Figs: The Ultimate Metaphor for Enlightenment
My grandfather loved Fig Newtons. That’s all I knew about figs before I began gardening. Fresh figs are not readily available on super market shelves because they are very soft, making them susceptible to damage, and they don’t last long after ripening.
However, because I am in possession of a fig tree, I have learned to appreciate this delicate and ancient fruit.
When gardening, one becomes acutely aware of the presence and emergence of flowers. They signal the plant will soon bear fruit and if it is not self-pollinating will need bees or some other form of intervention to materialize.
The emergence of orange blossoms on my orange tree not only showcase a lovely feast for the eyes, they emit the most intoxicating scent. The same for the tangerines and of course tomatoes, however for the little yellow flowers on the tomato plant there seems to be no scent.
I noticed a few years ago that surprisingly the fig tree produces no flowers. There is no emergence of petals and perfume to let us humans know its beginning its fruit bearing season. The reason for this is that the fruit itself is an inverted flower.
The fig has been a fruit valued and consumed by humans since our existence on this planet. In some texts it is alleged to be the biblical forbidden fruit, and Buddha was said to have been sitting under a fig tree when he achieved enlightenment. This symbolism is indeed profound.
A fig is essentially the opposite of a strawberry. Strawberries carry their seeds on the outside and their vibrant red color is an unmistakable sign it is ready to be eaten. Figs however grow all of their seeds inward allowing for an explosion of a network of tiny flowers growing inside.
The fruit is very soft and sweet but emits very little juice. It is not a wet fruit like a watermelon. Its almost like a sweet bread with a mild crunch. There are no pits to spit out and no outer shell to peal. It is one of the rarest of fruits in that it can be eaten in its entirety.
Figs are the ultimate blessing, not because of its outer beauty, but because it allows its beauty to blossom inward.
There is perhaps no better metaphor for enlightenment.
It is easy to get wrapped up in the outer trappings of success and beauty as we navigate this life with our eyes and exterior senses. However, it is when we are able to go inward that we are able to see the depth of beauty this life has to offer.
The fig being the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge can represent our emergence from adolescence when we are required to leave our innocence behind and seek deeper experiences in life.
Enlightenment requires a resistance to all that is offered at face value. It asks that we seek new motivations which invariably result in leaving many of the trappings of modern life behind.
The external luxuries of life no longer please us the same way when we are enlightened. We can enjoy a beautiful painting but we will more often crave the sense of inner peace achieved through mediation.
Superficial enjoyments of the senses do not satisfy like a new realization that allows us to shed previous fears and insecurities. True freedom and joy comes from inward growth rather than exterior rewards when we are seeking communion with our higher selves.
As my fig tree continues to produce the largest most beautiful fruits I have seen, due in no small part to the excessive rains and long winter experienced here in Southern California, I am inspired by what it is teaching me.
It is teaching me to continue my inner work and to carry on appreciating the wonders of nature. Figs are among the healthiest of foods to consume as they are high in nutrition but low in sugar. The symbolism of this again has not been lost on me.
As I continue to consume these treasures as they ripen, I will do so with the full knowledge that in so doing, I am truly nourishing myself, mind, body, soul.
