Symbolism of the Lily

Beautiful flowers can pep up any dull or boring day! A flower garden full of fresh blooms can relax even the most tired minds! Flowers always had a symbolic meaning since the olden days. The various flower meanings differed terms of history and folklore. In the ancient days, particular flowers even had a specific kind of symbolism associated with it. Even today, flowers are used to express beautiful thoughts and emotions! The lily is one such beautiful flower that has played a very important role in ancient mythology. Lily is a common name given to Liliaceae, which is found all over earth. Lilies particularly grow in temperate areas and tropical regions.

So, what is the secret language of the lilies? Is there a particular symbolism of the lily? Here, we shall discover many such interesting facts about the symbolism of the lily flower.

Symbolism of the Lily:
During the Middle Ages, the picture of the lily was used as a part of religious art. The forms were found in the depictions of Jesus. In the ancient days, there have been images of Mother Mary holding the lily flower imprinted on coins. The lily thus denotes spirituality.

In ancient Greece, people regarded lily flower as a symbol of sexuality. The lily flower also had an important role to play in the old folktales. As per the tradition, it is said one always approached an expectant mother with a lily and a rose flower. (The lily would symbolize a boy and the rose would represent a girl.) Thus, if the mother picks the rose, it would be a baby girl or if she would pick the lily, it would be a baby boy!

White lilies as per tradition, symbolize chastity as well as virtue. This was the symbol of Virgin Mary’s purity. The white color is what represents the purity of thought and action as well as sheer innocence. In ancient Egypt, the lily was associated with fertility.

In the ancient days, the lilies were particularly offered to God. They were supposed to denote a pure life. The lily was also used as a lucky charm especially in China. The flower in itself was used as a part of medicine. In Feng Shui, the lily flower is used to symbolize abundance.

Amongst the various types of lilies, Peruvian lilies represent friendship and devotion. The Pink Stargazer lily represents immense wealth and prosperity where as the White Stargazer lily represents peace and purity.

A stylized form of the lily is used in many modern contexts. For example, such an image is the main emblem for scouting organizations. In ‘The Da Vinci Code’, a bestseller by Dan Brown, the symbol has been featured prominently. The stylized versions of the flower were also used in ornamentation purposes or as royal emblems in various cultures. A peek into history reveals these symbols were found adorning the helmets of the Scythian Kings.

Thus, we see the interesting theories and references in history that reveal about the symbolism of the lily. A beautiful flower to behold, the lily will always hold a special place in the lives of many.