No mud no lotus

The phrase 'no mud no lotus' keeps appearing in my mind today. It's a lovely phrase to ponder every once in a while. It's a reminder that all the 'stuff' we deal with on a moment to moment basis - the frustrating thoughts and judgments, the challenging situations we encounter in our lives, are all part of our growth and awakening. Being awake doesn't mean that we'll never encounter a difficult situation, but it does mean that we can embrace those difficulties (without the need to label them as difficult, even!) as the rich soil that enables us to blossom.