Butterflies taste flowers by walking on them.  They have taste receptacles on their feet. This reminds me of the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” Butterflies seem to be dancing on flowers, as they joyously flit from one to the other. They awaken a sense of joy, lightness, pleasure and beauty, reminding us to not take everything so seriously. They call upon us to invite playfulness. Butterflies are a compelling reminder that, while life is a powerful dance between the great forces of Shakti and Shiva, it is also sensual, pleasurable, joyful and playful.
 
Butterflies breathe through tiny pores called spiracles. Most insects breathe through such openings in the body. This can really teach us about deep cellular breathing to connect us to the world around us, allowing us to truly live an embodied life. As international breath work teacher, Dan Brule said in a workshop in Cape Town a few years ago “We are all breathing the same breath… called life”.  
 
Butterflies are associated with the process of transformation, metamorphosis and shape shifting. We know that change is inevitable in life.  Change ensures growth and maturation. Everything in life must go through stages of development. Butterflies begin as eggs. The fertilized eggs hatch into caterpillars which eventually spin cocoons around themselves, setting the stage for the chrysalis process. A mummy-like pupa forms inside the cocoon and dissolves into a liquid mush. This intense change can be equated to the alchemical stage of Solutio, - or in humans, the dark night of the Soul. In this a reorganization of the caterpillar’s cells occurs even though everything seems lifeless. Then from the cocoon the final expression of life emerges. Even as the butterfly appears we are reminded that everything has a purpose. In the process of struggling to leave its cocoon, the butterfly’s wings are strengthened. A butterfly would not be able to fly - and will die - if it were prematurely pulled from its cocoon. Give yourself time. Be patient. Even as the butterfly whispers of your hidden potentials, the old have to be shed before we can embrace the new.
 
Butterflies have long been associated with a deep and powerful representation of the soul and spiritual transformation. Their blue color is often thought to symbolize healing.
 
The inspiration from this post came from a hypnogogic moment between sleep and wakefulness, one night a few months ago during Covid19 lockdown. The amazingly clear image of a luminous blue butterfly appeared in my mind’s eye and I literally gasped in awe and admiration at its beauty. I have since identified it as a Morpho butterfly. ‘Morpho’ means change, modification, transformation… talk about hitting you over the head with the symbolism of TRANSFORMATION!
 
(from Wikipedia) “Morpho butterflies are colored in metallic, shimmering shades of blues and greens. These colors are not a result of pigmentation, but are an example of iridescence through structural coloration. Specifically, the microscopic scales covering the morpho's wings reflect incident light repeatedly at successive layers, leading to interference effects that depend on both wavelength and angle of incidence/observance.”
 
 “There’s an old saying that there is nothing in a caterpillar that knows it’s going to be a Butterfly. Nonetheless, the transformation from caterpillar to winged wonder happens quite naturally.” – Read more https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/insects/butterfly-symbolism-meaning/
 
Source:            Animal Speak, Ted Andrews, 1993, p.331-332, 39-340
Image Credit: https://webcomicms.net/
 
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Jung said that children inherit the ‘unlived lives’ of their parents. This includes the shadow aspects, both positive and negative, suppressed by the mother and/or father.  But what of often polarized sibling relationships  - the frustrating or alienating attitude of a same-sex sibling who has such an opposite way of being in the world that that it makes an authentic relationship almost impossible?  One partner in this shadow dance frequently recoils from the inevitable conflict, resulting in an estranged relationship.    
 
​Mythology is filled with examples of sister or brother pairs, one dark, the other light, who take diametrically opposed positions in society, representing the ego and shadow aspects needing reconciliation within an individual. Eve and Lilith, Psyche and Orual, Inanna and Ereshkigal are examples of sisters who hold different counterpoints to each other’s gifts - one living the upper world, the other in the underworld: one resonating with the world of matter, the other preoccupied with spirit and mind. “Forever separate, forever bound, in life these pairs are often torn apart by intense envy, jealousy, competition, and misunderstanding” (1).
 
Romulus and Remus, Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, Parzival and Feirefiz, represent the motif of the two ‘hostile brothers’ (2), where one may  ultimately murder the other.  However, if we are willing to value and integrate a trait from our hidden and denied (internal) shadow sister/brother – the thing we do not want to be - rather than trying to kill it off, we expand our sense of self and develop previously neglected skills – whether  boldness or quietness, gentleness or aggression, passivity or leadership.
 
In fairytales the stepsister represents the opposite and shadow aspects of the heroine , such as the hardworking Cinderella (who marries the Prince) and her lazy stepsisters.  In the fairytale ‘Mother Holle’ the diligent sister is rewarded with gold, while the lazy sister is covered in black pitch. People may long for illumination, but who dares to admit their own laziness when it comes to doing the hard work of exploring the Unconscious?
 
