Yellow Lotus Flower: How One Lonesome Seed Rose Up from the Muck

Yellow Lotus Flower is a children's sing-a-long book for the soul. The story is told by the lotus herself, reminiscing on a time when she was a scared little seed, stuck in the murky depths of the pond, unsure of herself and if life would ever be different. Luckily, she encounters guides along the way, like the benevolent sun and a wise golden fish who proclaims, "there's light at the top, you've got to believe me So grow up and up and send your roots down deep". The lotus flower lives a parallel and intertwined life with a grieving young girl. Through fear and uncertainty, they have to muster their own courage to send their roots down into the muck in order to transform into the beautiful flower and human they are meant to be.

As Yellow Lotus Flower sings her song, she is joined by a symphony at the pond: a frog on guitar, singing dragonflies, turtles on drums and piano-playing newts. To conclude the epic song of her life, Yellow Lotus encourages the next generation of seeds to have faith that they too will find their way through the muck and bloom.

Yellow Lotus Flower follows the simple life cycle of a flower, yet carries a deep personal and cultural message about transformation and finding our way through dark times. Author, scholar and elder, Joanna Macy, praises it as "a story for our times". Yellow Lotus Flower draws wisdom directly from the natural world and Buddhist thought, offering a beacon of hope for children and parents grappling with life's inevitable challenges and transitions. Yellow Lotus Flower also offers a simple yet powerful lens through which to see the environmental and societal crises that we face today.

"Yellow Lotus Flower, like the sun, you rise up from the darkness

When tears come, your heart grows stronger, like the sun we rise up from the darkness"

Yellow Lotus Flower offers an innovative multi-media experience, in which children and parents can sing along to the words of the book by downloading or streaming the Yellow Lotus Flower song, or scanning a QR code in the book. Children and parents can also find guitar chords in the back of the back, and learn how to play the song To see the Yellow Lotus Flower music video, listen to the song, and peruse the online shop, visit: bit.ly/yellowlotus

Author: Jen Myzel
Publisher: Dragonfly
Published: 07/16/2019
Pages: 46
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.99lbs
Size: 8.50h x 11.00w x 0.25d
ISBN: 9780578410678

About the Author
Myzel, Jen: - Jen Myzel is a singer-songwriter, elementary school music teacher, author and activist in Oakland, CA. Jen is a close student of Joanna Macy and The Work that Reconnects, whose teachings of resilience through vulnerability influence her work as a teacher, facilitator, and artist. Her soulful, storytelling music aims to connect people to the deeper purpose of their lives and foster a greater connection to the web of life. Jen graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Environmental Studies in 2010. Jen recently published a children's sing-a-long book, Yellow Lotus Flower, about the courage it takes for a grieving young girl and a lotus seed to rise up from the muck. Joanna Macy praises the book as "a story for our times". Jen has collaborated with inspiring, family-friendly artists including the Alphabet Rockers, Octopretzel and Empty Hands Music, and has performed at the Bioneers Conference. Jen is a song-leader in the Thrive Street Choir and has written and led many songs for direct actions and rituals across the Bay Area, including the widely-sung "Gentle Heart". She currently lives in Oakland, California with her partner Simcha, cat Socks, and a beloved spider named Witch Hazel.Mendoza, Hillary: - Hillary Mendoza is an emerging painter and fiber artist in the Bay Area who uses detailed imagery and rich color to dive deeper into inner realms to explore what's just below the surface. It's her way of embracing the watery world of emotion. Themes that pulse through her artwork relate to the hero/heroine's journey, the path of healing, and the process of becoming. She uses art to expose the vulnerable parts we all hold inside, and brings them outward to be examined. "I create art to listen and acknowledge parts that are asking to be heard; calling out to be seen and worked through." Her pieces are reminders that we all go through challenge and adversity, and we usually make it to the other side, stronger and more resilient than before. Her artwork has been greatly influenced by Eastern culture alongside her studies and practice of Ayurvedic Medicine and herbalism.