While modern botanists call it Nymphaea caerulea, ancient Egyptians referred to it as their ticket to the divine. The blue lotus or Egyptian lotus or sacred lily of the Nile may appear to be a simple flower, but it has the ability to induce altered states of consciousness, thereby earning a reputation as one of the most sacred plants in ancient Egypt. This was not your average water lily—this one had VIP access to the afterlife.
This flower was revered and held religious significance for the ancient Egyptians, symbolising the origin of life itself. According to their stories, the sun god Atum was born from this flower, and the god Osiris was resurrected, mirroring how the lily opens and closes each day. They also believed it gave birth to four important gods, the sons of Horus, the falcon god. The blue lotus and the shape of the Nile River were seen as symbols of life’s origins, and they believed that the Nile valley was where human civilisation began.
Beyond its symbolic significance, the blue lotus played a crucial role in magical and spiritual ceremonies, serving as a bridge to communicate with the divine. This is evidenced in the ‘Egyptian Book of the Dead’. The texts also reveal the hallucinogenic mandrake plant being used alongside the blue lotus. The psychoactive properties were believed to induce ecstatic states, providing a spiritual connection to the afterlife and the gods. It was only in 1822 that the Nymphaea caerulea was discovered to contain psychoactive compounds, namely nymphaeine, nymphaline, apomorphine etc. This suggests the ancient Egyptians were knowledgeable about different plants, despite the absence of science.
The flower’s importance is well-documented in Egyptian art and architecture. The blue lotus is depicted together with plants such as opium poppy on arts in many old Egyptian buildings and graves. For example, in one picture the god Horus is portrayed as a healer, receiving a jar containing the blue lotus. Some old Egyptian drawings show a person’s head coming out of the lily flower in water, showing how they believed this flower had magical powers of transformation. Tutankhamun’s tomb included a fancy gold shrine that had a carving of a pharaoh clutching a big water lily and two mandrake plants in one hand.
While the Nymphaea species were commonly depicted in ancient Egyptian art, temple drawings suggest their use was permitted to the elite, such as priests and royalty, implying these plants were special and were not available to ordinary citizens.
It is believed that this flower was used in religious ceremonies, even before Egypt had pharaohs. In everyday life, the sacred lily of the Nile served multiple purposes, from food and medicine to funerary ceremonies. Seeds were extracted, dried and pounded to make flour for bread. Similarly, the root was also eaten because of its sweet taste. Egyptian healers made tonic from the blue lotus to treat liver diseases. During funerary ceremonies, they were used as adornments and were placed within the burial coffins along with gold, amulets and other items. Records also suggest that flowers were strewn upon mummified bodies not just to honour the dead but also to dispel the stench of the rotting flesh.
The blue lotus’s legacy continues into modern times, where it is being used in neoshamanic rituals inspired by indigenous traditions. These rituals involve small groups of 10-30 people gathering in a meditative atmosphere and drinking concoctions made from psychoactive plants. These rituals have grown more popular in some Western European countries and the USA.
While our understanding of the blue lotus has changed from divine messenger to psychoactive plant plant, its role in our search for spiritual connection remains the same.
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