“How does one become butterfly?' Pooh asked pensively.
‘You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar,' Piglet replied.
‘You mean to die?' asked Pooh.
‘Yes and no,' he answered. ‘What looks like you will die, but what's really you will live on.” A. A. Milne
I know these are difficult times. If you have been paying attention, all the upheaval and even the natural disasters have been predicted by prophets, astrologers, and wise beings for quite some time now. The ancient Sanskrit teachings understood that all civilizations goes through cycles of creation and destruction. Native traditions have similar stories to describe cycles of humanity as well.
In the Hindu tradition it's understood that time is not linear, but circular, and called the circle of ages yugas. Like the four seasons in our year, there are four yugas. Each cycle has distinct themes and spiritual lessons for humanity, and we are at this time cycling through the end of the Kali Yuga. The term Kali Yuga is associated with the demon Kali, not to be confused with the goddess Kali, and is a time associated with strife and discord.
Hindus believe that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga, which is referred to as a Dark Age because during this time, the people are as far away as possible from God.
Here are some other aspects of Kali Yuga times, taken from Wikipedia:
Rulers will become unreasonable: they will levy taxes unfairly.
- Rulers will no longer see it as their duty to promote spirituality, or to protect their subjects: they will become a danger to the world.
- Avarice and wrath will be common. Humans will openly display animosity towards each other.
- People will take vows and break them soon after.
- People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs.
The good news is that the Kali Yuga is followed by the Satya Yuga, satya meaning truth or truthfulness. When truth and justice reign, the world lives in peace and harmony, and every culture down through history speaks of a time when there existed a golden age
Lord Krishna foretold that Kali Yuga will be full of extreme hardships for people with ideals and values. I agree with Lord Krishna, and I believe that it is those very people, with ideals and values, who can make all the difference during these dark times. I believe that difference begins with personal transformation.
The work of ethnobiologist, Elizabeth Sathouris provides an exquisite example of the process of transformation that is being asked of us on a personal and global level today. Sathouris spent years studying the transformational process of caterpillar into butterfly, uncovering what she named imaginal cells.
Because the imaginal cells contain the DNA of the butterfly, which is slightly different than that of the caterpillar, the immune system of the latter views them as foreign objects and attempts to destroy them, the same way it would a virus or bacterium. In a similar way, humanity has done the same to our prophets, lightworkers, and truth-speakers.
There comes a time however, in the life of every caterpillar, when they heed some innate call to begin a feeding frenzy, in which they devour everything in sight. In the case of the caterpillar, the hyper-eating phase triggers a hyper-production of imaginal cells, which begin popping everywhere, and they start gravitating toward each other, coalescing into imaginal clusters.
Once the imaginal cells join together, the immune system of the caterpillar can no longer destroy them, no matter what it does. It tries and tries and fails, and finally dissolves into a nutrient soup, a blob of goop, which is what the imaginal cells feed on as they transform into the butterfly.
In many ways, that is where humanity is now. Systems are imploding all around us, disintegrating in front of our eyes. What we thought we could put our faith in has failed us. it is time to activate the innate design within each of us and within the collective—to awaken to our full potential, refusing to live mediocre lives of frustration, or to hide our light under a bushel.
No more excuses.
We must find one another, and as we join in a deeper communion with one another, we can no longer be destroyed.
Within each of us, when we really begin to transform, there are parts of the old personality or ego which will attempt to destroy what is being formed. We will get ideas or impulses or messages from our soul, and then override them with fear- based thinking that calls us crazy, or unrealistic. Others who are afraid or jealous of your new-found self will attempt to knock you off track with their “helpful advice.”
You get where I am going with this now. Let’s face it, you have been a “blob of goop” like me a few times in your life. And whether you went through what was happening kicking and screaming, or intentionally and with grace and ease, change happened.
Yes, it all begins there, with you. It has to do with vows you have taken to fulfill a certain destiny in this life. And there has never been a better time to dig deep and do just that
Beautifully said, and so very helpful. thank you, Kathleen!!