant took in love, joy, strength, and confidence from the air around it and the sun shining down on it. The young Plant grew, grew, and grew some more. Soon it stretched high above the water. It grew leaves and left them floating on the surface of the water.

The young Plant was really excited when it figured out how to create leaves, but it sensed that there was something bigger it needed to do.

As it tried to figure out what it was to do, the young Plant basked in the sunlight. Inside, it mixed love, light, determination, confidence, water, peace, air, and happiness together. Startled, the young Plant realized from that it had grown a span green Bud!

This new development was very exciting and also a little frightening. The Bud was a big responsibility! In the Bud were all the Plant’s dreams and goals. If the young Plant didn’t take care of the Bud, its goals would never bloom. Suddenly the young Plant knew what it needed to do. It was time to tend its Bud.

The Plant concentrated all its focus, determination, and discipline on the Bud. It visualized all the details required to turn the Bud into a flower. It visualized how each petal would catch the sunlight. It focused on how success would feel, and how it would cut through everything that tried to distraction it from nurturing the Bud. It grew confident that this was what it, a Lotus Plant, was meant to do.

As it focused and concentrated, the Plant’s Bud grew and changed color from green to pale yellow, to orange, then to faint red, and finally to a deep, vibrant pink. The Plant was trembling with excitement and energy. Its goal was so close! It had almost reached it!

…And then, slowly, slowly the Lotus Plant stretched its Bud’s petals and opened the Bud into the most beautiful, pink Lotus Flower! The Plant was so happy and excited, “Look, look! This is what I dreamed of when I was a seed and didn’t understand. This is what I have worked for and was patient, determined, and disciplined for. See – this is me!!”

“Whooooeeee!!!”

The Lotus Plant celebrated! The Flower stood up tall and opened its petals wide, taking in the warm sunlight. Each petal glowed with love and confidence.

As it was radiating pink petals and perfume, a busy bee flew by and landed on the Lotus Flower.

“Hello Mr. Bee,” called the Lotus, “Come celebrate with me! Here, spread my pollen, light, and story to others. Tell them that if I can do it, they can do it too!”

When the Sun set that night, the Lotus pulled its petals back in. As it gathered each petal in tight, tight, tight, the Lotus also re-gathered its commitment to itself. Renewing and regenerating, the Lotus eagerly awaited the Sun to rise again.

In the morning, with the new dawn, the Lotus opened its flower wide again and stood tall.

In the morning sunlight the Lotus Flower glowed anew and the Lotus Plant paused to remember where it had come from. It remembered that it had once been a little seed that didn’t think it could ever overcome its environment. It remembered it was once a scared sprout, unsure if it was growing in the right direction. It remembered that, later, as growing plant it had found its focus, purpose, and grew a wondrous bud. Now it was a strong Lotus plant, in full bloom, its goals and dreams fulfilled.

When Sun was high overhead, the Lotus heard footsteps approaching the pond.

It was the Farmer returning…

“Ah, look at you, little seed,” said the Farmer. “You have overcome everything that tried to keep you hidden. You have grown and changed, trusted and grown some more until you uncovered your true purpose, followed it, and bloomed! Celebrate, Lotus Flower! Your example inspires others!”

And as a breeze dipped its flower to the Farmer, the Lotus bowed humbly, and bloomed bright.

The End

The Lotus
A story of rising above

Inspired by Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim,
illustrated by Holly Chamberlain