Lotus in nature. Lotus is the sacred flower of the East. Where the lotus grows
Most plants grown at home can be divided into classes. Some classes can be grown exclusively at home in an enclosed space. Some can only be kept outdoors. There are flowers that will develop perfectly in unpretentious conditions - even in warmth, even on the street. Understanding which group the plant belongs to, it becomes correct to organize proper care. Critical maintenance principles consist of ensuring the humidity of the atmosphere, the amount of moisture entering the soil and ensuring a safe temperature. The sun is one of the main conditions.
General information about the aquatic plant "Lotus"
LOTUS (Nelumbo) is a genus of dicotyledonous herbaceous amphibious plants, the modified stems of which are immersed deep under water in the ground. At the same time, three types of leaves develop in the lotus: underwater, floating and surface, rising high above the surface of the water, which grow on flexible long petioles. It is the only representative of the Lotus family (Nelumbonaceae).
The flowers are always turned towards the sun, they bloom in the early morning, and close at night. Petals turn bright pink in the morning, but gradually turn pale and in the afternoon you can see an incredible range of colors - from rich pink to almost white. You can admire the lotus blooming in the thickets for a long time, since quite a lot of flowers bloom on one plant, but not at the same time, although the flower itself lives only three days.
Description, types and varieties of lotus
Lotuses have been separated into an independent family since 1829, which has the name Nelumbonaceae. This family consists of only one genus - Nelumbo and three species:
This unusual aquatic plant first appeared in North Africa, but at the moment it can be found even in Southern Europe. The lotus is especially common in the tropics and the temperate zone. Nelumbo nucifera (nut-bearing) formerly known as N. speciosum (Wild) grows wild in South and Central Asia. It grows in muddy, stagnant and slowly flowing waters of the Nile and Ganges. It is this plant that is considered sacred in the eyes of the natives.
The whole plant is considered edible, and the root is a delicacy widely used for medicinal purposes. It is best to pick flowers in the predawn hour, as soon as they are ready to open towards the sun. At this time, the flowers are most fragrant and suitable for various purposes. As is already known, seeds remain viable for more than one century, but see all this on a separate page...
Nut-bearing or Indian lotus (lat. Nelumbo nucifera) 
It grows in northeastern Australia, the Far East of Russia, the Philippine Islands, the Malay Archipelago, the island of Sri Lanka, as well as in India, China, and Japan. This species can be found in Kalmykia, the Volgograd region (Sredneakhtubinsky district, before reaching the village of Lebyazhya Polyana), the Astrakhan Reserve, the Krasnodar and Primorsky Territories.
The plant has large shield-like leaves rising above the water, pale green below and dark green above. Waxy coating gives a light bluish tint to the entire plant. The erect petioles reach a length of two meters, the rhizomes are quite branched, powerful and knotty. Large lotus flowers, 25-30 cm in diameter, are pink in color, have a not strong, but pleasant aroma. In the center of the flower there are many bright yellow stamens. Sufficiently large single-seeded nuts (fruits) 1.5 cm long, with a dense pericarp, are located in a cone-shaped receptacle. The first leaves of the walnut lotus appear in May, and it blooms in late July or early August. The flowering period ends in late autumn.
Nut-bearing lotus not so long ago began to be divided into two subspecies:
Yellow lotus, or Nile water lily (Nelumbo lutea) Widespread in the New World. It grows in the Hawaiian Islands, the coast of Central and North America, therefore it also has the name of the American lotus. This species practically does not differ from the walnut lotus, except for the color of the flowers and the duration of flowering. The flowers of this plant are bright yellow, open at sunrise in May, and fold into buds by noon. Flowering lasts no more than five days, then it sheds its petals.
Caspian lotus (Nelumbo caspica) 
Not everyone knows that the lotus flower grows not only in the tropical latitudes of Africa or America, but is also found on the territory of our country. It is also called Astrakhan rose, Caspian or Chulpan rose. Currently, this famous pink flower lives both in artificial pools and reservoirs, and in natural environments.
The appearance of the lotus in the Caspian still causes heated debate. Some believe that it was brought by Buddhist monks from Kalmykia, while others argue that it has been preserved since the Tertiary period. The Caspian lotus was first found in the Chulpan Bay by the Russian scientist Semyon Ivanovich Gremyachinsky in August 1849. Now the flower grows in bays and lakes with very warm water. When the water level drops significantly, the plant is on land, but continues to develop. The Caspian lotus blooms at the end of summer, and by October the fruits are already ripening.
Lotus Komarov (Nelumbo komarowii) It grows in the Far East in the Amur basin, along the lower reaches of the Ussuri River, on Lake Malaya Khanka, where it occupies quite extensive spaces. Here it has been preserved from past eras as a living fossil, when the climate was much warmer. He gradually adapted to the existing conditions and became frost-resistant. Usually, the silt in which its rhizomes hibernate does not freeze, but in the case of rare freezing, the plant dies.
Lotus garden varieties
garden plantsRise above yourself.
So, meditation "Lotus Flower". in my opinion, it is described in most detail in the writings of the same mysterious Anastasia Novykh. However, we were especially interested in something else, the mention of analogues of this spiritual practice is scattered everywhere, both in religions and in various esoteric sources. According to quite popular statements today, the Lotus meditation (as it is also called for short) is the direct and shortest path to the Soul, which I will try to learn to this day.
Of course, one must initially understand that the "Lotus Flower" is not a panacea, but just a tool, so the purpose of the experiment is not only a banal study and blog coverage, but a wider range of spiritual, personal studies that allow you to get the better of your Animal Nature.
