The Eastern lotus and the Western rose are both fascinating emblems that have been used to represent spiritual growth and attainment across different cultures and eras.
The lotus flower has an intricate yonic shape that symbolizes the maternal creative mystery, while the rose is a symbol of love and beauty. The Middle Age heraldic rose was typically depicted with either five or ten petals, which signify its spiritual connection to the Pythagorean pentad and decad, the mystery of man.
Throughout history, the rose has been associated with different interpretations. In Greek mythology, the red rose was believed to have bloomed from the blood of Adonis, the lover of Venus, symbolizing the eternal love that transcends death. In the Middle Ages, the red rose was a representation of the blood shed by Jesus on the Cross, symbolizing God's love for humankind.
In the Renaissance period, the rose was the emblem of a mystical Christian fraternity called the Rosicrucians or the rosy cross. The rose was also associated with the Virgin Mary, and only virgins were permitted to wear rose garlands. Despite this, medieval troubadours used the rose in their songs as a symbol of earthly love.
The rose is often found in heraldry and is the flower that symbolizes England. The red and white rose symbolized the English Tudor dynasty of kings. One heraldic treatise explained that the rose's special status is due to its association with comfort, generosity, and discretion. It also explained that the red roses are inevitably associated with the blood that all must shed for freedom, for the Fatherland, and for the Church.
