A Butterfly spreading its silvery wings full of magical colors fluttering and dancing on the sweet scented flowers is an unforgettable sight. It etched a deep image in my mind remembering which frequently brings joy. Why am I so enticed by a Butterfly? And why my heart wants to hold on to this beautiful image and the feeling of blissful joy it brings? Deep in introspection the answers flashed, the Butterfly brings a message of Universal truth.

Butterfly goes through metamorphosis which, in simple and mundane terms means change. Yes change, life changes but does the core change? No, we keep living in the same set ways of our lives day in and out. Metamorphosis is the change of the core…from the egg to caterpillar to pupa to a butterfly. No state is similar to the previous one, no behavior is similar to the previous one. This is change in the true sense!

Change is the feeling of freshness and newness every day which spreads all around. Nature is ever evolving, changing and constantly reforming. Change happens from within and wakes one up for a journey towards self-realization and evolution. This realization ends the stagnation. Just like stagnant water becomes unusable…life can revolve in circles with patterns repeating over and over again leaving a feeling of numbness or stagnation. Till one realizes that only metamorphosis can break through this vicious cycle.

Change is like a seed which needs a conducive environment to sprout. Change can only happen when one feels an unflinching desire for true growth, when one goes into deep introspection about the purpose of life, of human birth and this journey. Nature is constantly changing and evolving and often man gets cornered by nature to change. However, this change may happen unknowingly due to circumstances or age. True change is when one prepares for it starting at the subtlest level by first deprograming the ingrained and conditioned ways of thinking behaving and reacting. Change brings joy and freshness in thinking and perceiving.

Change also brings about challenges! Challenges of transforming from an egg to a caterpillar, where the unknowns are high and can generate doubt or fear. One needs to have the inner strength to remain in surrender to the Divine Will with patience and take the leap of faith as change cannot happen without Divine Grace. Changing simultaneously at the three levels of thoughts words and deeds is true transformation and metamorphosis.Often one goes through life acquiring knowledge and thinking one is growing or changing but this is not real change. Only when the acquired knowledge is lived turning it into wisdom does true growth occur leading to change. Introspection of set and conditioned ways of life is a big part towards transformation. One needs to first patiently observe one’s behavior and control the ego by being open to criticism. Only with observation can one come to the understanding of one’s shortcomings. Shri Krishn by imparting Geeta removed Arjun’s conditioning of set ways of life. Arjun who was an evolved soul also needed the Grace of Shri Krishn to take him to the next level of change and transformation.

Life gives all an opportunity at each living moment to have a productive and a blissful journey. But the set ways and limited vision keeps one tied to a routine within the comfort zone. The irony is that one desires routine or familiar input with the expectations for a different result. How ignorant the mind becomes, like the ostrich burring its head in the sand. Merely wishing away problems or praying for a miracle does not help. Or talking and discussing change does not bring about change. One has to bear the pain and agony of coming out of one’s conditioned state into a changed state, just like the butterfly bears the bruising and the pain of metamorphosis from an ugly chrysalis to a beautiful butterfly. Nature the biggest guru has been and will keep preaching in numerous ways. We have to be open and receptive enough to understand the messages and imbibe the values for being true to our human birth.

-Learnings from Pranam and Meena OM ji

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