Butterfly symbolism and spirit animal meaning

I love butterflies. They seem to dance between the physical world and something more. They are fleeting and ethereal. But the butterfly’s most powerful message for me has been of the inner blueprint.

The blueprint is just a term I use to describe the element within a caterpillar that catalyzes it to become a butterfly. It is like a map that directs the evolution and transformation that is destined to happen. And the crazy part is that for the entire life of the caterpillar, it is fighting to kill off that blueprint. It sees it as a foreign threat. Wild, isn’t it?

You may feel as if you are seeking your inner blueprint, and even wish it were so easy...that you had something inside of you like the caterpillar...that would catalyze your own transformation. Or you may really resonate with resisting the blueprint inside you...fighting against it because it seems to threaten your very life.

Butterfly symbolism: How to find and follow the blueprint within you

I believe we all have a blueprint of sorts within us. It is that thing that creates a yearning for meaning, a drive to find your truth, and an unrelenting yearning to discover your passion and follow your path.

And the blueprint can be found by simply paying attention. The indications are all around you. You will have to pay attention to the smallest things, but especially to your feelings. when something feels good, you are following the blueprint. When it feels bad, you are off the grid, out of alignment.

But be warned, you may, like the caterpillar, find yourself resisting the blueprint within you. This is because it probably goes against everything you have been taught, everything you have lived and chosen up until this point. It is so different that it seems impossible and outlandish. And for some time it may seem easier to ignore it. But not for long!

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Butterfly symbolism: Other meanings

Some cultures associate the butterfly with the soul. I love this! It feels like a perfect alignment with the blueprint analogy. The butterfly you are yearning to transform into is actually your truest self, your soul. If we take this a step further, you can imagine the cocoon being the things that happen to us in life, the roles we wrap around ourselves, the beliefs and thoughts we limit ourselves with. They then catalyze our transformation, because at a certain point, we cannot stay within those confining walls, we must break free of the limitations and roles in which we have placed ourselves. And when that happens, we emerge as our truest self.

How to stay true to your inner blueprint

Almost daily we are given opportunities to follow our blueprint. These are some of my favorite tools to help me tune in to those opportunities and get back on the grid, so to speak:

Being still and quiet: Walks in nature, meditation, watching the ocean, watching the sun rise and set
Creativity: Something as easy as a coloring book will do the trick. I love painting
Journaling: Do this in a free style without concern about punctuation. Just let if flow!

These are my ways of surrendering. I come clean. I admit that am not perfect. I surrender to the fact that I am not always clear, not always acting from the most grounded and connected space. I get shaky. I seek answers outside of me. So, I surrender.

Because what is the point of resisting? Look at the caterpillar...an entire life spent trying to eliminate the blueprint! Resistance really is futile. I talk about this in the video, because the butterfly is a beautiful example of this. We expend so much energy resisting where we are, how we feel, what we are experiencing. We spend so much time thinking about how good life is going to be when we get THERE, have THAT, worrying about what we just did or said, or what may or may not happen... Fighting against our blueprint, turning our attention out when the only way through is in.

What if you just surrender to where you are. Would you find peace? Would you find grace?

I think you might.

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Your turn

Watch the video for a few bonus insights about this painting, and then dive into your own self to discover what the deeper, truer meanings of the butterfly are for you.

Learn about Intentional Creativity

If you want to know more about intentional painting, I invite you to visit my youtube channel, and join the conversation on the private facebook group The Soul Path Network.

Another take on the blueprint

Dr. Wayne Dyer’s movie, “The Shift,” talks about the shift that happens in humans from the early part of our lives to the later part of our lives when our focus changes from achievement for the sake of achievement, to meaning, purpose, relationships, and giving back (hello blueprint!) Throughout our lives, through different experiences and roles and stories and expectations, we obscure the blueprint. We often ignore or deny what the blueprint it trying to tell us because our egos have other ideas of how our life is supposed to play out. But inevitably, just as the caterpillar is called to create the cocoon and transform into the butterfly...Our blueprint calls us to this next stage in our lives when the focus shifts to what matters most. You can watch the movie here.

Yours in Brave Creativity,

Larissa