There Lotus has been viewed as a sacred symbol of life in cultures throughout time and around the world. Today we will focus on one civilization, the ancient Egyptian culture.
There were more than one types of lotus flowers, and in ancient times they were a source of food. One form of lotus was referred to as a lilly, and its seeds, the size of poppy seeds, were used for making bread. The people of ancient Egypt also ate the roots, with their sweet taste. These roots were round and the size of an apple.
Another lily found in old Eygpt looked more like a rose. These flowers also had edible seeds about the size of an olive.
The famed lotus flower were white, with petals like those of the lily. They grew in great numbers, close to one another. The flowers close at sunset, and open again when the sun rises. Eventually the seeds would mature and the flower petals would fall away. Its root was round, the rind black with white inside, eaten raw or boiled.
The lily of the Nile is called the Athenaeus or Egyptian bean, the rose lotus. The stem is thick as a finger, like a reed without any knots. The fruit of this lotus contained about 30 beans, the flower twice the size of a poppy. When the bean was bruised the inside exposed a small body folded together from which the leaf arises. These roses or lotus grew in great abundance, giving nourishment to those living nearby.
The lotus rose is seen on Egyptian monuments, with Harpocrates is represented above the fruit of the rose lotus. The variety most often associated with the Egyptian kings and deities was the white lotus, and this particular lotus flower adorned the many temples of Egypt.
Intuitive Meaning editor Estee Taschereau offers insights into spiritual recognition with tools for clarity and greater perception in her book, “Being Here Now“, available in paperback.
