Transformation” -
The parable of the yellow butterfly
A caterpillar crawled the earth. He went upon his way, and came to a tree. He was not satisfied of the hot barren ground in which he found himself. His hunger was great with in him. And so he made the journey to climb the tree. For he had heard that there were green leaves to eat way up there. And so he climbed. Even at the risk of the birds that inhabited the many branches. He climbed. His hunger was greater than the risk, and greater than, the huge effort required.
Until with time, he finally came upon the leaves. And so he ate. Ate his fill. Upon consuming all that he could, he felt strange. These green leaves had affected him. And so he took some repose and took a caterpillar nap.
As he slept he had a dream. And in this dream, he was flying and happy. It was the promised dream that he had heard about told throughout the caterpillar ages. They called it ‘the promise’. And when he awoke, he began to build his cocoon, which were the instructions that the great ones had handed down in a book which was left upon the field and which he, this caterpillar had eaten of a good page.
After a long time, ihis cocoon, he-struggled, suffered, confined, and tortured of it, began to claw his way out. The struggle helped make his wings and body strong, and then even stronger.
He tired and collapsed in exhaustion.
And then; he lifted up his heavy wings and with one last burst of will - he flew.
This caterpillar, who once crawled the ground and trees, now having transformed himself with great effort, being now the bright yellow butterfly, is so overcome; that he dances and flies soaring and screaming in laughter from unimaginable joy at his very being, bouncing through the green trees, kissing over the flowers, and thanking G-d from his very soul.
And so the yellow butterfly - went back to the caterpillars, which were crawling across the blazing hot desert of pavement, and said, “Behold - I am a butterfly! And I have been transformed! And you too can be transformed! Listen to me, and I will tell you how.”
But they had no ears to hear, and continued to suffer and crawl. Not knowing the joy of the yellow butterfly’s transformative flight. And he, the yellow butterfly sank a bit within himself. For he only wanted to help his brothers to make the transformation, that they too might taste the sweetest joy in the universe. And sorrow ripped through him, because he once crawled as they do now. He knows their plight.
For he knows that it is best, that only a butterfly, once a caterpillar, can be sent to show them the way. And unwilling to force upon them any such gift, he reposes back to his flight, and enters into the Kingdom of his joy. Bringing with him those who would make the great transformation. - And crying, for those who would not choose this for themselves.
Another butterfly came along. Fresh in his new journey. And he said to the Universe, “I will go! I will go and help my brothers see the truth! They will see my bright yellow wings, and witness my flight, and see my joy, and they will drop their mouths open and exclaim – “miracle! - Let us follow his lead, and transform our selves thusly!”
So the new yellow butterfly went and exclaimed the very same, and they crucified him, for exporting such explosive statements, and claiming them to ‘be truths’. When they knew that they were caterpillars! And knew themselves not as butterflies.
For they see themselves in reality, as a caterpillar, in the mirror this is fact. They cannot envision, in their wildest imaginations, that they are a butterfly, or have that within them.
And so butterfly after butterfly, tried to help their old friends, caterpillars all, but few made the great transformation before their time. Sadly, too few at all, in this moment of it All. Many were eaten by birds as they crawled. