I first came across the allegory of the lotus flower during a session with Buddhist monk Gen Kelsang Gomche at the Kadampa Meditation Centre in Kensington. He explained, “The lotus isn’t just about its beautiful petals. The more difficult the situation, the greater the potential for transformation.” He went on, “The lotus is born from mud, yet it rises above the water, untouched by the dirt it grew from. Without the mud, there would be no lotus.”
His words were an invitation – to see life’s struggles not as setbacks, but as the very foundation for growth. And in that moment, it struck me: isn’t that the essence of being human?
 
Acrylic on bamboo paper
2022 (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia)
40 x 30 cm