Lotus stage

In the ancient religions of Asia and a lot of Eastern cultures they mention a lot about the lotus stage. In fact in Buddhism the Buddha is always shown with 1000 lotus's in the formof his hair. True teachers would always use the analogy of plants and animals and there specialities too emphasis certain techniques and virtues, such as the lotus that is a beautiful flower that lives in the mud, so it takes its sutenance from the mud but this doesnt detract from its beauty i.e a true meditator can live in the world but not be influenced by the dirt of the world.Other examples are having a monkey mind,i.e a wondering undisciplined meditator, or being like a elephant, conquering waste and impurity etc. The old picture of Bill and ben the Flower pot men,from my childhood reminds me of this use of simple imagination too portray huge life lessons.