No Mud No Lotus, recognizes that suffering can be transformed to happiness and that if we are able to be present with our suffering, we can be present with our joy. Thich Nhat Hahn speaks of the suffering being the mud and that happiness blooms as a lotus. Without Mud, a Lotus cannot grow.
Recently I heard the Hippopotamus Song by Flanders and Swann. It is sweet and funny. Its about Hippos down by the river in the mud. Starts with 1 hippo who is then joined by a friend and pretty soon a community of hippos join them.
Mud Mud Glorious Mud
Nothing quite like it to
Cool the blood.
Follow me follow
Down to the hollow
And there we shall wallow
In Glorious Mud.
There is more to the song, and I am sharing the link to the version I enjoyed recently and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Flanders & Swann – The Hippopotamus Song (Live) – YouTube
Peace, happiness, joy can all be experienced when we are able to embrace life in the present. It takes courage to stay in the present, especially when fear, anger, and sadness are overwhelmingly strong. It can be liberating to recognize the moments of joy, hope and peace however fleeting, and the more we can be in touch with what brings us true peace and joy we can then share that with others.
In 2017, I hope we can all find ways to share joy and peace with others and when we find ourselves in the mud, may we also see the blooming lotus.
Peace,
Shobhna
Very nice! Thank you
Thank you for commenting Howard! Wishing you peace and joy in the new year.
wonderfully muddy, Shobhna!
wishing you plenty of transformation
into lotuses this new year, david 🙂
Thank you for your wish David! Wishing you peace and joy in the new Year!
Beautiful words shobhna
Thank you! Happy New Year to you 🙂
I loved mudpies when I was little. still do (not to eat, just to enjoy). Happy new year to you!
Happy New Year to you too! Wishing you a year with much to enjoy…mud pies and more :)).
Beautiful Shobhna!
Thank you ♡ wishing you a lovely new year!
Meaningful words! Thanks and regards.
Thank you Dilip for your encouragement. Best wishes to you.