Overwhelmingly, cultural myth and lore honor the butterfly as a
symbol of transformation because of its impressive process of
metamorphosis. From egg, to larvae (caterpillar), to pupa (the chrysalis
or cocoon)
and from the cocoon the butterfly emerges in her unfurling glory. What a
massive amount of transition this tiny creature undergoes. Consider for
a moment the kind of energy this expends. I daresay if a human were to
go through this kind of change we’d freak out!
Imagine the whole of your life changing to such an extreme
you are unrecognizable at the end of the transformation. Mind you, this
change takes place in a short span of about a month too (that’s how long
the butterfly life cycle is).
Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. She asks us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as she does. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the chances of her environment and her body.
This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of
faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo
transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and
anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – she asks us to
recognize the same.
Imagine the whole of your life changing to such an extreme
you are unrecognizable at the end of the transformation. Mind you, this
change takes place in a short span of about a month too (that’s how long
the butterfly life cycle is). Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. She asks us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as she does. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the chances of her environment and her body.
This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of
faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo
transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and
anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – she asks us to
recognize the same.