Lotus, seed of dreams and fears.

It always comes as a bit of a shock when a previously smiling customer reels away from the store counter and with shrieks of fear runs back out through the door. This customer was doing nothing more than examining the Christmas wreaths we have for sale, so my colleague who was serving at the time was somewhat taken aback!


The explanation was strange and complex and triggered, of all things, by the lotus seed pods that are part of the decorative effect.  


Lotuses are astoundingly beautiful and versatile plants, featuring in murals of the pyramids and sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. All parts, from rhizome to bud, are edible, the flower, blowing as big a translucent gold and rose dinner plate above still waters, can thermoregulate its own temperature to attract insects in colder weather, the stems produce fibres finer than silk, the seeds have the ability to germinate after being entombed 1000 years, and of course the dried pods are used decoratively. One thing that does not immediately spring to mind is scariness and horror.


However, there is a rare and unfortunate phobia associated with the visual structure of the pod. Trypophobia is an aversion or repulsion to repetitive patterns involving clusters of small holes - objects like honeycombs and sponges. People with trypophobia don’t necessarily have a fear of holes but are disgusted by the pattern of holes.  Being confronted suddenly with the holy lotus, for this person, was similar to having something more understandably nauseating thrust in the face – think tape worm segments or jellyfish tentacles perhaps.


Thankfully, they recovered enough to set the bystanders’ and my colleague’s minds at rest. And, incidentally, to spark off an empathetic debate later as to what degree of pattern and aperture is enough to set off the reaction. Life for a trypophobic must be full of sudden unpleasant skirmishes.


 Needless to say, they did not purchase a wreath.