Ikebana, in Japanese, literally means “living flower” or “the way of the flower.” Ikebana is an art form with meditative value. In silence the artist arranges the flowers discovering the beauty of nature and inner peace. In this picture the sacred lotus flower that Buddhist and Egyptian cultures have cherished for a thousand years, is presented in its two states: the closed flower that signifies the time before enlightenment and the fully blooming flower that represents full enlightenment and self-awareness. However, the story of the lotus flower is one of rebirth. Unlike other flowers, the lotus has a unique life cycle. With its roots emanating from the mud, the flower submerges every night into the murky waters; undeterred by its dirty environment, it miraculously re-blooms the next morning clean and untarnished. It’s this dawning after one’s darkest day and the reawakening of the spirit that makes the lotus flower sacred. In Buddhism this re-birth is considered a reincarnation; the soul leaves this world in its present form to be reborn in another. “Ikebana and Lotus Flower,” is a hand-painted digital image created by Spadecaller.