Transformation, a legend

Ah, the wonder

of

Butterflies

and the lessons that they teach us.

Transformation

This day has already gifted me with a most beautiful butterfly... she has danced and danced, performing for me for the longest time... reminding me of  transformation with each graceful dip and swoop across the plants and then high up to the trees; and back for me to admire. I love butterflies ...

That reminds me of a story~ and I HOPE it will fill your heart today ~

Many, many years ago back when the Earth was still quite new, there once lived a beautiful butterfly who lost her mate in battle.

 To show her grief, she took off her beautiful wings and wrapped herself in a ashen cocoon. In her sadness, she could not sleep, she could not eat and her relatives kept coming to her lodge to see if she about her.  She grew weary of them asking, she didn't want to be a burden on her people so she gathered her wings and her medicine bundle and went away on a long journey.

She wandered about for many days and months, until  she had gone all around the world.  On her journey she kept her eyes downcast and stepped on each stone she came to as she crossed fields and creeks and streams. There came a time, one day as she was looking down, she happened to notice the stone beneath her feet, and it was so beautiful that it healed her sorrow, almost as if something "clicked" within her right at that moment in time.
 She then cast aside her dark cocoon, shook the dust from her wings, and donned them once more.

 She was so happy she began to dance to give thanks ~ wado~ for another chance to begin her life anew. Then she went home and told The People about her long journey, where she had been, the things at the creek, how it had "clicked" and how it felt to fly differently now with her wings once again, and how it had healed her. 

The Legend Continues To This Day...

To this day,The People dance the "Fancy Shawl Dance" as an expression of renewal, transformation and to give thanks for new seasons, new life, and new beginnings.


The shawl in the Fancy Shawl Dance represents the butterfly's wings, the fancy steps and twirls represent the butterfly's style of flight. This is another reason you will sometimes hear the Fancy Shawl Competition Dance referred to as "the butterfly dance", and it is most beautiful to watch and to participate in.


As we approach the dog days of August, many feel the urge to cocoon now, to stay inside where they can control the temperatures, to shield themselves from the beauty that is outdoors and those dancing beauties of nature around us... Some may want to escape the heat, the moments that soon will turn to cold, snow and the dark months when being outside is hard to do an would prefer the heat once again, but "click" in a moment, you may want to fold your blanket neatly (cocoon of modern times) and STOMP... be a butterfly and dance, to the sounds of life, that magnificent sun and her heat, the drum of your heart beat and rejoice in the great gratitude that you are alive today... 

"The caterpillar dies so the butterfly could be born. And, yet, the caterpillar lives in the butterfly and they are but one. So, when I die, it will be that I have been transformed from the caterpillar of earth to the butterfly of the universe."
{John Harricharan}





The fire is burning brightly with thoughts on the wind for all in our prayer bowl ... special prayers going up for EE in CO, for a Mom here in FL who is grieving the loss of a son for those who have asked, prayers are going UP ... and for all of you I thank you for all that you are.

May you hold gently to knowing that life is filled with transformation and beauty... 

For that I give thanks, and so it is !


Walk In Beauty,
DRSES

*Down the Hallway*, is soon to be published, stay tuned!