The Lotus

The article “The Lotus” by Bud Miller was originally published on the “RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel” magazine website on 06/27/2012.

I’ve always admired the symbolism of the Lotus flower in many of the world’s religions. The Lotus grows in ponds, its strong roots unseen in the mud below, and blooms clean above the water. Symbolically the mud represents materialism, the water experience, and blooming above the water enlightenment. I like the symbolism so much I have Lotus tattoos on each of my Achilles tendons, each surrounding a yin-yang symbol.

I was thinking about it the other day on a ride. The symbolism of the Lotus has a parallel in motorcycling. All of us start in the mud of inexperience, knowing nothing of the controls or intricacies of riding. We consciously remind ourselves what each hand and foot is supposed to be doing while we try to balance the machine. We have to think about how much front and rear brake to use and when, how fast to go, what gear to be in, when to downshift or up-shift, and a thousand other details.

We progress up from the mud of inexperience, building a foundation of skills, through the waters of experience, encountering a myriad of situations, road and weather conditions along the way. We learn what to wear and what kind of motorcycle best suits our needs and personality. The physical aspects of riding start to become second nature. We can tell from the sound and feel of the engine which gear it’s in. We start to feel more comfortable accelerating through turns and riding starts to feel natural, as natural as walking.

Finally, we achieve a kind of enlightenment, a place where we are in the zone, where without conscious thought and with a deft application of throttle, brake, and balance we can control a machine, that once felt heavy, so precisely that it feels as light as a feather. We can put the motorcycle exactly where we intend it to be, and ride as smoothly as if we had always done it. Once enlightened we let it take us places beyond the roads we travel, “…gladly beyond any experience…” as the line goes from my favorite poem.

The Lotus is able to stand strong and tall in the water because of the strength of its roots. Its pristine appearance belies the fact that it had to come through the mud in order to bloom where it stands. Similarly, an experienced motorcyclist gives the impression that he or she has always known how to ride, that it comes naturally; but, just like the bloom of the Lotus, effective riding is the result of building a strong foundation, persevering though the waters of experience, and progressing towards enlightenment.

Ride safe.

1 Comment

  1. molson

    The sound of speed. Amazing.
    http://vimeo.com/46856767#

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