Stylized Lotus Flower Painting On A Fence Outside The Cosmic Cafe On Oak Lawn In Dallas, Texas. Editorial Photo

Pictured is stylized lotus flower painting on a fence outside the eclectic Cosmic Cafe on Oak Lawn in Dallas, Texas. For 25 years the highly ranked vegetarian restaurant, owned by Praveen Sachdev has served fresh delicious vegetarian cuisine as well as provide several yoga and meditation classes, and Sufi/Zen poetry readings. It has a mesmerizing decor with Indian and Buddhist murals, statues and art work. In Buddhism, the journey of the lotus is said to mirror our own spiritual journeys. Mired in suffering or samsara, our spirits start out like a lotus bud, tightly closed and buried in deep in the muddy dark. It is only by living through Buddhist virtues and working our way through varied experiences that we can slowly open ourselves to enlightenment. In order to blossom, the lotus must make its way upward till it finally breaks the water surface and blooms in the sun, beautiful and whole.