What the Lotus Flower Teaches Us

Welcome to the very first Copeland Collective Counseling blog! You will find a new blog here every month where I will share my reflections on the journey of the human spirit,

revelations about our emotional and cognitive experiences, as well as epiphanies about the intricacies of human connection.

Learning from the lotus: I chose the symbol of the lotus flower to be our logo as it represents the ability to overcome adversity and rebirth. It is a flower of delicate and feminine beauty. What is most interesting is the fact that the lotus, whose roots are actually planted in layers of mud, retreats each evening underneath the river's water. Each morning at sunrise, the flower makes its way through the dark waters to emerge just above the surface without any trace of dirt or mud on its pristine petals. It is through this daily transformation that it has earned its identity as a sacred flower that symbolizes the re-emergence of life and enlightenment.

Similar to this incredible cycle is our human process of enduring suffering to find our way to peace and healing. Each of us at some point in life has faced great pain and turmoil, whether through physical suffering, intense heartbreak or loss, debilitating financial struggles, or bearing the weight of depression, anxiety or other mental health challenges. These experiences can sometimes feel impossible or as if we are being tested beyond what we can bear. We may find ourselves struggling to understand the purpose of it all and even lose hope and faith. But if we continue in the journey, however perilous and steep, we can often find that we make it to the "other side" with something more than our battle scars and wounds. For it is when we are submerged in murky and muddy waters that we often find our greatest strength and power. As we persevere in our healing, we eventually arise from the darkness with new life.

The lotus flower has much to teach us in terms of our own life cycles and traversing those difficult times when we are suffering. This extraordinary process is a beautiful metaphor and guide. It speaks to the power and possibility of re-birth. We too, can find our way to the dawn of a new day with the same beauty, bravery, and grace of the daily re-blooming lotus flower.