New look

Today I tried to give my blog a facelift... looks a bit brighter and is a bit more personalised... I'm still unsure on whether I like it 100%, there is always room for improvement in everything..

As you can see the theme is The Lotus Flower... why? Well I've been doing some research on images and symbols that I can utilise because I identify with them and after a good deal of reading I have come to the conclusion that I identify with the Lotus.

Reasons

- In the Hindu book the Bhagavad Gita, the text speaks of the need to strive to be like the lotus blossom, "pure of heart so that the muck of earthly matters do not cling to us". Apparently the soul lives in the lotus flower that dwells in each person's heart

- The ultimate lotus flower meaning in the Hindu belief system is that the lotus flower symbol represents awakening to the spiritual reality of life. I'm starting to consider this year as a new birth, or at least a new awakening, and a new found desire for challenge and change

In ancient Egypt the lotus was also a symbol of rebirth, of the sun

Lotuses in Hinduism symbolize prosperity, beauty, fertility, eternity and eternal youth things to strive for

my favourite quote form this information "Lotus tattoos are meant to represent life, new beginnings and the possibility of people growing to change into something beautiful."

In China the Lotus also has a beautiful meaning - Chinese poets use lotus flowers to inspire people to continue striving through difficulties and to show their best part to the outside world, no matter how bad the circumstances may be - a great mantra to keep up.

Something fantastic about the lotus is that the seed starts its life at the bottom of the pond, or what other water form it is in, it then rises to the surface and blossoms....it brings beauty and light from the murky darkness at the bottom of the pond :)

Another symbolic characteristic of the lotus flower leads from the observation that the plant's stalk is easy to bend in two, but is very hard to break because of its many strong sinuous fibres... I guess I identify with that....

btw... above is the picture i'm planning to use... :)