Lotus (Nelumbo) - charm on the water
Plant type: aquatic perennial.
- Homeland: the homeland of the yellow lotus is the United States, and the walnut lotus originates from the Philippines, the countries of the East, Northern Australia, Egypt, the Volga River delta near the Caspian Sea.
- Growing environment: artificial reservoirs, ponds, containers.
- Flowering: present.
- Lighting: It is desirable to provide full sunlight.
- Humidity level: high.
- Aroma: yes. Due to the pleasant aroma, the foliage and flowers of these plants are widely used in cooking.
Photo of a lotus on the water
Every 3-4 weeks. During the application of top dressing, one must be very careful, as the growing shoots can be damaged. 10 cm pots with good garden loam. A hole must be dug for the seeds, and each must be planted in separate pots. Gently cover the roots with gravel or soil. If you have waited too long and the leaves have begun to sprout, then they should also be covered with soil, as you covered the roots. There should be as much light as possible. Lotus can be placed in garden water only when it warms up to at least +15°C. Also, lotuses can be planted in larger containers without holes for drainage. If the plant is grown from seeds, then it may not bloom in the first year.
What does the lotus symbolize?
Lotus flowers have perhaps the richest and most universal symbolism in the world and are described in a large number of the most sacred myths and legends. They are known not only for their exquisite beauty and delicious aroma, but also for their healing properties - soothing the spirit and healing the body, giving vitality and confidence, attractiveness and long youth. In fact, the lotus is the most sacred plant of the countries of the East, unanimously identifying it with light, primordial purity, chastity and self-knowledge.
The exquisite child of Flora has enough reasons for such reverence: born in a muddy bottom, a lotus bud overcomes the water column and blossoms at dawn under the first rays of the sun - and at sunset it closes the petals again and plunges into a dark cool depth. So the lotus began to personify the Sun, the movement of heavenly bodies, the change of day and night. In addition, this flower symbolizes the Universe, eternity and time - past, present and future - because the same plant simultaneously has seeds, nuts, flowers and buds that have not yet blossomed. Lotus fruits that have fallen into infertile soil can sleep for a century and a half - and then again give life to beautiful flowers. Combining the elements of earth (the bottom of the reservoir), water, air and fire (the sun), the lotus is inseparably connected with the creation of the world.
lotus in egypt
Among the Egyptians, the lotus symbolized the sun, resurrection, beauty, prosperity and fertility, as well as supreme power. The fragrant flower with flexible green stems was woven into the mythology of the ancient civilization, becoming an integral attribute of the gods. The sun god Ra was born from a lotus that blossomed on the surface of the Primordial Water. His son, Horus, rose every morning from the lotus flower at sunrise and lay down to rest in it. The god of fertility and the rebirth of life, Osiris, and his wife Isis sat on thrones made of lotuses, and their heads were crowned with headdresses woven from beautiful flowers.
Inheriting their gods, the pharaohs decorated their heads with the flowers of the "heavenly blue lily", wore scepters in the form of a lotus flower on a long stem, and the tombs of the lords were strewn with its petals - so that they would be resurrected in the afterlife. Five lotuses were the emblem of Upper Egypt, and the buds were engraved on gold coins. Statues of gods, temples, heads of important guests were decorated with lotus wreaths, and at feasts, servants carried fresh flowers like dishes, and replaced them with fresh ones at the first sign of wilting. The lotus was used in Egyptian architecture - on columns, as wall decorations. The Egyptians even used the image of a lotus as a hieroglyph for the number 1000.
The Egyptians used oil from the Nile lotus in love magic: they believed that by dropping it on three main points - behind the ears and in the center of the forehead - they formed a pyramid with its top turned to the stars - and this made them especially charming. The lotus also served as a talisman: inhaling the fragrance of a flower, a person received its protection, and if he constantly wore a stem, leaf, petal or lotus nut on his body, the gods bestowed blessings, happiness and immortality on him.
An ancient Egyptian proverb says: "There are many lotuses on the water - fertility will be great." And this was already a completely earthly happiness of the Egyptian people - after all, hearty bread was baked from lotus fruits rich in starch, fiber and sugars and medicinal infusions were prepared.
Lotus in India
The ancient Vedic civilization considered the Lotus the flower of Life, since it was present in the initial chaos, and gave rise to all things: the Upanishads describe the earth as a lotus flower floating on the surface of cosmic infinity. The Hindus depicted the throne of many Hindu gods in the form of a lotus. From the navel of the world's first god Vishnu, a lotus once grew, and from this flower appeared the world-creating Brahma. The gods plowed the ocean of milk - and then the goddess of happiness and beauty Lakshmi emerged from its depths with a lotus in her hands, becoming the wife of Vishnu.
Fragrant tea was brewed from blue lotus petals, and they were also smoked through a hookah. The emblem of India today is the red lotus - "a friend of the sun, blooming only when the month is gone and the cold of the night."
Lotus in China
In Taoist China, the lotus was considered a sacred plant: the maiden He Xin-gu, one of the eight Immortals, was depicted with a lotus flower in her hands. The structure of the Universe in Buddhist belief is understood as countless lotuses, which are successively one in the other to infinity. The image of this flower was always present in Chinese painting - in the western part of the sky, the artists depicted the “heavenly lotus lake” - this is how paradise was understood in Ancient China, where each flower communicated with souls. If the deceased person was virtuous, the lotus blossomed, otherwise it withered.
