Emerging

I have long associated the personal growth of my life with the symbol of the butterfly.  My fascination with butterflies, beginning in my childhood, runs deep and now that the secret of my fascination is out, my collection of butterfly trinkets and home decor is vast (and continually growing).  I suppose the secret spilled when I had a pair of butterflies tattooed on my right hand.  Since that moment in time, students and friends have gifted me with a variety of butterfly beauty to adorn the Reiki room, my car, and my home. 

Of course, the fascination with butterflies goes beyond an appreciation of their beauty and grace.  What draws me in is the generally accepted symbol of the butterfly as a being of incredible transformation.  

Consider the early days of the butterfly life cycle, as the newly hatched caterpillar crawls slowly along a plant, eating and eating in preparation for the next stages of the cycle.  The caterpillar itself does not generally garnish much enthusiasm from onlookers as it slogs along, growing plumper with every day that passes.  To be fair, this stage of the life cycle isn't as glamorous as the final stage of transformation, yet it sets the groundwork for the time ahead.  Without the methodical eating and growing (taking in nutrition), the caterpillar will not be able to move ahead toward the butterfly stage.  

As is dictated by nature, the caterpillar one day stops the crawling and spins a chrysalis, wherein it hangs in the balance as the deep internal changes to its very being occur.  The chrysalis stage is fascinating to behold. It may seem as if all time stands still and nothing at all is happening within the quiet shell.  Yet, there is so much change occurring all at once, there is scarcely time to track it all in the short period the chrysalis hangs silently under leaf or branch.  Following, of course, is the emergence of a creature of wondrous color, new ability, intelligence, and grace. The butterfly appears to be altogether a wholly other creature than the one who crawled along leaves just days before.  A creature of transformation with the ability to fly!

Symbolically, this transformation is available to us as human beings.  If you carefully examine your life’s patterns, you may readily identify the caterpillar stage or stages of your past.  Those times of head-down crawling, without understanding the opportunities for growth that may lie ahead for you.  It is not easy to be a caterpillar.  You may feel bogged-down, uninspired, or an emotional and mental heaviness.  You may have asked (or be asking) yourself  ‘what is the point?’ as you struggle with identity and perhaps, feel that happiness and contentment is just out of reach. 

Here is where the transformative power of Reiki energy can benefit your life today and in the future.  As humans, we do not have the capacity to spin a chrysalis and await triumphant change. We must access the tools and occasions available to support ourselves in altering our course and moving from the crawling phase toward the ability to fly (figuratively, of course!). 

Reiki has many, varied benefits in this process of change for you.   A Reiki treatment session promotes deep relaxation, offering you a chance to pause, reflect, and assess where you are now and where you would like to be (physically, mentally, emotionally).  Reiki increases your supply of life force energy and helps you heal from any mild discomfort or complex health issues.  Reiki will reduce your stress and bring your energetic body, your ki, into equilibrium, effectively moving you toward your unique physical, mental, and spiritual balance.  I often tell clients that the session may be a simple relaxation hour for them and, if they so desire, will also be a metaphysical experience that grants insight and inspiration for their personal transformation. 

Reiki offers you the opportunity to grow, to change, and to emerge as a new being, altogether different than the person you may have been in the past. 

Honestly, if you could be a butterfly instead of a caterpillar, wouldn’t you?   

Love, light, and graceful emergence, 
Jenn