Lotus Flower Tattoo Meaning, Design & Ideas

In most cultures, the floral tattoo will have a great deal of meaning depending on which kind of flower you choose to have tattooed on your body. In American culture, flowers like the rose or the tulip hold a lot of meaning. These two tattoos seem to be some of the more popular options out there but when you travel to the Far East, you will notice other flowers being some of the more popular ones to get tattooed and the lotus is one of them.

In Irezumi or traditional Japanese tattooing, the lotus flower is a very powerful symbol and is used in all sorts of traditional tattooing. Not only is it beautiful but it offers the person with the tattoo a symbol full of meaning. The lotus flower is a very popular design for modern-day tattoos. It’s a gorgeous flower with many lotus flower tattoo meanings to choose from when you get it.

It’s also the type of tattoo that is great for both men and women since there are many designs that you can get, and you can get a small medium, or large tattoo based on your needs.

In this post we are going to talk about the lotus flower and why so many people choose to get this tattoo. We will talk about the lotus flower tattoo’s meaning and what it symbolizes to those who get this tattoo inked on their body for good. We hope we can help you have a better understanding of the meaning of this beautiful flower by the time you are done reading this post. It might even give you the push you need to go get your own lotus flower tattoo.

About the Lotus Flower

From the genus Nelumbo, the lotus is a beautiful aquatic plant. In addition to being popular in Asia, it is also extremely popular in other Eastern countries. In fact, the lotus is the national flower of India. It originates from southern sections of Australia and Asia but you can find this beauty in almost all parts of the world these days. You can find the lotus flower in murky, shallow lakes and ponds that happen to be touched by direct sunlight. The lotus will not survive in cold weather. We will get into the meaning below but overall, the lotus symbolizes purity, grace, serenity and beauty.

The lotus is not a tall plant but it does spread its wings. It might only reach 49 inches in height but it can spread to over 10 feet wide. Each flower on the lotus can grow to a diameter of eight inches. Their petals are shaped like a dagger and you will usually see these flowers in either white or pink.

One of the most beautiful things about the lotus is their layers. The flower itself lifts many inches above the water. Their leaves are the shape of paddles and can be as long as 20 inches. Some of these leaves are underwater and some are below but all the leaves have air pockets within the leaf which keeps the flower floating on water.

One of the cool things about the lotus is it opens in the morning and closing at night so it is no surprise it is a representation of the sun or creation and rebirth. The Egyptians believed the behavior of the lotus represents the start and ending of the day.

The lotus flower attaches itself to the ground by using rhizomes. Rhizome will put itself in the dirt and anchor the lotus to the ground.

History of the Lotus Flower

There are fossils of the lotus flower that go back many years and some say they were in existence somewhere between 145 million years ago and 66 million years ago. At the time, both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres were places where the lotus flower grew.

As Earth began to dry and cool down over the years, the lotus flower’s habitat slowly went away and this was namely because of the ice ages that happened between 2 million and 10,000 years ago. You can find the remanence of this flower from Japan to Iran. Its habitat also went from Australia to India so there weren’t many places where the lotus didn’t grow.

Lotus Flower Tattoo Meaning

The lotus flower is very common in Eastern cultures, mostly because it has so many meanings to those cultures. In Asia, Egypt, and India the lotus flower is as popular as the rose is in the United States, but it has certainly climbed up the ranks in the U.S. in recent decades.

In terms of flower symbolism, the lotus represents a new beginning and estranged love. While these are two different meanings, some people will choose to use both. The type of person who wants to use the “new beginning” lotus flower tattoo meaning is one who wants to start a huge new chapter in their lives. Someone who chooses the “estranged love” meaning will want to use the tattoo as a reminder not to repeat past mistakes.

The lotus flower has been mentioned in mythology and legends as well as some religious texts. People who like to use lesser-known tattoo meanings will like the fact that they can choose a lotus from one of these texts, get the exact design, and use those meanings. These are usually much more personal tattoo meanings, so the lotus flower tattoo will be placed on a part of the body that is hidden from public view.

In the Hindu religion, the lotus is called the Padma. This flower has a special meaning as it is associated with quite a few of their deities, including Vishnu and Brahma. The Hindus liked this flower to symbolize divine purity and beauty and the expanse of its leaves represents the expanding of the soul, or a spiritual awakening. The lotus is typically depicted with a number of petals, as it is believed that the Padma contained 1,000.

In Buddhism, they have a very strong tie to the lotus flower. To them, it represents the purity of the body, mind and spirit. They primarily are shown with eight petals that represent the Eightfold Path, which is a core tenet in the Buddhist religion. Obviously, someone who practices Buddhism will find the lotus tattoo to be a great choice for them, but others who simply like these meanings could get this type of lotus flower tattoo as well. To make the meaning a bit clearer, you could get other Buddhist imagery around or inside the lotus flower tattoo.

In Sri Lanka, ancient scripts consider the lotus to be symbolic of virtue and discipline. These are important qualities to a lot of people throughout the world, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are both popular lotus flower tattoo meanings. Someone who has had a tough time practicing self-control during their lives may find the lotus flower tattoo to be the perfect inspirational tattoo. It could also be a great lotus flower tattoo meaning for someone who teaches discipline, such as a high-ranking military officer.

In Asian and Indian cultures the lotus can be viewed as the divine feminine and is often used as a metaphor for the female anatomy. Some women see the lotus flower as one of the best objects to use to show their pride in being a female. It’s not uncommon for a woman to get a lotus flower tattoo with other popular “feminine” images to show their pride in their sex.

The meaning of lotus flower tattoos can vary based on the color of the lotus flower selected. Below are some of the most popular colors used in these tattoos.

White Lotus Flower Tattoo

This is symbolic of enlightenment, purity and perfection. It is considered the pinnacle of achievement in Buddhism and is depicted as a goal for which one should strive on their spiritual journey. Again, anyone could use these Buddhist meanings regardless of which religion they follow. Or you could use just one of the three meanings if that particular meaning is important to you.

Blue Lotus Flower Tattoo

The lotus in this hue represents “mind over matter”, or the spirit’s control over one’s sense or compulsions. It symbolizes wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. Blue lotuses are usually drawn as partially open, never revealing their center- thus conveying that one’s growth of mind and spirit over the body is never quite finished. In Egyptian mythology, they associate the blue lotus with the celebration of life and a ritual of passage into the afterlife.

As you can see, you have a lot of lotus flower tattoo meanings to choose from and even more design options. This is precisely why the lotus is one of the most popular flower tattoos around today and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Remember that you can always get the lotus tattoo “because it’s pretty” initially and then add on some meanings down the road.

We suggest finding an artist who has experience in creating floral tattoos as it isn’t every artist’s forte. Sit down with your potential artist and have a consultation. Take a look at their portfolio and make sure the work and personality are a fit for you.

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