Jan 20, 2019

Nefertem & The Lotus Flower Legend

Why is the lotus flower so commonly present in subjects regarding spirituality and life? The Lotus flower has appeared in ancient depictions dating back to the Egyptians.

In order to understand the significance of the flower symbolically, first it's important to identify what makes this flower different from the rest.

According to The Flower Expert, the Lotus plant is an aquatic perennial, native to southern Asia and Australia and most commonly cultivated in water gardens. The plant has its roots firmly in the mud and sends out long stems to which their leaves are attached. The leaves are sometimes, and Lotus flowers always, raised above the water surface. The beautiful and fragrant Lotus flower opens in the morning and petals fall in the afternoon.

Lotuses are found in white and pink colors in general and they grow in shallow and murky waters. Lotus flowers enjoy warm sunlight and are intolerant to cold weather. This is why the Lotus is not seen blossoming in the winter. The floating leaves and Lotus flowers have long stems, which contain air spaces to maintain the buoyancy. The Lotus is native to Asia and flourishes in a wide range of climates from India to China.

Due to the biological behavior of the Lotus flower - rising above the water during the day and retreating back underneath the water at night - the Egyptians associated the Lotus with the Sun, rebirth, the cycle of life, regeneration and healing.

Land of Pyramids describes Nefertum as the Egyptian lotus god of the sun, healing, medicine and beauty, featured in the stories, myths and legends in Egyptian Mythology.

Nefertem was believed to have emerged from the sacred lotus flower at the point of creation. According to ancient Egyptian mythology Nefertem brought the great Sun God Ra a sacred lotus to ease his suffering as he aged. The scent of the lotus was considered restorative and protective and it played an important role in the history of ancient Egypt. There are numerous depictions in Ancient Egyptian Art of the lotus, or water lily, being held by gods and goddesses towards the nose of the royal kings, queens and pharaohs of Egypt. Nefertum as the lotus god of healing, was therefore closely associated with the protection of royalty the given the title of the 'Protector of the Two Lands', meaning Upper and

The Ancient Egyptians believed that scent of the lotus had a divine origin and it was used in temple and funerary rituals and ceremonies related to the worship of the gods and goddesses. The lotus flower was also used in depictions of the deceased upon their entry into the underworld and their rebirth and the afterlife, as seen in many images in the numerous versions of the Book of the Dead. In many tomb paintings the deceased is shown smelling lotus blossoms to help restore the senses. The oil of the lotus was used during the long process of preparing the body for mummification “to unite the limbs, join the bones and assemble the flesh,” and reducing the smell of decaying flesh. The god Nefertum presided over this process, as the god of perfumes and unguents and was therefore associated with death and the underworld.

Nefertum and the Triad of Memphis

The Memphite creation myth was devised by the priests of Memphis and focused on the gods Ptah, his consort Sekhmet and their son Nefertum. The Memphite creation myth was developed for political and financial reasons and to justify the status of Memphis as the new capital of Egypt. The chief god of the Memphis Triad was Ptah who was aligned with the primordial ocean called Nun in the old Creation myth of Helipolis and was said to have given life to all the gods. Nefertem was linked with the powerful god Atum as a young boy who emerged from the lotus flower of Nun at the beginning of time.The three gods became collectively known as the Memphis triad which centred around the cult of the god Ptah, the lioness goddess Sekhmet and Nefertem. The Triad of Memphis was the Lower Egyptian (north) counterpart of the Triad of Thebes (Amun, Mut and Khonsu) and superseded the gods and goddesses of the Ennead of Heliopolis and the Ogdoad of Hermopolis.

Nefertum and Perfume
As previously stated the Memphis creation myth was not just developed for religious beliefs it was also was developed for political and financial reasons. Ancient Egypt was the perfume manufacturing and trading center of the world considered masters of the art of perfume making. By creating the god Nefertum (the god of healing, beautification and perfumes) the priests of Memphis aligned themselves to the extremely lucrative perfume market. The chemistry of creating fragrant oils was an important Egyptian science and the priests of Nefertum became involved in the development of perfumes and aromatics. Perfumes, cosmetics, unguents, air-fresheners, medicines and lotions contained oil extracted from lotus flowers. Salves, ointments and perfumed oils for ritual and medical use were processed in the temple laboratories by the priests of Nefertum.

The story of Nefertem ties together my Lotus jewelry collection perfectly. The legend bridges the gap in understanding why I chose the Lotus Flower as the outer cage design for my essential oil diffuser necklace.

Lotus Oil Diffuser

I discovered the power of essential oils recently, when a long-time customer of mine, Michelle Wilcox, approached me at a local jewelry show. While I had always known on some level essential oils were useful in holistic health practices, I didn't realize, even then, the practical extent they can be incorporated in our lives.

She purchased my Lotus Oil Diffuser necklace, and asked me to take a walk with her, within the New Orleans convention center, so she could "show me something." Like I said before, she's been a long time customer, since I was 16, so we're cool on a different level. She led me to a booth by Young Living™ and introduced me to the lovely Gena Scobel, working the booth. As it turns out, Gena and Michelle were the ones who set up the Young Living booth!

Needless to say, I was sold on a fabulous intro kit with the diffuser and all. From that moment on, I was hooked. The energy of my entire home changed for the better: my dogs are so relaxed and calm, headaches are easily prevented, and I feel so much better working from home. Basically, I got a taste of my own medicine. Here I was selling essential oil diffuser jewelry, but had no diffuser for my home!

Later on I met with Michelle and Gena to discuss how to incorporate Young Living™ Essential Oils with both my jewelry and coaching businesses.

I must say, I'm extremely excited to sign up with Young Living™ as a distributor so I can help educate my audience about the magic of oils, plus I get to partner with a reputable brand with lots of enthusiastic users. It's a win-win! Now all I have to do is design and produce even more oil diffuser jewelry, which I'm VERY excited about.

Young Living™ Essential Oils will be available here on this website and on my other website drcristycali.com very soon. If you'd like to be included in my official partnership announcement, please subscribe to my VIP list below!

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