The Blue Lotus has had a number of significant meanings throughout history, all of which are relevant and meaningful to those of us in today's society who are walking the path of personal and professional development.

The Ancient Egyptians saw the blue lotus flower as a sign of rebirth. They believed that the blue lotus flower would follow the path of the sun – rising out of the water in the morning and blooming in the early afternoon, before sinking below the surface again in the late afternoon.

The Buddhists used the blue lotus flower as a symbol of a victory of the spirit over the senses – that our spirit reigns over our physical body. It is also a symbol of intelligence, wisdom and knowledge. The blue lotus is typically depicted in artwork partially opened with the centre of the bud never showing – a sign of our continual path toward growth and wisdom.

In India the lotus flower has long been thought to symbolise growth and transformation. Much like our pathway to growth, the lotus flower must grow through the mud before rising up to bloom clean and bright – a sign of purity and resurrection.

For me, it's all of these things and more. It's a symbol of our inner beauty and our ability to recreate ourselves and let go of the mud of our past.