...on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Hello. Today we are talking about the caterpillar experience.

The Butterfly- Oh the accolades it receives and indeed has earned. It is a beautiful testimony of faith and change within the beingness of who we truly are. There would be no butterflies without the caterpillar experience.

The caterpillar lives it's life earthbound, it has at least 3 sets of legs and 3 sets of claws, depending on the variety. Each caterpillar molts, or loses it's previous skin 5 times, each time called a star. The fifth star caterpillar is about 55 days old and is now ready to conquer Cocoon Building 101. Having 6 legs and 6 grasping pincher claws must keep the caterpillar feeling absolutely dependent on solid footing. As I watch the caterpillar move about, it's supple body seems to hug the surface on which it walks so closely. Often it seems to become one with the surface it is holding onto. Every morning it wakes up to it's new caterpillar day. It stretches it's six or more legs and yawns, searching with it's eyes for it's first meal of the day. It moves and learns and becomes, knowing only it's caterpillarness, and that is enough.

At the end of it's caterpillar life it goes to rest in a cocoon. It then becomes a chrysalis. Having faith that the elements and other life around it will secure it's safety, the caterpillar let's go into the process of metamorphosis and surrender's it's entire identity. It has been proven at Georgetown University that moths and butterflies retain memories created during their lifetime as a caterpillar or larvae(see link at end of post-quite interesting). I call it pre-morphic memory. The amazing aspect of this memory is the fact that during the chrysalis experience the caterpillar's ENTIRE
body turns to liquid, and slowly Imaginol cells (true name-google it!) convince the caterpillar soup to become something different. I find it amazing how the power of imaginol-ing is what drives this little creature to embrace it's true beauty. The imaginol cells differentiate into butterfly eyes, butterfly wings, butterfly legs, butterfly appetite, but the caterpillar memory reconstructs within the butterfly. I can only imagine the shock of emerging from this dark and safe space which I entered earthbound, and now find myself leaving able to reach heaven with wings. If we could capture the butterfly's ability to integrate it's new power, we as humans, could indeed bring Heaven to Earth.

On our spiritual path the allegory of the butterfly is often used in reference to our being born again, as in the Christian Spiritual movement. Perhaps we can also see it as a symbol of resurrection as well, if you will. Everyday WE start our spiritual caterpillar day, yawn, stretch our 6 legs and move into our beingness to grow, learn and become. Lo and behold, one day, the caterpillarness of who we are goes into it's cocoon for some well earned slumber. If we allow ourselves safety in this chrysalis phase of our growth, over a short period of time laden with FAITH, we will emerge as a no longer earthbound creation. We will have awakened with wings.

I had always believed that spiritual metamorphosis was my destination. Repeatedly I have witnessed myself giving birth to many butterflies. Finding on this soulful adventure that as I set one aspect of myself free to the gift of flight, a new caterpillar awakens, yawns and reveals itself within me. My soul's journey has become a series of caterpillars, as each aspect of myself yields itself to truly awakening. Metamorphosis is no longer my destination, but the continual journey I am on. Everyday there is something old becoming new again, and hence given permission to be beautiful, radiant and able to soar. Every facet of me that experiences it's chrysalis time resurrects anew. Resurrection is no longer one final act, but an explanation for an entire life filled with Hope, Faith and Radiance. This is the living art-form of Awakening With Wings.

May you have the courage to surrender everything you've been, so that you can become everything you TRULY ARE.......and that is quintessentially beautiful.

XOXOX,

Laurie

On scientificblogging.com search for Study: Butterfly Memory Can Recall Uglier Caterpillar Days