Dream of the Monarch

The Monarch’s miraculous life cycle begins as a tiny white egg laid by its mother on the underside of a milkweed leaf. Milkweed, being the only plant this well-known butterfly lays eggs on, sustains the Monarch’s entire larval life cycle from the first instar, or growth cycle, to the fifth and final stage of the caterpillar.

During the last stages of life as a caterpillar, a voracious appetite ensues, where consumption of up to five times its weight in milkweed is not uncommon. Just at the point where life becomes unsustainable for the caterpillar, it begins to slow down, and soon stops eating. Stillness overcomes the caterpillar as something very special begins entering its consciousness.

Cells, called imaginal cells, encoded with future information of what will become a butterfly, begin to find one another. Eventually, enough imaginal cells connect, forming into small groupings. Though still a minority, these special cell groups start activating the other cells and begin a stage of purification and transformation. During this event the caterpillar attaches itself to the bottom of a milkweed leaf, forming the yogic “J” shape in preparation for what will become the nutritive soup of the chrysalis.

Within minutes, the first miracle of the Monarch takes place. Convulsions begin erupting under the black, white and yellow striped skin of the caterpillar. Suddenly, a spilt occurs behind its eyes and what was once a caterpillar begins unzipping itself from head to toe, revealing the jade green chrysalis that will be home to the Monarch for up to 15 days.

Inside the protected chrysalis more imaginal cells bond, creating an inner roadmap for what will become the future butterfly. Much work is done in the chrysalis, purify and transforming all its cells which begin reorganizing into a different Being.

Just before the butterfly emerges, the chrysalis turns dark, almost black. At this stage one might think the butterfly has died, and yet something has died, the caterpillar.

Usually around dawn, the second miracle of the Monarch takes place as a tiny crack forms in the clear shell of the chrysalis which now reveals a folded butterfly inside. As the crack widens, the new butterfly suddenly slips out catching itself on the erupted chrysalis. This is the most volatile stage of the butterfly, as it hangs upside down pumping life sustaining protoplasm into its shriveled wings.

Hanging for half a day, wings stretching and drying, the butterfly contemplates a new life, preparing to take flight. If this Monarch emerges in late September, it will be considering the 3,000 mile journey ahead where home is in the transvolcanic mountains of central Mexico.

The life cycle of the Monarch butterfly is a key parable for the evolution of mankind. We learn from the Monarch that it is entirely possible to go from the hungry caterpillar, eating up all its resources, then realizing a deeper purpose, to become a butterfly, which inspires an entirely new Being to form.

It is time now to realize our highest potential as human beings, continuing our evolution, taking us through the transformational process we are being called to do. Let your own imaginal cells begin finding one another. Let our partners in evolution, the Monarch, teach us how to transform our Being and become our greatest potential. Let the dream of the Monarch be a living reality for all mankind, birthing a new humanity, signifying the emergence of the return of the butterflies.