Sources:
1. Abrams, J., & In Zweig, C. (1991). Meeting the shadow: The hidden power of the dark side of human nature. Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, p. 63 -72
2. CW 11, paras. 132-3
3. https://www.wisecronecottage.com/2016/08/the-story-of-frau-holle-further-analysis
 
Image credit:
Cain slaying Abel by Unknown c. 1900
 
A post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica
 
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“Man has to realize that he possesses a Shadow which is the dark side of his own personality… if only for the reason that he is so often overwhelmed by it.” (1) Shadow refers to aspects of our personality relegated to the darkness of the unconscious and which Jung saw as a doorway to the Self. The journey of individuation involves integrating the Shadow - where some of our gold is buried - in order to attain wholeness (not perfection).
 
All human nature includes, in potential form, the ‘virtuous’ qualities of love, empathy, kindness, generosity, compassion, altruism, courage, patience and creativity. It also contains a capacity for ‘negative’ tendencies such as selfishness, pettiness, greed, envy, cowardice, cruelty, violence, destructiveness, and ‘immoral’ impulses (1).

The socialization process teaches us to aspire to goodness - rejecting and disowning unacceptable feelings and behaviors – which, when expressed have brought shame, rejection or punishment. These psychic elements don’t disappear, but become unconscious.  They, together with undeveloped primitive potentials that have never been conscious, form the Shadow.  An extreme example of our split nature is portrayed in the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where the persona (conscious personality) and Shadow battle for supremacy within the mind.
 
The Shadow contains not only destructive aspects, but also life promoting characteristics and powerful capabilities which can unlock our unique potential.  In adapting to our surrounding world, our healthy assertiveness, ambition, exuberance, sexuality or creativity may have been condemned by those around us due to their own Shadow aspects of envy, fear, or ignorance. Our need for belonging may have caused us to repress talents, innate abilities, and impulses which if cultivated would have established a more grounded resilience and a sense of comfort in our own skins, leading to healthier functioning and a more effective approach to life. “The Shadow, when it is realized, is the source of renewal…” (2) “The acceptance of the Shadow involves a growth in depth into the ground of one’s own being… a new depth and rootedness and stability is born.” (1)
 
When you harbor the illusion that the less desirable aspects of human nature do not exist within you, you limit your consciousness and access to your inner depths. We hide our negative qualities, not only from others but from ourselves. Denial and repression of Shadow aspects doesn’t rid you of unwanted qualities. They fester until they erupt unexpectedly and you ‘behave badly’.  Alternatively, you project these ‘inferior’ or ‘immoral’ qualities– seeing them in others – and scapegoat them for the dark side that is a potential in us all.
 
Sources:
(1)  Erich Neumann (1949) Depth Psychology and a New Ethic
(2) Connie Zweig & Jeremiah Abrams (1991) Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature
(3) https://academyofideas.com/2015/12/carl-jung-and-the-shadow-the-hidden-power-of-our-dark-side/
Image credit: Tony Klemm – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
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A social media post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica
  
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Recently while walking in the forest, I was delighted to come across a Praying Mantis resting on a boulder in the middle of the stream. I can’t remember seeing one in the forest before. One is more likely to encounter eagles, owls, snakes, field mice, spiders and other bugs. Periodically a Praying Mantis pays a visit to my herb garden which I deem a great honor.  We always have to take care when picking herbs.
 
I believe a Praying Mantis to be a sacred being and I feel awe in their presence. Their front legs are characteristically held in a prayer-like posture, which is regarded as a sign of reverence, veneration and respect. It is also a form of greeting "Namaste", which means "I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me."
 
The IXam, the First People of my country, South Africa, believed Mantis (whom they called ǀKágge̥n) to be the first being and creator of the world. He was a shape-shifting trickster god (similar to Coyote and Raven from the stories of the first nations of America) who stole fire from the ostrich for humans. He was curious and watchful, observing and pondering everything he saw in silent contemplation.
 
A Praying Mantis embodies stillness in its slow, graceful and mindful movements, never hurrying. However, it is a deadly predator and great hunter in the insect world, waiting patiently and motionless, blending with its surroundings, suddenly grasping its prey at the most opportune time. A Praying Mantis demonstrates the great power in stillness and silence. “It teaches us to still the outer, so that when it is time to act (in any form) it is done with surety, accuracy and great power” (1).
 
The word “mantis”, derived from Greek, means “prophet”.   Encountering a Praying Mantis may indicate that Spirit is speaking to you in a significant way and you may need to go within to find the prophecy from your Higher Self. Meditate on what is important to you. Listen to your intuition. Be mindful that your choices are in alignment with your inner self. Reduce the external clutter and unnecessary activity in your life. . When a Praying Mantis enters your life through a dream or a sighting, what you may need is peace, quiet and calm.
 
Sources:
(1) Ted Andrews. Animal Speak (1993), p. 349
https://www.spirit-animals.com/praying-mantis-symbolism/
https://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-mantis.html
 
Image credit:
(1) Praying Mantis http://bfuword.blogspot.com/
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