Because the lotus flower opens during the day and closes at night, it symbolizes the duality of nature, e.g. light and darkness, birth and death, male and female, sun and moon.
In ancient Egypt, the flower was a symbol of rejuvenation, rebirth, and immortality. It was linked to Ra, the sun god. In China, the flower symbolizes connectedness, unity, love, and marriage. In India, the lotus flower symbolizes the origin of feminine in the universe, especially the goddess of love. Like Egypt, there is also connection to the sun god in this case, the god Surya, who represents life force. In Tibet, the lotus flower is the symbol of mystery.
For Hindus and Buddhists, the lotus flower tattoo is a symbol of purity and enlightenment it is the essence of human nature. The flower is considered one of the Eight Precious Things in eastern religion. In Sanskrit (Indian language used for Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.), the lotus flower is the representation of the divine womb and fertility. Its name is padma or kamala, which also mean vagina. The famous Buddhist mantra (&ldquoom mana padme om&rdquo), which is often portrayed in the media, is a spiritual reflection on enlightenment, and translates to the jewel in the lotus.
In tattoo art, the tendrils are sometimes depicted as flames. In this way, the duality of fire and water is also portrayed. Some cultures look at the flame tipped lotus as an indication of divine revelation.
One other popular lotus flower tattoo is usually to pair the flower which has a cobra, to portray the duality of life-giving and death-dealing.