Buddhists associated the lotus with the image of the Buddha: when he was born, a generous rain of lotuses fell from the sky. The boy immediately took the first seven steps, and where his feet left footprints, lotuses grew. The most famous yoga pose, which achieves meditative concentration and the most acute concentration of attention, was called the “lotus” position for a reason. The Buddha is also depicted sitting on a blooming lotus flower: its root is like matter, the stem stretching upwards is the soul, and not touching the water and the sun-drenched flower is the spirit. “Even living among swamp mud, one can remain spotlessly clean,” said the Buddha. Therefore, the lotus position symbolizes nirvana - the full disclosure of the soul and spirit. The Paradise of the Buddha was also imagined as gardens with blooming white, blue, yellow, pink and red lotuses in the reservoirs.
In the Feng Shui movement, which is popular all over the world today, images of a lotus flower or its glass figurines are used to awaken spiritual consciousness and pacify the home atmosphere, to activate areas of wealth and partnership.
Lotus in Antiquity
Homer described in the Odyssey a long-standing myth about "lotophages" - people who have tasted the lotus, who have forgotten their past life and do not want to leave the places where the magic flower blooms - Libya (it was in such a place that Odysseus's companions wanted to stay forever). And the ancient Romans had a legend about the nymph Lotis pursued by Priapus, who turned into a lotus flower. Hercules made one of his journeys in a golden boat in the shape of a lotus. Ovid's "Metamorphoses" tells of the transformation into a lotus tree of Dryopa, who plucked a lotus. This flower was also dedicated to Aphrodite and Hera.
Lotus - the sacred flower of Buddhism surprises scientists all over the world, its leaves and petals always remain clean. The flower serves as a symbol of the spirit that has risen above the sensible world, as it retains its spotless white flower, emerging from the muddy water. This is due to its rough surface, visible under a microscope, from which all dirt is washed away by rain.
Photo of a pink lotus in the sun. For three days, pale pink or white flowers open in the morning in all their splendor and close in the evening. But already on the fourth day, beautiful flowers wither. And this is not surprising, because the lotus flowers spent a lot of energy ...
Lotus is a relative of water lilies and grows in Africa in the waters of the Nile River. The leaves of the lotus are concave in the middle, 1.5 m wide, and its pinkish or white flowers reach 35 cm in diameter. When the Nile flooded, bringing fertile silt to the fields, lotuses began to bloom along the banks of the river, in ditches and ditches. From ancient times, a proverb has been preserved: "There are many lotuses on the water, fertility will be great."
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote: “When the river overflows its banks and floods the plain, lilies grow in large numbers on the water, called by the Egyptians“ lotus ”. They cut them off, dry them in the sun, then break the poppy-like seeds extracted from the middle of the lotus, and cook a dough that is baked on a fire. The root of this plant is also edible and has a rather pleasant sweetish taste, it is round and about the size of an apple." The plant gave people delicious food and medicine for many diseases.
Lotus flowers are amazingly beautiful and always facing the sun. Purity and beauty is what makes it sacred. Although the lotus grows out of muddy water, it always remains dry, radiates purity and freshness. The reason for this is the special structure of its petals and leaves: they can repel water and self-clean. Water collects in drops and flows down, while collecting from the leaf everything that can pollute it.
The sacred lotus flower was worshiped for many centuries, it occupied an honorable place in religious rites, traditions and legends, numerous monuments of writing, architecture and art testify to this. More than five and a half thousand years ago, the Egyptians depicted lotuses on tombs, and on the altars of sacrifices, he symbolized the resurrection from the dead, although in the hieroglyphs of the Egyptians it meant joy and pleasure. Women, going to visit, decorated their hairstyles with lotus flowers, held their bouquets in their hands.
The sacred lotus of the ancient Egyptians, from which the god Ra was born and which served as a throne for the goddess of fertility Isis and the sun god Osiris, who was depicted sitting on a lotus leaf, and the god of Light Mountains on a flower. This expressed the connection of the flower with the sun, which, like the water lily flower, opens in the morning and sinks into the water in the evening. Even in ancient times, the Egyptians noticed that the lotus is very light-loving, it can open both at sunrise and at moonrise.
The flower has become a symbol of Egypt, and five lotus flowers have adorned the state emblem since ancient times, and the scepter - a sign of the power of the Egyptian pharaohs - was made in the form of a flower on a long stem. The flower and buds were beaten out on Egyptian coins, the columns of Egyptian palaces and temples were decorated with its image, at the base of which were lotus leaves, and in the upper part - a bunch of stems with flowers and buds.
In addition to white, in the Nile Valley there is also a blue Nile lotus, which the Egyptians call "sky lily", and even bright red lotuses grow in Tibet, India and Mongolia. In India, they are loved and revered, still singing it in ritual dances. The red lotus is still the emblem of modern India. There is even a saying: "Lotus flowers are a ship on which a drowning person in the middle of the ocean of life can find his salvation."
The mythopoetic tradition of ancient India represented the earth as a giant lotus blossoming on the surface of the waters, and paradise as a huge lake overgrown with beautiful pink lotuses, where righteous, pure souls live.
In the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, a lotus is described, which had a thousand petals, shone like the sun and scattered around a delicious aroma. This lotus, according to legend, lengthened life, returned youth and beauty.
The white lotus is an indispensable attribute of divine power. In India, a flower is a symbol of purity - growing out of dirt, it is never dirty, and therefore it is compared with a chaste person who does not stick to any filth. Indian mythology endowed with such chastity the goddess Sri, or Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu, who was considered the patroness of fertility and prosperity. She was called "born of a lotus", "standing on a lotus", "colored with a lotus". In one of the temple medallions, the goddess Sri is depicted standing on a lotus. Surrounded by leaves and flowers, she swims across the ocean.
