Jan. 24, 2023

The lotus, meaning, symbolism, and scent

The lotus, meaning, symbolism, and scent.

What’s so special about this flower, and why throughout the ages it was considered a symbol of enlightenment, freedom, and power?

First, we have to distinguish between the different kinds of lotus, even though categorically there are many followers, and/or subspecies that can be called lotus. When we talk about lotus in scent and perfumery we are talking about two main kinds

1- Nelumbo nucifera, also known as the sacred lotus, the Chinese lotus, and in some places of Japan the blue lotus.

2- Laxmi lotus, also known as Indian lotus or just lotus.

Even though both species are under the same aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae, they are a little different, few of the

differences are:

Nelumbo nucifera is wider in petals, and usually bigger in size, while Laxmi lotus is thinner in petals and usually smaller in size.

Nelumbo nucifera tends to be whiter or pink in color in some cases light bluish. The Laxmi lotus tends to be redder or purple in color. The scent of the Nelumbo nucifera is more like water lilies, vivid clean, and herbal in a medicinal way while the scent of the Laxmi lotus is rosier, heavier, and more aromatic. The Nelumbo nucifera is much rarer and more limited and harder to harvest and grow, the Laxmi lotus is much more available and easier to grow and source. There are a few other botanical differences but those are the main and easiest ones to notice.

Native to:

The lotus native range is extensive and wide, spanning from India and Sri Lanka at some very high elevation through northern Indochina and East Asia down to the Russian regions of the Caspian Sea which are referred to as "Nelumbo komarovii” as well as nearly all of Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern and eastern Australia.

Although historical human imports may have contributed to a portion of its range (namely South India, Sri Lanka, Island Southeast Asia, and Australasia), taxonomic authorities still regard the species to be native to these regions. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in India and Vietnam and China, for its edible seeds, its scent, and as a medicine.

Significant :

The significance of the lotus flower differs amongst cultures. But generally speaking, the lotus is revered as a symbol of power, rebirth, strength, and purity. The fact that lotuses emerge from the dirt unblemished makes them a popular representation of purity. Lotus flowers are also a representation of power, tenacity, and rebirth since they emerge from the dark water each evening and blossom at dawn. Another meaning of the lotus flower is transcendence. Because it emerges from the underworld into the light, the lotus symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit over material things. Rising from the depth of darkness to the light, laying on top of the water only to announce its gracious presence and beauty, not for long but long enough to make a statement by repopulating the water with hundreds of seeds in the bottom of the pond. While some die immediately, and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining few seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time, resisting all kinds of conditions as the pond silts in and dries out. During rain and flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony, immerging from the harshest conditions to make one of the most delicate and beautiful flowers.

Sacred flowers in sacred texts:

The lotus appears in numerous sacred texts and spiritual imagery from ancient Egypt to some early Buddhist texts passing through China and Japan. With that, it comes as no surprise that the lotus flower symbolizes the Divine, the power of the marginal possibility, and the evidence that in nature some flowers can emerge from the harshest and darkest depths to become a reminder and a symbol of power and beauty. In Hinduism in particular there are deep meanings in the lotus flower. The lotus is mentioned in sacred Vedic texts dating back to 1400 BC also Several Hindu deities are depicted with lotus flowers (or associated with the lotus flower in some way). As the national flower of India the symbol of buddha, the sacred lily of Egypt and the secret flower in Chinese medicine the lotus has long served as a symbol within east spirituality and culture in arts, philosophy, and religions.

In perfumery:

even though the lotus is rarely used in perfumery and usually when it’s used it’s mixed with other followers and lilies and even then it’s still Laxmi lotus and not the Nelumbo nucifera as the second one is almost impossible to produce on large scale and the flower varies from season to another, from batch to another, and from time to another making it one of the most delicate and hard flowers to work within the world of perfumery, without mentioning that it is extremely costly and difficult to distill. All that for a reason maybe nature chose that some natural flowers and scent musk be limited to a few, maybe the spiritual nature of this flower made it superior in ways that only a few chosen people get to enjoy it, or maybe we just haven’t found a way yet to grow it and harvest it in large quantities and for a much lower cost. Whatever the answer is the lotus until now is still one of the most magical and significant flowers and scents you can experience and it will change your olfactory perceptions and mind in ways you can’t imagine.

Our lotus oil!:

Just for the challenge and to make another statement the house of the Perfumist made a very limited and extremely high-quality batch of a base of blue lotus, the rarest and highest quality of all. Mixed with Egyptian Nile lilies, original Egyptian musk, and first distilled Rosa damascena from Turkey to make a magical Attar that symbolizes the scent of sacred purity, divinity, and enlightenment. Made by the house owner and master Perfumist Mr. Ali Attar, no expense was spared to make this purely natural and fully organic perfume an elixir that only a few privileged people will have the pleasure to experience and own. By the time you read this it would probably be all sold out but if not, don’t wait or hesitate to grab a bottle, it’s not every day that a master Perfumist decides to make something that is not profitable business-wise, extremely demanding, and costly, and takes few months to source just so a handful of people around the world can enjoy it!