Consider The Lily

In the glorious Springtime, one of the loveliest flowers the
generous Hand of Nature gives us is the lily in all its forms.
The following is interesting and practical for us all:
"Whenever I have spoken of lily. I have always emphasized
the example of the water-lily (the Lotus flower),
whose whole growth is a continuous struggle. The water-lily
must rise from the depths and lift its head above the pressures
around it. Then resting on the surface of the very difficulties
it has overcome, it opens out its golden petals and feeds upon
the sunshine. However, the water-lily does this automatically
by the "power that worketh in it". Its means of rising are
calculated according to the depths of the water in which natural
law has planted it. "There hath no temptation overtaken it",
so to speak, "but such as it shall be able to overcome".
As I have pointed out (and I love to repeat the analogy)
there is within the stem of the water-lily an apparatus, con-
sisting of an elastic spiral coil, which expands and contracts,
giving the lily power to rise or sink as (lie water deepens or
diminishes, so that it may be always just sufficiently above the
pressure in which it lives and face to face with the life-giving
Sun. That spiral coil is, of course, sub-conscious Cosmic mind,
responding to the suggestion of the need of the moment. Our
spiral coil, "the power that. worketh in us" demands the initiative
of our conscious minds".�?- Wilberforce.

"The water-lily is a beautiful and true symbol of the victory
of purity. It means the same as the Lotus flower which forms
the head of the Buddha and whose petals unfold as we show
forth the risen light (the Christ) the light which gives light
to the whole house (body) whereby we can see everything in
the Universe! The stem of the water-lily (or Lotus flower)
in us, represents tlie spinal cord and we must keep it filled
with oil (life fluid joy of living) in order to keep the light
burning. If we waste the oil (in riotous living) (lie light, flickers
and burns lower and lower until it finally goes out. It is the
office of the "virgins" (thoughts and feelings of purity) to keep
the light burning in the Temple (body) "
.E. M. H.