The lotus is a tropical water plant that grows in ponds all over India. The lotus motif runs through much of yoga reminding us that our bodies, contrary to appearances, are composed almost entirely of water. Yoga literally means to join. Our practice of yoga joins us with our water nature and the lotus motif symbolizes this reunion.
We sit in lotus. We invert in lotus. That is not all though. We keep the lotus motif as a guiding principle that informs our form throughout our practice. Let us consider two examples. First, in Salamba Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) we point our feet but then we flex our toes to create a lotus blossom. Second, in all our standing and balance postures, including Veerabhadrasana and Vrksasana (warrior variations and tree), we stretch our palms but allow the fingers to curl naturally, emulating the action of the delicate petals of the muddy water lotus.
In yoga, our mind-bodies (can't really separate the two - the Ancients called that separation maya or illusion) develop the tenacity of the lotus stem. It is a form of undiluted amusement for rural folk in India to watch a city boy or girl filled with an inexplicable longing for a lotus flower plunge hands into a pond and pull, and pull, and pull to no effect whatsoever. The lotus stem is almost impossible to break!
The lotus motif connects us to that ephemeral tenacity that Gandhiji called Satyagraha or Soul Force.
Peace and Love
Abhay
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