Ever since we released butterflies at Bernice's memorial I've been meaning to post a few tid-bits about butterfly symbolism (not that I'm an expert or anything). The things which our release may have been most representative of include Bernice's love of butterflies, and of our letting her go. There are many other things that butterflies can symbolize also. The life of a butterfly from caterpillar, to pupa, to winged creature can symbolize a metamorphosis of many different kinds (which is the take that Mark & I used referencing our relationship when releasing butterflies at our wedding). That process has also often symbolized a spiritual transformation, or a re-birth into a new life after a period in a cocoon (which is limiting, just like an aged body sometimes can also be). Now to pull just a couple of references from various cultures that I found:
In one of the Russian dialects, butterflies are referred to as "dushuchka" which is a derivative of the word "dusha" also meaning soul. Another reference that I found said that in Russian the word butterfly (бабочка) also means bow-tie. It is a diminutive of "baba" or "babka", whence also "babushka" which is, of course, "grandmother". I found that highly appropriate in our case.
The ancient Greeks considered butterflies as the souls of those who had passed away. In ancient Greek the word for butterfly is "Psyche" (ψυχή) which translated means "soul".
In Chinese culture two butterflies flying together are a symbol of love. That reminded me of the two butterflies that continued to circle us overhead for some time after the release. I thought that was beautiful.
There is a small town in Mexico that also associates butterflies with souls. Monarch butterflies migrate there every year, around the holiday known as the Day of the Dead. The people of this town see these butterflies as the returning souls of the deceased.
This is by no means a complete or representative sample of historical references to symbolism of butterflies cross-culturally. Rather, a few examples that I found interesting - and that I found to be appropriate references that were fun for me to ponder as I enjoyed remembering the visual images of the butterfly release at Grandma Cole's memorial. I hope you have enjoyed reading some of them too. Please feel free to add any thoughts of your own (or that you have read) on this topic here and Claudia can post them for all of us to enjoy.
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Ever since we released butterflies at Bernice's memorial I've been meaning to post a few tid-bits about butterfly symbolism (not that I'm an expert or anything). The things which our release may have been most representative of include Bernice's love of butterflies, and of our letting her go. There are many other things that butterflies can symbolize also. The life of a butterfly from caterpillar, to pupa, to winged creature can symbolize a metamorphosis of many different kinds (which is the take that Mark & I used referencing our relationship when releasing butterflies at our wedding). That process has also often symbolized a spiritual transformation, or a re-birth into a new life after a period in a cocoon (which is limiting, just like an aged body sometimes can also be). Now to pull just a couple of references from various cultures that I found:
This is by no means a complete or representative sample of historical references to symbolism of butterflies cross-culturally. Rather, a few examples that I found interesting - and that I found to be appropriate references that were fun for me to ponder as I enjoyed remembering the visual images of the butterfly release at Grandma Cole's memorial. I hope you have enjoyed reading some of them too. Please feel free to add any thoughts of your own (or that you have read) on this topic here and Claudia can post them for all of us to enjoy.
