Niigata's Spiritual Lotus Blossom

During summer I am often recharging at my Niigata kominka and taking private camping excursions with my family or having barbecues with friends, but at least once each summer, I can be coaxed out to explore Niigata and see more of this amazing prefecture.  An excellent motivation is Niigata’s natural beauty, specifically its floral beauty.  Tulips as an amazing spring appeal, but later in the summer, coming soon in fact, lotus blossoms reach their peak bloom.  Their striking white or soft pink blossoms are a sight to behold, and they are an amazing way to start any day of photography.  The lotus blossoms are buoyed on the water’s surface, emerging from a rippling array of green pedestals.  When the morning light illuminates them, and I have the opportunity to photograph them, I am overcome with a sense of calm.  These flowers are at their best in the mornings, and as a Niigata native, I have my favorite spots to photograph.

Perhaps related to the calm I feel is that inherent link between the lotus blossom and spirituality, specifically Buddhism.  If you look closely at what Buddha is sitting on in many of the temples around Japan, you’ll see that he’s ensconced on a lotus blossom, a symbol of enlightenment.  Some of the teachings suggest that Lotus Blossoms are a symbol of purity of body, speech, and mind, as they emerge from the muddy waters untouched and radiant as Buddha did when he relinquished his desire for material things and physical desire.  Being well-schooled in the teachings of Buddhism myself, I would be happy to share information with you if you’d like to contact me.