If you have been reading my blog lately, you have noticed my new habit. First, walk around in spaciousness waiting for creatures to emerge. Next, try to interact with whoever shows up. Find appropriate photo and symbology. Conclude with the pairing of spirit animal and ” random poetry.” Random poetry is my process of going within and then placing my thumb in the page of a poetry book. I am really loving this new habit because the frequency and variety of creatures is really encouraging. It is so exciting to see what happens. I also enjoy the relationship of the nature walk with the poem. I liken it to dinner theater for the soul.
So Saturday I took the same route, moving slower because of the high heat and humidity. I take the attitude that every walk is a blessing, with or without a new creature. This last walk was such a treat! Butterflies are quite abundant in my neck of the woods. I love butterflies and am sad to confess that I captured a few as a child and was genuinely surprised whan they did not survive their captivity. I usually will spot a butterfly and hope it will come towards me or at least stay on a flower long enough to photograph. I have yet to take a photo. Perhaps this inability to get a butterfly shot is associated with my regrettable past as a butterfly thief. Anyway, Saturday was a whole new experience. I saw a gorgeous yellow and black butterfly with light blue markings on the bottom of the wings. It was larger than its peers and was in no hurry to move. It stayed in close proximity for a good 7 or 8 minutes and went from flower to flower as I watched. It looked like a Monarch with a lighter yellow color. I was without a camera so I stood there observing its markings for future reference. The bees were abundant but I wasn’t afraid. I was so pleased that the bees were ignoring me and I felt safe. In fact I felt better than safe. I felt at one with my surroundings. I was astounded that the butterfly was communing with me. Time froze as I aligned with the butterfly. Everything was in harmony.
I discovered that my friend is an Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. She is female as evidenced by the blue markings. When I identified the species as tiger swallowtail, I remembered my recent tiger and lion visions during meditation. I also thought about all the times I would notice a flight of swallows each morning on my way to work. Birds in flight bring me such peace.
When I researched the butterfly’s symbolic relevance, I came across this lovely WordPress post. According to Taniamarieartist,
Swallowtails are different in a number of anatomical traits from all other butterflies, most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Not only are they diverse, visionary, and adventurers, but they are highly unique beings with an extra bit of brain power!
The post later describes this beautiful tattoo of a shape-shifting shaman:
Depicted is a Native American Indian shaman/medicine woman shape-shifting collectively as all of what she embodies and portrays, but remaining individually unique simultaneously. I created her to look somewhat lion-like in facial featuring, as well as brought in some of the deer power animal essence through her facial energy, which had been another aspect of this client’s guides. She wears feathers, perhaps of the eagle or owl in her hair (again more of her guides), entwined twigs and leaves of Mother Earth, and her caped shawl with lion main emerging reminds me almost of the furry bear garments of the Native American Indians (bear and lion both also guides). But the stand-out was the lion and he emerges from her heart and throat chakras –his main and her hair and shawl all merging and integrating, his face doubling as the curvature of her neck and breast, and as the support system of the shoulder area and upper body standing in strength.
At the solar plexus a lotus essence almost like ethereal fire, emerges atop the butterfly with energy integrating into the lion’s mane, her hair and shawl. The swallowtail at the lower 2 chakra areas being released and freeing its creative abundance and joyful breadth of life-giving. Her hands are embracing of letting go within the power of knowing all is within to work alchemy as the magician, shaman and medicine woman that she is. I see the depictions of all the elements here of earth, fire, air, water and spirit in symbolism.
Please check out this fascinating post for more detail. I was amazed to see some connection between her design and my recent meditative visions.
http://taniamarieartist.wordpress.com/tag/swallowtail-butterfly-symbolism/
And now for some random poetry by Mirabai :
A GREAT YOGI
In my travels I spent time with a great yogi.
Once he said to me,
” Become so still you hear the blood flowing
through your veins.”
One night as I sat in quiet,
I seemed on the verge of entering a world inside so vast,
I know it is the source of
all of
us.
see related posts:
https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/poetry-how-about-a-snake-with-your-rumi/
https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/poetry-solstice-signs/
for information about Mirabai: http://www.poemhunter.com/mirabai/
header image by http://www.imagebase.net/
butterfly courtesy of Wikimedia commons
litebeing chronicles 
Reblogged this on Psychic Pharmacy Tech and commented:
For Mia at Lights of Clarity!
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wow!!! thank you Roxie for my first reblog on my own site! ( Deelia reblogged my guest post on Amber Skye Forbes and you reblogged my interview on Ky Grabowksi Spotlight)
I am like a little kid now, te he he, thank you SOOOO much!