Many gods of India have traditionally been depicted standing or sitting on a lotus or holding a flower. Buddha sits on it and Brahma rests. Vishnu, the demiurge of the universe, holds a lotus in one of his four hands. "Lotus goddesses" are depicted with a flower in their hair. An abundant rain of lotuses poured down from the sky at the time of the birth of the Buddha, and wherever the foot of the divine newborn had set foot, a huge lotus grew.
And in China, the lotus was revered as a sacred plant. There, the flower also personifies purity, chastity, fertility, productive power. In addition, he is a symbol of summer and is one of the eight emblems of a successful prediction.
In Taoist folklore, the virtuous maiden He Xiangu was depicted holding in her hands a "flower of open cordiality" - a lotus or a wand with elements of this flower. Its image plays an important role in Chinese, Buddhist art, in particular in painting: - in the western part of the sky, ancient Chinese artists painted a lotus lake. The lotus growing on this lake, according to their ideas, communicated with the soul of a deceased person. Depending on the degree of virtue of a person in earthly life, the flowers blossomed or wilted.
Colorful photos of blooming lotuses will give happiness and good luck in an effort to comprehend all the secrets of nature. .
Lotus in human life
As a medicinal plant, the flower was known in China for several millennia BC. In traditional Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tibetan medicine, all parts of the plant were used to prepare medicines - whole seeds or their large mealy embryos, receptacle, petals, pedicels, stamens, pistils, leaves, roots and rhizomes.
In addition, it is a valuable food and dietary plant. Its root and fruits are edible. After successful pollination, the plant produces edible seeds the size of a hazelnut. Boiled in sugar, they are considered a favorite children's treat in Asia.
In Japan and China, various dishes are also prepared from the roots and leaves of this plant. The rural populations of China, India and Japan still use their seeds and rhizomes to make flour and produce starch, sugar and oil. The rhizomes are often boiled into soup or cooked as a side dish. They say that among the confectionery products in China, candied lotus rhizomes, cut into small slices, are famous for their taste, reminiscent of marmalade. In addition, the Chinese eat stamens and stems, believing that this food restores beauty and youth to the elderly. Chinese women adorn themselves with its flowers, as the ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians once did.
In ancient Greece, stories were circulated about people eating lotus - "lotophages" ("lotus eaters"). According to legend, the one who tastes the lotus flowers will never want to part with the homeland of this flower.
An ordinary lotus has fruits that are not sweet, a lotus-eater flower is another species (lotus tree) that has sweet fruits. The lotus tree, along with the flower, is of considerable importance in symbolism. In the same Greek mythology, the nymph Lotis (Lotis), escaping from Priapus pursuing her, turned into a lotus tree.
It is not for nothing that the lotus is a symbol of purity in almost all traditions. He is able to clear the space around him from negative vibrations. The aura of this plant exudes an energy field so powerful that no filth can coexist next to it. The room where the lotus is located becomes sacred from its very presence, which is why the lotus is so often used to consecrate the altar.
Often the lotus is used to protect against witchcraft. The biofield of this plant is able to neutralize any negative energies. Where the lotus is located, not a single black magic works, any attempts to create any evil will be nullified.
Lotus is often used to get rid of depression, longing and sadness. Moreover, its property is such that it brings out of a depressed state very smoothly, gradually. This enables the human body and psyche to properly adapt to the surrounding reality. And if you get out of depression abruptly, that is, from melancholy immediately into wild fun, then this will only give a negative result, since this is already an extreme, while health is harmony.
The aura of the lotus is capable of changing the consciousness of a person, directing his thoughts to more spiritual spheres. After all, it is not for nothing that in the East, from ancient times to this day, the lotus has been the most popular symbol of Spiritual development, as well as a symbol of almost all Eastern deities.
The use of lotus is especially recommended for those people who are too mired in the material world, who all the time think only about work, money and gain, completely forgetting about the second side of their personality - the spiritual. If such a person carries lotus petals with him or sits near this plant for at least half an hour, then gradually his character and consciousness will change. His nature will become more refined, he will gradually begin to turn his gaze to spiritual matters.
lotus life force
In 1881, during the excavation of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II and Princess Nsi Khonsu, several dried blue lotus buds were found, which had lain in the ground for 3000 years and retained their color. Among the dazzling riches of the tomb, these flowers made the greatest impression. Such is the magical power and charm of flowers.
Sometimes lotus seeds are stored for hundreds of years and are fraught with a scientific sensation. In 1933, a report flashed in the magazines that in the Kew Botanical Gardens near London, Indian lotus plants were blooming, the age of the seeds of which was equal to four centuries. When the scientists questioned this claim and decided to test it out, they managed to germinate seeds that were 1040 years old!
American scientists from the University of California managed to grow a healthy young plant from a 1228-year-old lotus seed, which was kept as a relic in one of the museums. They sprouted the seed in four days, the little seed sprouted as if it had just been born. Prior to this experiment, several more ancient lotuses were grown from seeds brought from the Beijing Institute of Botany, from seeds of no less "venerable" age. This is probably the oldest germinated seed. It was found in a dry lotus pond in China. The seed lay for many hundreds of years, and after four days it released a small green sprout.
Head down sleepy
Under the fire of daylight,
Waiting for shimmering nights.
And just floats
Red moon in the sky
He raises his head
Waking up from sleep.
Shines on fragrant sheets
His pure tears dew,
And lovingly he trembles,
Sadly looking up at the sky.
G. Heine
Lotus- a plant that has been known since ancient times. This flower is the only representative of the lotus family and is nothing more than a beautiful water lily. The plant has beautiful fragrant flowers and large leaves (see photo).
