Natural Spiritual Therapy
The lotus is an image of nobility and purity, growing from the mud but still giving off fragrance and blooming. In culture, the lotus is associated with Buddhist philosophy, with the simple beauty of Vietnamese women, with the peaceful soul of the countryside.
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, people are increasingly under pressure, stressed and disconnected from themselves. Amidst all that hustle and bustle, many people are turning to nature, to peaceful spaces to heal. One of the increasingly popular “natural therapies” is lotus viewing. Not only a relaxing activity, lotus viewing also brings profound spiritual values, helping each person regain inner balance, heal wounds, and restore life energy.
The image of thousands of pink lotus flowers swaying in the wind, looming above the water, their petals fragile but full of vitality, is a scene that makes anyone speechless. Unlike the proud roses or the brilliant sunflowers, the lotus has a humble, pure and tranquil beauty. Standing in the middle of a lotus pond, breathing in the gentle scent, watching each lotus bud open in the morning dew, is like a slow, gentle and profound meditation. That is when the mind is calmed, emotions are released, and inner recovery begins.
Psychologist Dang Thanh Van said that nature has a great effect in improving mood, reducing anxiety and regenerating energy. Soft colors, natural sounds and the faint scent of plants can stimulate the production of serotonin - a happy hormone. In particular, lotus is one of the special therapies, because it is not only beautiful in shape but also has positive symbolic energy, reducing stress. Specifically, the soft light and pink color of lotus creates a gentle visual effect, helping to relax the nerves; Watching a lotus flower bloom from bud to petal makes us let go of the past and future, focusing on the present moment. According to the psychologist, feeling the fragile but strong beauty of lotus helps people learn to face and heal their wounds; Increase the ability to contemplate: Watching lotus in a quiet space is like a form of open-eye meditation - helping people connect with the depths of the soul.
Therefore, the lotus pond is not only a place for growing crops but has become a space for experiencing the harmony of nature, culture, cuisine and art. Ms. Nguyen Thu Nga (41 years old, Hanoi), suffered from depression when she had many business contracts in the past in the hope of earning a lot of money. Listening to everyone's advice, she went to the West Lake lotus pond (Hanoi). "Looking at the pale pink lotus flowers with a gentle fragrance, I calmed myself down and suddenly realized that for a long time, I had been living in a hurry, busy making money, forgetting myself, carrying many diseases in my body. It has been a long time since I spent a summer afternoon sitting under the sunset, watching the lotus by the lake. Can my life be as gentle and peaceful as the lotus? Why did I turn myself into a money-making robot?" - she questioned herself. Ms. Nga realized that she had to live more slowly. She temporarily stopped working, temporarily stopped the dense contracts. During the lotus season, every afternoon she goes to the lake to watch the lotus flowers to relax, feel the good and peaceful things happening around her and “recharge” her positive energy. She feels happy to be gradually away from the prescriptions for depression treatment.
Besides admiring lotus, enjoying lotus dishes is also a form of natural therapy. Mr. Son Tung (32 years old, Nam Dinh ) every time he is under pressure in life, he often enjoys lotus dishes. According to Mr. Tung, lotus seeds have a sedative effect, helping him sleep better. Lotus tea helps calm the mind and soothe emotions. Lotus green rice, lotus tea, lotus jam... all have a light, sweet, and delicate taste, helping the person enjoying them feel comfortable and warm, and find peace in their soul.
Currently, some meditation and yoga centers have included lotus viewing in their therapy courses. People spend 30 minutes sitting and watching a lotus flower, meditating and breathing in the rhythm of its opening petals - a gentle but profound meditation exercise. At lotus ponds, many people have combined gentle yoga movements in nature, increasing the effectiveness of calming the nerves. Some people also paint lotus paintings, take lotus photos, write diaries about their lotus viewing journey - all are forms of expressing emotions and healing the inner self. Psychologists say that creating a therapeutic space with nature - especially lotus - is very suitable for people with mild depression, people who have experienced loss, or are in a phase of "running away" from their current life.
Find a peaceful, quiet place
The lotus blooming season usually falls from May to July, which is also the season when tourists flock to provinces and cities such as Hanoi , Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Thua Thien Hue, Dong Thap, An Giang, Ho Chi Minh City... to immerse themselves in the beauty of the flower "near the mud but not smelling of mud".
