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Butterflies have
inspired humankind since antiquity,
not just for their decorative value
but also as spiritual beings, symbolic
of metamorphosis, rebirth, love, hope,
and freedom. This is the only book
that explores the butterfly's role
in myth, religion, literature, art,
and the decorative arts, and includes
magnificent pictures ranging from
ancient stone carvings to modern furniture,
Pompeian mosaics to Sevres porcelain.
Butterflies apparently have a great
deal to do with luck, both good and
bad. "In Louisiana it is thought
that good luck will follow shortly
after a white butterfly flies into
your house and flies around you."
However, the same action is an omen
of death in Maryland
The life cycle of butterflies and
moths has been used in many cultures
to represent many things. The hatching
from the egg is the equivalent of
human birth. The caterpillar represents
the stage of life; the lowly "worm"
waiting for a transformation, just
as we await our reward in an afterlife
Another metamorphosal symbol is inherent
to the chrysalis (pupa) or cocoon.
This is the "magical closet"
where the amazing transformation will
take place. It is the protective covering
which will provide refuge for the
changeling. The pupa or cocoon is
a natural symbol for protection
Metamorphosis of butterflies and
moths is one of the mysteries of Nature.
The ability of these insects to change
from the crawling caterpillar to the
flying adult is almost magical. Many
people are so awe inspired by the
metamorphosis that they believe that
butterflies and moths could never
have evolved over millions of years
without a God behind it.
The butterfly exists in four distinct
forms. Some consider that so do we:
The fertilized egg is planted in our
mother's womb. From our day of birth
we are like the caterpillar which
can only eat and creep along. At death
we are like the dormant pupa in its
chrysalis. After that, our consciousness
emerges from the cast off body, and
some see in this the emergence of
the butterfly. Therefore, the butterfly
is symbolic of rebirth after death.
For Christians, the butterfly's three
steps of metamorphosis -- as caterpillar,
pupa and then winged insect -- are
reminiscent of spiritual transformation.
The caterpillar's incessant crawling
and chewing reminds us of normal earthly
life where people are often wholly
preoccupied with physical needs. The
chrysalis (cocoon) resembles a tomb
and empty, can suggest the empty shroud
left behind by Jesus. Therefore, a
butterfly represents the resurrection
into a new condition of life that
is free of any material concerns.
In images of the Garden of Eden,
Adam's soul is symbolized by a butterfly,
or drawn with butterfly wings. In
paintings of Mary and her Child, the
presence of butterflies stands for
their care for human souls. The Gnostics
depicted the Angel of Death by showing
a winged foot stepping on a butterfly.
Since the insect is so fragile it
can be torn apart by a hard rain,
the butterfly stands for human frailty,
both moral and physical. Also, as
its life is not a long one, it is
also a symbol of the ephemeral nature
of physical existence. A butterfly
with a torn wing is the icon for a
North American charity that benefits
disabled children.
The butterfly is also a symbol of
woman's delicacy. It can serve as
a reminder to treat her with gentleness.
In Japan, a beautiful woman wearing
a kimono is often compared to a butterfly.
In Pre-Hispanic, Mexican Indian culture,
the butterfly is one of the symbolic
representatives of Tlaloc, god of
rain. The fantastic stone heads that
jut out from the bas-relief background
of the pyramid of Quetzacoatl are
carved in the same spirit (human form
to geometric forms) although on a
smaller scale. They represent symbolic
combinations, alternately of jaguars
and snakes, and of the stylized features
of the rain god and the butterfly,
which was considered one of his symbolic
representatives.
Butterflies symbolize witches and
fairies, but they also symbolize the
soul of witches. Both butterflies
and witches have the ability to change
their form; butterflies change in
the course of their development, witches
allegedly can change at will.
The Serbians look on the butterfly
as the soul of a witch and believe
if they can find her body and turn
it around while she is asleep, the
soul will not be able to find her
mouth and reenter, and the witch will
probably die. Probably, this concept
of the soul explains why many medieval
angels have butterfly wings rather
than those of a bird
Perhaps the most prominent association
of the butterfly with the soul is
with Psyche.
The myth of Psyche originated in the
Orient. A Myth said the Rhetors (mere
talkers) is "an untrue narrative
representing truth." This myth
is a good example of approaching "profound
realities of Nature by poetic intuition."
"Its secret sense shows through
thanks to the symbolism of the butterfly."
By her beauty, Psyche has aroused
the jealousy of Venus. She had seduced
Eros himself. Carried away by Zephyre
into a flowery valley, she lived there
in a dream Palace. Each night she
greeted there a lover that she was
not supposed to see.
On the false-hearted advice of her
sisters, giving in to curiosity, she
came once with a lamp, to see the
one who shared her bed. A drop of
oil fell on the god who took flight.
Thus began the terrible afflictions
from which the unfortunate one could
escape only thanks to the complicity
of Love. When she had surmounted them
her wedding was celebrated in Olympia
and she was admired at the banquet
of the gods.
Now in Greek, Psyche signifies at
the same time soul and butterfly.
The myth was interpreted by playing
on this double sense. It became the
story of the soul touched by divine
love, but which, by reason of the
mistakes made, must undergo some tribulations
before having access to happy immortality.
The night butterfly [the moth] attracted
by the flame, like the soul attracted
by heavenly truths, burns in the flame,
reflection of the trials that must
be endured to eliminate the fleshy
sink-stones before knowing the joys
of the beyond.
Mythology and symbolism aside, Butterflies
are beautiful. Butterflies are inspiring.
They can be quite magical, helping
us to connect with nature, as well
as with our spiritual selves.
Yet butterflies are disappearing
everywhere right before our very eyes.
When uncaring human activities get
out of hand, it is always the butterflies
that take the first and most profound
blow.
Studies have shown that when rainforests
are destroyed, or local temperatures
rise, or chemicals and pesticides
contaminate our environment, or natural
habitats are lost, it is almost always
the butterfly that suffers most. For
these reasons they serve as environmental
indicators, and stewardship of butterflies
becomes linked to such serious issues
as habitat destruction, pesticide
misuse, global warming, genetically
engineered foods, and deforestation.
When in the caterpillar stage, the
(eventual) butterfly will eat pests
that can threaten the livelihood of
your garden. As we have already pointed
out to you, Butterflies pollinate
wild plants and our crops, ensuring
the production of seeds and fruits
required for the continued survival
of plants and animals, including humans.
Because they are fragile, they can
indicate the health of our ecosystems
and butterflies are valuable sources
of food for songbirds.
So the benefits of attracting butterflies
to your garden abound. Perhaps it
will help you if you begin by understanding
the life cycle of the butterfly.
To
be continue ...
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