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Well, you will have to go see why it was reblogged! Mia at Lights of Clarity saw the same butterfly. I read her post and thought I had gone loco because I knew I had already read about the Tiger Swallowtail before! Only it was your story!
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well it was cool anyway! I guess you will just have to reblog something else of mine then, haha!
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No, I think it is a good reblog, as you guys have shared the same experience. I told to go look at your story because there must be some reason this has all come up. I am new to rebloging much, because I am afraid some people don’t like being reblogged. Who wouldn’t like that? Now that I know you are ok with it, I will reblog all the time! You have so much to share with us!
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I went over and checked it out and commented! very very cool indeed… This is my second post including swallowtail butterfly sightings : https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/poetry-feelings-are-among-my-favorite-things/
The first time I did not have a cellphone on me. Then a FB friend shot his own swallowtail picture. so then I went out just in case! Around the same time Cindy Knoke was featuring butterflies on her blog ( see her blog it is fabulous!) everything lines up like one cosmic butterfly puzzle!
reblog away, I love when people share my work! love ya, Linda
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check this out and witness more synchroncity: http://cindyknoke.com/2013/07/16/look-who-fluttered-by-today/
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by the way Barbara contacted me today to inquire about this butterfly she found: http://memymagnificentself.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/img_3746.jpg
what is in the air today????
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I love visiting your blog you always have interesting and fun postings !! 🙂 *Cynthia
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thank you Cynthia, glad you like it over here 🙂
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Your post make a wonderful story, Linda. I love your play with synchronicity and stillness.
And I love random picks from books, having not done them for quite awhile myself (much of because I have given almost all my books away several years ago :D). This is what I received (twice in a row): “The ability to reach a higher state of being, where there seems to be almost no delay between the creation of a thought form and having that thought form “show up”, can be viewed in terms of unconditional love and an absence of demanding from or judging the world.”…”Your free will is your gift of unconditional love.” – Wayne Dyer, Manifesting You Destiny
To me The Butterfly represents freedom, liberation, joy and lightness of being as a gift of transformation.
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Hi Deelia,
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the post and share my love of “random” reading! I do it quite often and am sad to hear you gave away books as I feel so at peace surrrounded by books! I really like your Wayne Dyer quote and hope I see its manifestation in my life and the world at large. Thank you for linking me to your post. It was very kind and I appreciate your acknowledgement.
I am quite familiar with buttterfly meaning, but was very amazed by the shamanic tattoo and accompanying text in taniamarieartist’s blog. so much mystery ……
love, Linda
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Yes, so many layers in everything. Never a lack of reasons for awe and wonder. (Loving the butterflies I just shared the personal meaning of them, what they are to me, not with an intention to teach. Seeing a Butterfly is also a reminder to me to give thanks to oneself of a “job well done” … So, I´m giving as for having seen a butterfly in your blog 🙂 )
I understand your reaction to the giving up of the books so well.There was a purpose and a story behind it. Maybe I share the story someday in my blog. Love and thanks, Deelia
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you are welcome to teach and also share personal meanings Deelia. Your input is always welcome here! I figured there may be a story about giving up the books 😀
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you are welcome to teach and also share personal meanings Deelia. Your input is always welcome here! I figured there may be a story about giving up the books 😀
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I love the poem and how you described your walks and latest project. I think that’s an awesome thing to do!
I won’t really comment on the butterflies though…I have a terrible phobia of them. Hmm..the thing is..this is the third post in a few days about butterflies..and the third time I’ve had to admit my phobia…hmmmm
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Hi Shree,
thank you for your kind words. I understand the phobia, no worries!
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Brilliant post Linda!!
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thank you Priya!
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Stunning post. I didn’t know any of these things about the Tigers. Thank you for this wonderful post. Your photo was glorious btb. What I liked best though was your description of just walking (even better yet sitting or standing) and letting nature come to you. I have been amazed at the animals that want to know me when I sit quietly in their world. They don’t like hurly-burlyness. My whole life used to be hurly-burly. I didn’t have time to sit. Now I do and look what has come to me! Joy and a spiritual dimension that has surprised and is teaching me. It sounds like you are on a similar path and I am glad for us both.
Cheers to you~
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thank you Cindy. I agree with you that it is so joyful and sacred to be the observer and let nature find you. The wild has so much to teach me. I am just beginning to understand the subtlety of this process.
I am also glad for us both. It is truly a blessing.
peace, Linda
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Beautiful butterfly and post! Namaste _/l\_
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_/I\ _
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Amazing serenity~
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it was a great moment Sindy, especially because my bee phobia was in remission and I could be at one with it all.
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Bee-ing in at one-ment~~~~~ it’s amazzzzzzzzzzing~
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very clever, oh wise one
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