Looking at the beautiful, composed face in this image of Quan Yin, I immediately felt a deep sense of peace. It seems we could all use that feeling of peace at this very moment, with the chaos that is playing out all around us. This peace is not something that is attained from the outside, it is maintained from within, even in the most tumultuous of times. In the Buddhist tradition, Quan Yin became a bodhisattva, one who has attained the state of nirvana, but refuses it, to stay in the physical realm and help others attain the same state. She is known as the goddess of mercy and compassion, and the Chinese translation of her name is "she who observes the sounds of suffering in the world." When I had my Reiki master attunement, my Reiki Master told me she saw Quan Yin beside me. I had never really tapped into her energy before, however after researching her, it seems quite appropriate that she would be not only a guide, but a Master teacher for healers of all kinds, as we facilitate self-healing in order to lessen the suffering of others. It is not necessary to be a professional healer to call in this energy. Every time you show compassion for another, or perform an act of kindness you are utilizing this energy.
Quan Yin is almost always portrayed holding or surrounded by lotus flowers. Her name in Sanskrit means, "born of the lotus." The symbolism of the lotus is to remind us that great beauty can come from the unlikeliest of places, shining through from within, and shocking us with its intensity. The lotus requires a murky, muddy substrate submerged in still waters, in order to create those beautiful flowers. The lotus must break through the muck, in order to breach the surface of the water and experience the glorious sunshine. The lotus flower closes and re-submerges each night while in its life cycle, just to repeat the process again the next day. The lotus reminds us that even in the darkness we can find nourishment, and we can emerge to shine our beauty of spirit, our compassion and love out into the world. We do not need to shout, or be gaudy, or ostentatious in our acts of kindness. The smallest gesture can make the biggest impact to a stranger. Do not underestimate your power to make a positive difference in another soul's experience.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the suffering we see all around us, but to turn away, to ignore it, is just not an option. When we turn our backs that energy of suffering is magnified and it directly affects our environment. At this moment we are at a critical juncture in our evolutionary timeline. Yes, the energies of suffering, chaos, and destruction seem to be multiplying on a daily basis. Remember that acts of kindness and compassion are rarely publicized with the same level of idolatry as acts of repression, fear, and harm. We all need to spread and cultivate the seeds of kindness, compassion, and empathy in order to change the paradigm that is currently in its death throes. Do not lose hope, this paradigm is about to experience its death rattle. Quan Yin's beautiful energy is here to stay, like the lotus she will persevere.
Oracle Card Credit:
*Keepers of the Light Oracle Cards by Kyle Gray