Surfboards and Lotus Flowers - Symbol of Enlightenment and Purity

Group dynamics is a big part of the surf and yoga experience and we love to see the girls and women on retreat making new friendships. All these lotus-like flowers had fallen off the tree one early morning at Balian in Bali and created the inspiration for the perfect photo opportunity.

The lotus is one of Buddhism’s most significant symbols. It is a symbol of enlightenment and purity of the mind. The lotus symbolizes many aspects of the path to enlightenment. As the lotus grows out of the still water and mud of the pond (samsara – the cycle of rebirth), it leaves the mud (worldly existence) behind to emerge straight toward the sky, appear clean on the surface (purity), and blossoms into a beautiful flower (enlightenment). The flower opens its petals to catch the warm sun rays, reveals its beauty and purity, and shares its fragrance with the world.