In Buddhism (and not only) it is customary to consider the lotus as a sacred flower, the seeds of which symbolize life itself, because they are very durable. Botanist Jane Shen-Miller managed to germinate the seeds of a plant that had been lying at the bottom of a dried-up reservoir for several centuries. After the seeds sprouted, botanists were able to determine that one of them was over 1200 years old!
Collection and storage
Collecting the lotus is allowed only in places where it is grown specifically for food and medicinal purposes as a vegetable plant. Lotus is a plant that is listed in the Red Book. Lotus flowers are harvested before dawn, at the time when they begin to open. At this time of day, the flowers are most fragrant and ready to eat. The seeds are harvested in August or September and dried in the sun.
The plant must be kept dry. Lotus seeds are stored very well, they can easily lie for 100-200 years. All parts of the plant must be stored in a ventilated area to avoid rotting.
Flower types:
Lotus fruits are similar to the funnel of a watering can; small nuts ripen in their cells.
cultivation
Growing a lotus is a troublesome business. First you need to dig a pond, the minimum size of which should be 3x3 m. The depth of the pond should be at least 70 cm. The location of the pond is also of great importance: the best option would be to dig a pond in the shade of a tree that will protect delicate flowers from freezing in winter. In summer, the pond must be cleaned of duckweed and branches without fail. It is better to cover the bottom of the reservoir with pebbles: this will allow the water to remain clean longer. Due to the fact that silt will form at the bottom of the reservoir, the water level will decrease, which can lead to freezing of the lotus.
After the pond is ready, you need to get the rhizomes of the flower itself. Seeds, as well as lotus rhizomes, are harvested from late August to late October. The plant is planted by hand, if it is rhizomes. Seeds or germinated seeds can simply be thrown into the water. In order for the water in the pond to be cleaner, you can put a few frogs there. You can plant reeds along the edges of the pond, this will add attractiveness to the pond and help the lotus to endure the winter more easily.
Beneficial features
The beneficial properties of the lotus are known to the peoples of Asia. Lotus in many cultures is considered a symbol of purity. The flower itself really has absolutely clean petals all the time, this is due to the wax coating covering them. Lotus contains mineral compounds, vitamin C, nufarin, nelumbin. Nufarin is an alkaloid that has a positive effect on the nervous system. Lotus seeds contain magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc. They also contain a flavonoid that prevents tissue inflammation (the seeds even repair damaged tissues).
Lotus is very popular as a cosmetic product. In cosmetology, lotus oil is used, as well as its dry extract. Lotus excellent whitens the skin, it is part of the products that get rid of age spots and freckles. The plant cleanses the skin of blackheads, refreshes the skin. Lotus oil is suitable for oily and problem skin (helps remove inflammation). Lotus oil has a light aroma that has a calming effect on the nervous system.
Application in cooking
In cooking, the lotus has found application as a component of traditional Asian dishes. The rhizomes of the plant are rich in starch, and their preparation is no different from the preparation of potato dishes. The seeds, as well as the rhizome of the plant, are ground into flour, from which bread is baked. Bread baked from lotus seeds is considered a delicacy. The seeds are rich in protein and are used to make vegetable soups.
The seeds of the plant are also suitable for making desserts, for this they are candied. To prepare this dessert, you need to wash the lotus seeds, peel and steam until tender. In parallel, dissolve sugar in hot water, bring the mixture to a boil. Lotus seeds are dipped in sugar syrup and then sprinkled with spices. Seeds prepared according to this recipe are extraordinarily tasty.
The seeds themselves taste like hazelnuts. They make a drink that tastes like coffee. In places where the lotus is distributed, its seeds are used as a substitute for coffee beans.
Fragrant lotus flowers are used not only for making sweets, they also give a unique flavor to meat dishes. The lotus itself has a sweetish taste, well suited for fish dishes. Lotus flowers are added to tea, which has wonderful taste and many beneficial properties.
Lotus benefits and treatment
The benefits of lotus are due to its rich composition. Lotus is known for its tonic properties, especially in tea blends. Asian folk medicine uses lotus for vitamin B1 deficiency.
Lotus cleanses the intestines, tones the body, dilates blood vessels, which leads to the normalization of blood pressure. Scientists claim that people who eat lotus seeds stay young longer. Fresh seeds contain about 89 kilocalories per 100 grams. The calorie content of dried seeds is much higher and amounts to 332 kilocalories per 100 grams.
A decoction is prepared from the lotus, which helps from chronic dysentery and nosebleeds. For a decoction, you need 15 grams of lotus root, which is boiled in 400 ml of water for 15 minutes. The resulting decoction should be taken 4 times a day, approximately 100 ml. To cure nighttime urination, dysentery prepare a decoction of 12 grams of lotus rhizome and 500 ml of water. Take this decoction should be up to 5 times a day, 150 ml.
Lotus is also used for burns and other skin lesions. For external use, an ointment is prepared from lotus seeds and petroleum jelly. Seeds should be fried in a pan until black, then mixed with petroleum jelly, the ointment should be applied to painful areas.
Lotus harm and contraindications
Lotus can cause harm to the body in case of chronic constipation. Cases of individual intolerance to the product are unknown, and there is no data on how the lotus affects pregnant and lactating women. It is important to remember that lotus stalks and sprouts contain the poisonous substance nelumbin.
Lotus is a symbol of perfectionLotus in America, India, Egypt, China and Russia exists in a huge variety of colors and types. Lotus grows in ponds rich in silt. And despite all the difficulties of its emergence into the “light” from dark silt, through the water column, the lotus flower reaches for the sky and the sun. Flowers, amazing in their beauty, excite the human mind, they bloom outside the water and reach for the light of not only the Sun, but also the Moon. Therefore, you can observe the magnificence of blooming lotuses on a moonlit night.
