Lily Meaning and Symbolism

Lily meaning quick-reference keyword list:

• Hope
• Faith
• Birth
• Purity
• Renewal
• Promise
• Passion
• Becoming
• Chastity
• Innocence
• Fertility
• Cleansing
• Motherhood
• Remembrance
• Transitioning

Greek lore associates lily meaning with birth and it is asymbol for motherhood because the flower was said to be created from the breast milk of Hera.

As the story goes, Zeus wanted Hercules (his son born from an extra-marital affair) to become a god. One way of doing this was to have him suckle at the breast of his wife, Hera. Zeus invoked the god of sleep, Somnus, to put Hera in a deep slumber while he enticed Hercules to suck at her bosom. He did this so vigorously that the milk overflowed. That which flowed heaven-wards became the Milky Way, and the milk that flowed to the earth turned into a white lily.

Contrarily, the lily also hold masculine qualities as the Greeks held the lily as a symbol of high eroticism and sexuality (the long pistil of the flower suggesting a phallus and the pollen symbolizing fertility).

Old wives tales suggest telling the sex of an unborn child by using a rose and a lily. All one need do is approach an expectant mother with a lily in one hand and a rose in the other. If the mother chooses the rose, it will be a girl. If she picks the lily, it will be a boy (again, referencing the long pistil as a masculine feature).

In alchemical symbolism lily meaning is associated with lunar and feminine qualities.

Christians hold the lily as a symbol of chastity, innocence, purity and piety. In early Christian art the white lily is symbolic of the "Madonna" as the flower is associated with the virgin Mary. It is typically depicted in a vase or held by Gabriel in Annunciation paintings.

Moreover, the parts of the lily have specific religious signficance to the Virgin Mary:

• The stem of the lily symbolizes Mary's religiously faithful mind
• Lily petals represent her Mary's purity and virginity
• The scent of the flower represents Mary's divinity
• The leaves leaves signify her humility.

With its three petals, the lily is often considered a trinity symbol, holding the representation of three virtues: Charity, Hope and Faith.

Another reference to the lily's trinity-like nature is found in Byzantium and France where the lily sometimes identified with the Fleur-de-lys. Each protrusion of the motif is symbolic of 1) royalty, 2) prosperity and 3) expanse.

In symbolic dreams, lily meaning deals with the sanctity of the heart, elegance and a need for clarity or cleansing. If the dreamer is looking at a lily it is a message of encouragement & chance of success in an endeavor looks very good. If one is dreaming of holding a lily, it indicates he/she is highly respected by others. If the dreamer is throwing or tossing a lily aside, it is a message that he/she has been abusing his/her power.

Dreaming of lilies could mean the time is right to act upon a long-thought upon plan. Further, it indicates that we are coming into a fuller integration of ourselves and developing personal balance. It is also a sign that we are seeking rest, peace and tranquility.

In esoteric and mystery teachings, lily meaning s include:

• Development
• Growth
• Progress
• Freedom
• Purity

Specifically, we see the lily in several Tarot cards,namely the Magician card, Temperance card, and the Ace of Pentacles card (in traditional Rider-Waite deck renditions).

In the symbolic language of the Tarot, the lily also holds symbolism of purity, innocence and fertility. Additionally, the lily symbolizes vulnerability, and the freedom to be ourselves, as well as allowing others to be as they are too. The lily is a symbolic flower of health and provision. In a reading, the lily can signal growth, development, and a quality of innocence in our lives. Depending on the surrounding cards, the lily may also indicate new relationships and births.

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