Lotus Tattoo Meaning
The lotus grows from the mud at the bottom of a pond and opens above the water clean. That single fact made it one of the most important spiritual symbols of Asia and of ancient Egypt.
Rising out of the mud
The lotus stands for coming through difficulty without being stained by it — growth from a hard beginning into something pure and beautiful. It is a common tattoo after a difficult chapter of life.
Purity and enlightenment
In Buddhism and Hinduism the lotus stands for purity of mind and spiritual awakening. Buddhas and Hindu deities are shown sitting or standing on lotus flowers. A lotus is often paired with the unalome, a line symbolizing the path to enlightenment, or with mandalas and sacred geometry.
Rebirth in ancient Egypt
The Egyptians saw the lotus close at night and open again in the morning, so they made it a symbol of the sun, creation and rebirth.
Open, half-open or closed
A closed bud stands for potential and the beginning of a journey; a half-open flower for a path in progress; a fully open lotus for awakening and fulfillment.
The lotus in black and grey
A lotus works on the sternum, the spine, the forearm, the back of the neck and the ankle. In black and grey, soft gradients on the petals and dark water underneath make the flower glow; in fine line it becomes a light and delicate symbol.
Lotus Tattoo Questions
What does a lotus tattoo symbolize?
Purity, spiritual awakening and rebirth — rising out of difficulty without being stained by it.
What does a lotus with an unalome mean?
The path through life's struggles toward enlightenment, ending in the open lotus.
What does a closed lotus mean?
Potential and the beginning of a journey.