Lotus leaves are covered with a waxy substance that protects them from dirt. This is the riddle of little water creatures. They bloom in pairs, one male and one female, making the lotus a symbol of happy couples. They bloom for 3 or 4 days, exuding a delicate aroma. The symbolism of the lotus in the consciousness of ancient and modern people is very rich ...
Lotus flower - sacred
The lotus represents purity, perfection, grace and the desire for spiritual purity since ancient times. Growing out of the mud, it never gets dirty. The special structure of its leaves and petals can repel water, while collecting all the dirt from the lotus leaf.
And it is this special property to remain pure that made the lotus a symbol of spiritual perfection: no matter what environment, good or bad, a person is, he must always maintain a clear consciousness and spiritual purity. The sign of the symbol of perfection is also confirmed by the form of all the components of this flower. The shape of its leaves, petals and even the core tend to be round, i.e. to the perfect form.
Lotus is one of the oldest flowers in the world
His longevity is impressive. The appearance of lotus flowers pleased the ancient Egyptians, and from ancient times the proverb has been preserved: "There are many lotuses on the water, fertility will be great." In 1881, during the excavation of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II, several blue lotus buds were found, which had been stored for 3,000 years and retained their unusual color even when dried. The realization that the dried lotus flowers made the greatest impression than the luxury of the dazzling riches of the tomb speaks of the real mysterious power and charm of flowers. And the lotus seeds found in Japan, whose age was 2000 years. After planting, the seeds sprouted again and bloomed, reminding everyone of perfection. In addition, the harvested lotus seeds were edible, as was the rest of the plant.
Lotus has been eaten since ancient times.
Lotus is a symbol of perfection. Photo from secretchina.com
The Egyptian blue lotus was grown in ancient Egypt for its rhizomes and poppy-like seeds extracted from the middle of the lotus and used to bake bread and make an intoxicating drink. Candied lotus roots taste like marmalade, while lotus flowers are used to make elite tea, as well as in perfumery. Lotus fragrance has long been considered the quintessence of all the most valuable things in this world. Therefore, in the old days in Vietnam, lotus-flavored tea was the preferred drink of the royal court, aristocrats and wealthy people. In addition, the Chinese eat stamens and stems, in their minds there is a belief that this food returns old people to their former youth. The lotus plant gave people not only delicious food, but a cure for many diseases to improve the human body.
The legend of the drink of oblivion
The writings of Herodotus and the poem "Odyssey" speak of a country where lotuses are eaten. The inhabitants of this country - "lotofags" ("lotus eaters") made a drink of oblivion from the lotus: anyone who drinks it will never want to part with the homeland of this flower. The memory of the real homeland and original intentions will be erased from the consciousness of this person. Leaving the island, Odysseus had to use force and tie his people, under the influence of flower spells, to the benches of his ship. In the middle of the 20th century, historians provided evidence that the mythological land of lotophages is a small island of Djerba, surrounded by greenery, where several types of lotus and water lilies grow.
Lotuses are used as an offering to the gods
We often find the lotus depicted on ordinary objects, in elements of architecture and painting. Buddhas (Enlightened Ones in ancient Sanskrit) are often depicted sitting on lotuses. Flowers were used as offerings to the gods. Legend has it that the sun was born from a giant lotus flower, where the sun gods regain their youth. The Japanese goddess of nature also sits on a lotus. Beautiful and fragrant lotus flowers are often compared to feminine purity and chastity and perfection.
In the minds of the Indians, there is a legend that the gods Brahma and Savaswati were born from a lotus flower. In India, the lotus is revered and is still chanted in ritual dances. If the dancer folds her hands at face level with her fingers up, this means a sleeping lotus bud, if she separates her fingers with joined hands, a blossoming plant as a symbol of perfection. The red lotus remains the emblem of India today.
The attitude of contemporaries to the symbol of perfection
Lotus is a symbol of perfection. Photo from secretchina.com
It is not for nothing that the lotus is a symbol of purity and perfection in almost all traditions. It is also given mystical properties in the modern material world, far from the quivering beliefs of our ancestors. The lotus is able to cleanse the energy field around it from negative vibrations. The aura of the room where the symbol of perfection is located becomes positive from its mere presence, experts and sensitive people say.
Lotus is often used to get rid of depression and longing. Moreover, the property of the lotus is such that it gradually removes from the state of depression. This property is in no way comparable to modern antidepressants that cause instant mood swings and addiction. This enables the human psyche and consciousness to adapt to the surrounding reality without consequences and side effects.
The ability to change a person's mind
The aura of the lotus is able to improve the consciousness of a person, to direct his thoughts to more spiritual spheres. According to spiritually developing people, the use of “lotus therapy” is especially recommended for those people who are too mired in the material world, who think only about career, money and fame, completely forgetting about the second spiritual side of their personality. If such a person carries lotus petals with him or watches this plant for at least half an hour, then gradually his consciousness will change. His nature will become more refined, he will gradually begin to turn his gaze to spiritual perfection. Do not forget about the ancient practices, where the lotus has a wider meaning than a flower that can be seen and smelled. After all, the ability to maintain a clear consciousness and a calm mind even of a modern person allows the technique of meditation, again with legs crossed in the lotus position.
The proverb says: "Lotus flowers are a ship on which a drowning man in the ocean of life can find his salvation."
