Lotus: Magical Properties & Uses

Lotus is the herb of spiritual transformation, of the emergence of the sacred self from difficult circumstances, and of the sustained practice that produces genuine change. Its primary magical uses are in devotional work connected to the Eastern traditions (Hindu, Buddhist, Egyptian), in workings for spiritual development and the clearing of karmic obstacles, and in meditation where the lotus symbolism supports the practitioner's own transformation. Lotus incense or oil used in a working space raises the vibration of the space toward the sacred. In healing workings lotus addresses spiritual blockages and the conditions that arise when the spirit is unable to find its natural expression.

Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) has mild psychoactive properties: it contains nuciferine and aporphine, which produce mild sedation and euphoria, and was used in ancient Egyptian ceremony for these properties. The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is used extensively in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda for heat conditions, bleeding disorders, and digestive complaints. The seeds, rhizome, and leaves all have medicinal applications. Lotus seeds are a standard ingredient in Chinese herbal formulas for kidney deficiency and restless sleep. They are considered safe at normal medicinal doses.

Isis, Osiris, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Buddha

The flower that rises pure from the muddy water beneath it: symbol of enlightenment in every great spiritual tradition of the East. In Hindu tradition the lotus is the seat of Lakshmi, Brahma, and Saraswati; it represents the divine flowering of consciousness from the material world. In Egyptian religion the blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) was sacred to the sun god Ra and used in religious ceremony; the white lotus was sacred to the moon. In Buddhism the lotus is the symbol of enlightenment. The specific quality of the lotus (rooted in mud, flowering above water in pristine beauty) is one of the most universally resonant spiritual metaphors in human religious history.