Butterfly Woman

The butterfly is a symbol of  change, growth and transformation and it appears in several countries stories and myths.  The butterflies short life seems to encompass what our journey on earth will entail as nothing is ever static. We will experience  heartache, disappointments, betrayal, failures, loss, isolation, things that can put us in a cocoon situation, but this little creature teaches us about change, growth and transformation. One such tale I love is the story of Butterfly Woman who is a Hopi Native American Springtime goddess who helps you to come out of any cocoon situation you are in, giving you the strength to spread your wings and fly. She inspired healing, workshops and jewelry and represents the emerging and metamorphosis that happens when you experience some kind of upset or trauma and the possibility of being in the present, looking at another cultures understanding of a myth as told to generations at a different time and place and seeing how it can provide you with a sense of comfort. Hope some of the stories below can help to sooth what ever it is you are going through presently.

Stories, Myths and Ancient Folklore about Butterflies ~
Many of the ancient civilizations believed that butterflies were symbols of the human soul.
The Greeks believed that a new human soul was born each time an adult butterfly emerged from its cocoon.
Aristotle gave the butterfly the name psyche, the Greek word for soul.

Butterflies have been used by the Chinese and Japanese cultures for centuries as symbols of joy and the essence of happiness.
Both cultures have added them to manuscripts, paintings and drawings for centuries.
Early Europeans believed that the human soul took the form of a butterfly so, they viewed the butterfly with great respect and often with fear.
Northern Europeans thought that dreams were the result of the soul-butterfly's wanderings through other worlds.
In southern Germany, some say the dead are reborn as children who fly about as butterflies, resulting in the belief that they bring children.

The Irish believe that butterflies are the very soul of a human being. And they believe white butterflies hold the souls of departed children.
A small town in Mexico also sees the butterflies as souls, and it is that town that the monarch butterflies migrate every year on and around the holiday of the Day of the Dead.  They are seen as the returned souls of the deceased.
In Roman culture they were placed on coins as a symbol of the soul.
Native American Indian legends told that butterflies would carry the wishes to the Great Spirit in heaven to be granted.
Shoshone Indians believed that butterflies were originally pebbles, into which the Great Spirit blew the precious breath of life.

Native American Zuni tribes believed that butterflies could predict the weather. The Zuni also believed that the white butterfly predicts the beginning of summer.
The Blackfeet Indians believe that dreams are brought to us in sleep by a  butterfly.
The butterfly is a symbol of the fertility of the earth among some tribes of Mexico.
Born out of the caterpillar in the chrysalis, butterflies were a symbol of rebirth, regeneration, happiness, and joy to Native Americans in Mexico.

The Maya looked upon butterflies also as the spirits of dead warriors in disguise descending to earth.
A dying man in the Solomon Islands has a choice as to what he will become at death and often chooses a butterfly.

Among the Nagas of Assam the dead are believed to go through a series of transformations in the underworld and are finally reborn as butterflies.
When the butterfly dies, that is the end of the soul forever.
The Aztecs believed that the happy died in the form of beautiful butterflies and would visit their relatives to assure them that all was well.
These butterflies flew around the house and around bouquets of flowers which were carried by Aztec men of social rank.

Metamorphosis of butterflies and moths is one of the mysteries of Nature.  For Christians, the butterfly's three steps of metamorphosis as caterpillar, pupa and then winged insect are reminiscent of spiritual transformation.  The caterpillar represents our earthy selves, the chrysalis represents our tomb and the free flying butterfly represents our spirit reborn.

 

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Sleeping in the Dark: Protection Bracelets

Its raining in Florida, flood watches yesterday and there were tornados in North Florida.  But I am up early could not sleep had images of the Pied Piper.  The character who was able to rid the German town of Hamlin of its rat problem, he did this by playing a tune on his flute which entranced the rats who followed him into the river and drowned.  The mayor and towns people did not follow their financial agreement and did not pay him, so later he came back dressed as a hunter and played a different tune which only the children could hear.  The children including the mayors grown daughter followed the Pied Piper never to be seen again.  I mention this story because I look a little closer and tend to observe more of late.  After volunteering with two separate groups of inner city kids, whose topics are current happenings in the Kingston newspaper: police brutality, neighborhood dons, murder, violence, child abuse etc. I did some beading with them when the art supplies and art room was locked, both boys and girls were so concentrated as they beaded and strung up their own piece of jewelry, unbeknownst to them they were making a protection necklace a string of prayer beads.  Many witness violence daily they are all so young in the six grade about to go into high school, yet full of curiosity and tenderness, I wanted to somehow protect all of them when they venture out into the neighborhood, away from the school.
Later today I am hopeful there will be a great turn out inspite of the weather here.  The blessing and protection of a most beautiful space, the intention setting of several people many of whom are yogis, lovers of life.  Looking forward to a great afternoon of community, meditation, intention setting and holding sacred space, power, blessing and protection for all.
The photo above is a thank you note from the mother of a four year old who had trouble sleeping in the dark and who is now able to sleep in the dark because he wears his blessing bead bracelet which protects him.