Ksenia Velichko. Epoch Times
In the language of flowers, lotus means - happiness, health, long life, wisdom. It is customary to give a lotus only to well-known people as a sign of kindred and friendly feelings.
Why do people worship this plant in ancient times and today? Maybe the reason is that its flowers are amazingly beautiful and always turned towards the sun? Or maybe because it gave people delicious food and a cure for many diseases. As a medicinal plant, the lotus was known in China for several millennia BC. In traditional Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tibetan medicine, all parts of the plant were used to prepare medicines - whole seeds or their large mealy embryos, receptacle, petals, pedicels, stamens, pistils, leaves, roots and rhizomes.
In our time, various biologically active substances have been found in the plant, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Lotus preparations are used as a tonic, cardiotonic, general tonic. In addition, the lotus is a valuable food and dietary plant. In the countries of Southeast Asia, it has long been used in nutrition and is specially grown as a vegetable. Rhizomes are eaten raw, boiled, fried, pickled for the winter. Soup is boiled from the roots, starch and oil are obtained. Young leaves are eaten like asparagus. Seeds are eaten raw and candied as a delicacy, candied and pieces of rhizomes - a kind of "marmalade" is obtained. Flour is prepared from seeds and rhizomes. Even stamens and stems are eaten.
Two types of lotuses grow on the globe: Nuciferous L. (Nelumbo nucifera), an inhabitant of the Old World, is a well-known aquatic plant. The boundary of its range in the north runs along the Amur River basin, and in the south it descends to the tropics of Northern Australia. The second species - L. yellow, or American (N. lutea) is common in the New World.
Lotus is an amphibious herbaceous perennial plant. Lotus stems, which have turned into a powerful thick rhizome, are immersed in underwater soil. Some leaves are underwater, scaly, others are surface, floating or raised high above the water.
The flowers are large, up to 30 cm in diameter, with numerous pink or white petals, they rise high above the water on a straight pedicel. Just below the place of attachment of the flower there is a so-called response zone, in which the lotus changes its position following the sun. The center of the flower is made up of numerous bright yellow stamens and a wide, obversely conical receptacle. The flowers have a slight but pleasant aroma. The fruit is a multi-nutlet, of an obversely conical shape - it resembles a garden watering can bell, with large nests, each of which contains one seed. They are dark brown, the size of a small acorn, there are up to 30 of them in the fruit. In a dry place, they remain viable for a very long time, sometimes for centuries.
There are cases when seeds stored in museum collections germinated 150 and even 200 years after collection.
Leaves and flowers are covered with the thinnest wax coating. Under the rays of the sun, they glow and shimmer like mother-of-pearl. Drops of water, like balls of mercury, roll over the leaves. On a hot sunny day, you can observe a very interesting phenomenon - a "living laboratory" in action - "boiling" of water. In the deepening of the leaf with air coming out of the petiole holes, water is thrown out in small sprays.
Exists legend explaining the birth of this plant:
Once a beautiful fairy was walking along the river bank, and here a young fisherman saw her.
He called out to the beauty - and as soon as their eyes met, love settled in the hearts of young people.
But it was not destined to be in love together - the father of the fairy, the cunning and treacherous Lord of the Rivers, found out about their dates. He had long been looking after a groom for his daughter.
Knowing her rebellious disposition, the Lord of the Rivers decided to separate the lovers by cunning.
He removed the golden ring from the finger of his sleeping daughter at night and threw it as far as he could. And the next day he called the lovers to him and announced that he was ready to give his daughter as a wife to a mere mortal, since their feelings were so strong. But on condition that the fisherman will be able to find the ring of his betrothed, which she so carelessly dropped.
The lovers were saddened, but the old heron whispered to the river fairy that she saw something glittering in the lotus flower. The beauty was delighted, hurried to her beloved to tell him where to look for the ring.
But the insidious father got ahead of her and hid the ring inside a nut that grew on his orders in a flower. And to confuse the search, exactly the same nuts appeared in other colors, swaying on the water surface.
The fisherman failed to find the ring of his beloved. They say that this ring is still kept in the middle of a beautiful flower, and whoever finds it will receive a beautiful river fairy as his wife, and as a dowry - power over all rivers and lakes.
In every culture lotus endowed with special properties and magical features. The species diversity of these properties depends on many qualities of the lotus and, of course, on culture. Lotus flowers are characterized by several criteria, such as the number of petals, the shape, size and color of the flower itself.
Lotus with five petals denotes the five stages of life that a person goes through: birth, teaching, marriage, rest from work and, finally, death.
seven petal lotus is the symbol of the seven planets.
Lotus flower with eight petals symbolized in India as the Heart of Being. That is where Brahma resides.
nine petal flower- designation of a person, and ten-petalled- God and the universe.
In Medieval Europe, the ordinary lotus was the prototype of the sun, the center and the heart, and the many-petalled lotus with a triangle in the center was the prototype of emptiness and the end.
As for the person and the human body, then the lotus can also symbolize a lot. This unusual and mysterious flower is a symbol of human reproduction and the unity of male and female principles, as well as all opposites.
In ancient Rome there was a legend that said that during the persecution of Priapus, the nymph Lotis turned into a lotus flower. Ovid's "Metamorphoses" tells how Dryope, having plucked a lotus, turned into a lotus tree.
Romans considered the lotus flower of Apollo.
Greeks this flower was a romantic love bed for Zeus and Hera.
