Butterfly Medicine

  For a while now I have noticed that animals appear in my life in peculiar moments, and usually if it's a common animal it will be a large number of them that I see. In the past few days I have seen at least 50 (going off a guesstimate here) dainty white butterflies. Yesterday I saw so many in a 5 hour period while I was out and about that the symbolism of the butterfly was captivating my curiosity. I even found the beautiful butterfly shaped leaf (pictured above) on a trail yesterday! When I got home I began frantically searching for information about where the word butterfly comes from.
   The funny thing about butterflies is that no one seems to have any information on where the English word for butterfly is derived from. The Old English word for butterfly, butorfleoge, literally translates to butter (butor) fly (fleoge). Some theories about this attribute the name to the creamy yellow white color of the dainty little butterflies found in Europe. Another compelling idea relates the German word for butterfly, schmetterling, (derived from schmetten meaning cream) to folklore that described how witches turned into butterflies and stole milk or cream. Sadly I couldn't actually find any folklore tales to read that related to this idea, so if anyone out there has any stories please send them my way! 
  In many other languages, the word for butterfly has associations with the soul, and I would say the main symbol or word that is associated with butterfly magic is transformation. In regards to animal spirit guides or animal medicine, transformation is what the butterfly is showing you if you begin to see them a lot or have a peculiar moment in which you are in awe of their twittering beauty. On IN5B (http://in5d.com/the-esoteric-meaning-of-the-butterfly/) they say "The butterfly represents the process of transformation and shape shifting. When the butterfly shows up, make note of the most important issues confronting you at the moment. What state of change are you at in regard to them?" These lines resonate deeply with me and I feel that this is the message all of the little white butterflies I have seen in the past few days.
  The personal journey of learning about the light and dark within one's self can be harrowing. Once you have stepped foot on the journey to fully unleash your universal magic and unconditionally loving heart, life seems to be full of positive and negative challenges that each hold some mysterious message of personal symbolism for you to unravel. You begin as the butterfly does, a little pupa trying to decide how it will grow. Once decided and having advanced along your path, you are like the caterpillar, hungry because you are growing. So then you begin to read and watch videos and research and learn about the passions you discovered in yourself as a pupa choosing your path. At some point all of the information that you've gathered becomes overwhelming, and like the plump caterpillar filled with nutrients, you resort to time alone. Slipping sweetly into your cocoon, you take time to lie low, so that you may process the nutritious knowledge that you have accrued. Eventually the process of reflection and digestion are over, and though you may know you'll never stop learning, in someway or another that initial pupa decision to investigate results in a problem solved. Finally you have completed said lesson, and it is time to emerge from your chrysalis and be reborn as the dainty, twittering and transformed butterfly. 
  I think that many of us may have begun our own journeys a while back, and we are finding ourselves on the precipice of rebirth, ready to unleash our butterfly of knowledge gained. I know that these lovely butterflies I have been seeing are a sign to me to stop focusing on the hardships, stress and pressure that I am feeling. This pressure is merely a result of my now too-full chrysalis, and the only release will come from allowing myself to transcend the mirage of complications I feel are keeping me stuck. The time has come to allow myself to be reborn. 
 You may notice a similar part of your life is following the butterfly trajectory. What phase of your journey are you on? Are you a pupa or a chrysalis, or somewhere in between? I believe all of us feel these cycles of growth, transformation, and rebirth, we are all like flowers, constantly blooming, dying, and growing again.
  The planet of Saturn has recently moved into the house of Scorpio, something that will not occur again for 29 years. I will be writing a new post soon describing what exactly that transit may be influencing but for now I will leave you to ponder the butterfly and this: What factor in your own life has seemed to be on repeat for the past 3 years? Consider the butterfly and its journey of growth, and reflect on your own journey. What in you is ready to emerge and continue to spread the twinkling beauty of the knowledge gained to others?

Sending love and butterfly kisses,
C.Lucine