Metamorphosis: Lessons from a Butterfly

METAMORPHOSIS

In a world filled with sweet scents and blue sky,

lives the gentle, uplifting butterfly,

whose metamorphosis has this truth to teach:

Our aspirations are within our reach.

For this fluttering flyer of soaring worth

was at one time a creature that crawled the earth.

When she climbed a plant and learned of the sky,

She looked down at the earth and wondered why

her destiny was to live on the land.

Something inside her did not understand.

'The sky is my home', every part of her felt

‘How could crawling be the lot I’ve been dealt?’

Keeping those thoughts safe, where they could be found,

She slowly descended back to the ground.

When she found the right plant on which to rest,

She brilliantly wove a cocoon for her nest.

Inside the chrysalis, she went to sleep

tucked in with those thoughts that she wanted to keep...

...One sunny day, the cocoon came unsealed.

Magically, a butterfly was revealed.

Seeing this miracle with my own eyes;

of caterpillars becoming butterflies,

brings real hope of the possibility

of the total transformation of me!

Like the caterpillar that crawls the Earth,

We are destined for a divine rebirth.

~Vegan Poet 

(http://www.veganpoet.com/humanity/metamorphosis.htm)

Currently I find myself in challenging circumstances with the potential to forever transform the way I live in the world. I've been praying for this "invitation" for years; the problem is that when I prayed for the expansion of my work, my living circumstances, and partnership, I saw it happening in this rather magical, peaceful, way, like a Disney film. Well, that's not how big change usually manifests and, like so many other people on the planet, I wasn't ready for the circumstances that are necessary to manifest this big shift!

Recently a good friend reminded me to surrender to the circumstances I found myself experiencing. In Africa I remember the teaching of surrendering to the unknown while taking responsibility for what I was going through. Perseverance, patience, persistence. That was my lesson. So how do we take responsibility while practicing patience, persistence, and perseverance and surrendering to a higher purpose? Wow! That's a lot to consider, isn't it??

I can't say that I have a definitive answer but I can share what I'm learning. Letting go and detaching from previous expectations is an ongoing process. If we say that we believe that we are not alone, that we are loved by the Divine Presence in our lives, then it means that we are loved unconditionally and will not be left without guidance or resources. However we are human and live with emotions and physical constraints in the world. Some days it's just not possible to navigate our way through the day with grace! 

My clients and students teach me how to regain faith and release fear on a daily basis. I have heard incredible stories of overcoming devastating circumstances through intention to live a healthy, abundant life. They are willing to do the work it takes to heal, to move through illness, trauma, loss and find wholeness and hope through faith in the presence of God in the world. Considering the challenges that these people face, I am humbled by my current challenges and inspired to focus my intentions on the blessings and gifts in my life, not the limitations.

May each of be willing to be a part of the bigger picture, to be an active participant in transforming the planet. May we each take responsibility for our life and look for the beauty around us in the everyday blessings in Nature. May we be reminded that we are interconnected and interdependent and that together we create the whole. Together we transform the way we live on this beautiful blue planet, Mother Earth. With each death experience in our life we have the opportunity for rebirth. When we pray for big changes and focus on manifesting a new way of living in the world, the circumstances around us change so that our prayers can be manifested. 

May we have the faith necessary to learn from the metamorphosis of the butterfly and  have the courage to move through the transformative process with dignity and hope.