West Lake lotus pond is a familiar place for young people in the capital, domestic and international tourists every summer. These days in June, the weather in Hanoi is hot but groups of tourists, big and small, still come to take pictures one after another. At the resting hut of each pond, there are full services for renting costumes such as ao dai, ao yem; hiring makeup artists, taking pictures... Coming here, visitors taking pictures can not only freely pose next to fragrant lotus flowers but also have the opportunity to enjoy strong, delicious lotus tea.
 |
Meditating and practicing yoga in the middle of a lotus pond. (Photo: Linh Van Dinh) |
Not as bustling as the West Lake lotus pond, but Xuan Dinh lotus pond, white lotus pond in Tam Hung commune, Thanh Oai district (Hanoi) still has an attractive beauty, making anyone who comes here fascinated. The pink color of lotus flowers stands out in the middle of the quiet countryside. This is an ideal "check-in" location for those who love the wild, quiet beauty. Visitors can move between the ponds by wooden bridge or sit on a boat to enjoy the feeling of relaxation, immersed in the lotus forest.
Not only in Hanoi, provinces and cities also have lotus ponds with beautiful scenery with pure white and shy pink colors. Pho Chau lotus pond (Ha Tinh) is one of the new "check-in" locations that young people in Huong Son district, Ha Tinh are extremely interested in. Pho Chau lotus pond is located in the middle of the peaceful space of the countryside. June is the harvest season of farmers, the scent of lotus mixed with the scent of rice creates a characteristic scent that is both noble and rustic of the sunny and windy land of Huong Son. This is also the time when students return home for summer vacation, children away from home have the opportunity to admire the beauty of the peaceful lotus color of their hometown.
Although blooming in recent years, Tam Da lotus pond (Ho Chi Minh City) has become an ideal "check-in" spot in the summer for people in the South. The "lotus kingdom" of the Western region of Dong Thap is the most prominent locality in developing lotus tourism. With a lotus growing area of up to thousands of hectares, especially in Thap Muoi, Tam Nong, Cao Lanh districts, Dong Thap has known how to exploit the lotus season to develop community ecotourism. Visitors coming here can not only take pictures with lotus but also row a boat in the middle of the pond, wear ao ba ba, learn how to make lotus green rice, wrap spring rolls in lotus leaves or sleep in a homestay in the peaceful countryside space.
Thua Thien Hue - a land rich in royal traditions - has long been associated with lotus flowers through royal cuisine, royal lotus tea, lotus paintings, and lotus poems. Here, lotus is not only a beautiful scene but also a part of cultural identity. The Tinh Tam Lake area - once a place where Nguyen kings enjoyed their time - has been replanted with lotus, serving tourists to experience taking photos, drinking tea, and listening to royal music in an ancient space. Hue girls wearing Nguyen Dynasty costumes or traditional ao dai come here to take photos to capture peaceful moments. Wearing any color shirt with a background of green lotus buds, green leaves, and pure white flowers, women will become more elegant and graceful.
Not just simply taking pictures with lotus flowers, many lotus tourism models have now expanded to experiences such as: Rowing a boat, picking lotus flowers, harvesting lotus seeds - becoming a "farmer" in the middle of nature; Experience making lotus green rice, lotus tea, lotus jam, lotus cake; Visiting lotus-related craft villages: Weaving baskets from lotus stems, weaving fabric from lotus silk; Enjoying traditional arts by the lotus lake: Ca tru, hat xam, royal court music, lotus dance. These experiences are both culturally educational and help visitors relax and connect with nature.
Many people do not have the financial means or time to go to lotus ponds, they reward themselves with a cup of lotus tea on the balcony, a bunch of lotus on the desk, or just a picture of lotus on the phone screen - it can also bring a sense of peace, help them disconnect from worries, and find their own peaceful place.
Lotus does not promise any miracles, but with its simple beauty and profound message of life, people learn to love life, slow down, love themselves and their families more. In the midst of a noisy, stressful life, looking at a lotus is like a low note - where the mind is rested, the heart is warmed and the soul is healed.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/thu-thai-tam-hon-qua-nhung-mua-sen-post551702.html
Comment (0)