LILAC Native to Turkey, this flower's name comes from
the Arabic laylak or the Persian nylac, which means
"blue." The purple flower represents first love, while the
white one symbolizes innocence. These flowers were
once thought to ward off the Black Death.
LILIES An ancient seal from the Minoan culture portrays
priestesses bearing temple gifts of lilies and figs. Another
seal shows the Goddess descending into a field of lilies
where priestesses are dancing. It was sacred to the
Cretan goddess Britomartis because of its powerful
association with the feminine. The Greeks believed that
the lily sprang from Hera's breast milk dropped upon the
earth. The Romans called this flower rosa Junonis, which
means "Juno's rose." The Christians connected it to
Mary because it symbolized purity.
LILY OF THE VALLEY This flower is also called Our Lady's
Tears and Liriconfancy. In Greece, priestesses to Hera
made offerings of lilies of the valley to invoke her
presence. It symbolizes modesty.
LOTUS Possibly the flower with the oldest spiritual
meanings, the lotus was sacred to cultures from ancient
Egypt to those of China and Japan. Before Buddhism
was brought to China, the lotus represented summer,
purity, fertility, spirituality, and creative power.
A symbol of spiritual purity and the sacred center, the
opened lotus was considered sacred in both Buddhism
and Hinduism. The bud represented fertility and
potential.
In ancient Egypt, this flower symbolized the sun and
the resurrection of the god Horus. It was so sacred that
it is found painted and sculpted on temples and tombs.