Photo Friday: The Enlightening Lotus

 

This week's photo was taken on a recent trip to Seoul. We walked up a steep incline to a small temple on Inwang mountain, overlooking the murky metropolitan that is Seoul sprawled to the horizon. Inside the temple were these fantastic lotus lanterns, illuminating the hermitage with their pretty pink glow. The colour was radiant & added a great warmth to the already awesome atmosphere.

The lotus flower is held in high regard by Buddhists across Asia. It's spiritual significance comes from the plant's growth. From its roots in the mud, the lotus flower stems through the water until it reaches sunlight at the surface. Buddhists view the path to enlightenment as a similar journey where they too will blossom in the sun once buddhahood & true enlightenment is achieved.