In Egypt this flower was associated with ideas about fertility and productive power, about death and resurrection. He contacted the Nile and the Sun; and also served as a throne for the supreme deities and therefore often symbolized the highest power. The lotus became the emblem of Upper Egypt, while the papyrus of Lower Egypt. The images of a closed and open flower bud formed the basis of two types of Egyptian column capitals, Egyptian blue lotus blooms during the day and closes at night, it has become a symbol of dawn, awakening from sleep; it was placed in the tombs so that the dead would wake up in the next world. The white lotus is closed during the day and blooms only at night; he became a symbol of sleep. The Egyptians believed that the fruits of the white lotus give oblivion and bliss. Subsequently, the symbolism of the lotus spread from Egypt to Greece; so, for example, Homer reflected the plot of lotophages - lotus eaters, whose island Odysseus visited: having tasted the lotus, his companions wanted to stay on the island forever.
Besides all this, lotus flowers are a symbol of the life path of man and nature. For example, in Tibet, the wheel of life is arranged so that the past, present and future exist simultaneously, and the lotus, in turn, symbolized all three stages of being: the bud is the past, the flower is the present, and the seeds are the future. A person has three worlds (material, spiritual and intellectual), in which he lives all his life, and the lotus exists in three elements. The three stages symbolized by the lotus, exist also in the form of a reflection of the gradual spiritual improvement of a person in the course of his whole life. First, it is ignorance, then an attempt to overcome it, and, finally, an understanding acquired with life experience.
AT China lotus was revered as a sacred plant even before the spread of Buddhism. The lotus was endowed with a sacred meaning (as the personification of fertility and at the same time purity): incense was burned to the spirit of the lotus in order to expel evil forces, in the west of the world, according to legend, the so-called lotus paradise-lotus lake was located. Each lotus that grows on this lake corresponds to the soul of a deceased person. Depending on the virtue or sinfulness of a person's earthly life, lotus flowers either bloom or wither.
The meaning of lotus flowers:
White Lotus was a symbol of sleep, as it was revealed only at night, symbolizes the state of spiritual perfection.
blue lotus symbolized the awakening from sleep and the beginning of a new day, therefore, in order for the dead to wake up in another world, a blue lotus was placed in their coffin. The lotus was also used by the Romans, Greeks and Christians during burial. And among Christians, he was also a “flower of Light”, which symbolized Trinity and Christ.
In Buddhism, it is a symbol of the victory of the spirit over feelings, a symbol of wisdom possessing knowledge.
red lotus- symbolizes the original nature and purity of the heart. The red lotus is the lotus of love, compassion, the suffering of martyrs, passion and all other properties of the heart.
pink lotus- the supreme lotus, always corresponds to the highest deities - is associated with the Buddha himself.
The lotus has often symbolized gods in different cultures. The ancient Egyptian Horus (the god of royalty, who was represented as the incarnation of the ancient Egyptian king) rose from the lotus, which meant the birth of the world from water and fire.
The Indian Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was depicted sitting on a lotus - a symbol of everything new, renewed and reborn. Guardian Vishnu, the Hindu Supreme God, the personification of the Absolute Truth, compares the lotus that grows from his navel with the universe emerging from the central sun.
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes the primordial waters, spiritual unfoldment, wisdom, and nirvana. The lotus is dedicated to the Buddha, the "Pearl of the Lotus", who emerged from the lotus in the form of a flame. This is an image of purity and perfection: growing out of the mud, it remains pure - just like the Buddha, born in the world. Buddha is considered the heart of the lotus, he sits on a throne in the form of a fully opened flower. In addition, in Buddhism, the beginning of a new space age is associated with the appearance of the lotus. The full bloom of the lotus personifies the wheel of a continuous cycle of existence and is a symbol of Kwan-yin, Buddha Maitreya and Amitabha. In the Buddhist paradise, as in the paradise of Vishnu, in the reservoirs made of jewels, "amazing lotuses of different colors bloom."
In Taoism the lotus acts as an analogue of the world tree, connecting the three levels of the universe: it grows from silt, its stem is in the water, and the flower is facing the sky. The lotus also symbolizes the evolution of man. It expresses the unity of yang and yin and as such is perceived as a symbol of the Tao.
It is not for nothing that the lotus is a symbol of purity in almost all traditions. He is able to clear the space around him from negative vibrations. The aura of this plant exudes an energy field so powerful that no filth can coexist next to it. The room where the lotus is located becomes sacred from its very presence, which is why the lotus is so often used to consecrate the altar.
Often the lotus is used to protect against witchcraft. The biofield of this plant is able to neutralize any negative energies. Where the lotus is located, not a single black magic works, any attempts to create any evil will be nullified.
LOTUS JUICE
Divine and childlike
Forehead - through the tropical darkness.
In the eyes that persist on the floor
The shyness of good families.
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Through the virgin letters
You seem to me to be a ravenous shoot,
Whose virginity is entwined
Upbringing, like a creeper.
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Extend your holiness! Mouth and eye
Keep the sacred vessels!
Born under the tropics
Love, and I'm from there to you:
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From ferns, horsetails,
Flocks of reeds, traceless paths ...
Where is all the oblivion of things
In the palm of a lotus stem
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Resting. Induces sleep
Lotus juice. Wine without foam
Lotus juice... Children and wives
How swoon reduces members
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Lotus juice... Look, it's empty
Palm. - But at the hour of the moon from the East
(Lotus juice...) - word of mouth
Taste - the dream of lotus juice.
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July 23, 1923
Tsvetaeva Marina
Head down sleepy
Under the fire of daylight,
Quiet lotus fragrant
Waiting for shimmering nights.
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And just floats
In the sky a gentle moon,
He raises his head
Waking up from sleep.
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Shines on fragrant sheets
His pure tears dew,
And he trembles with love
Sadly looking up at the sky.
Heinrich Heine
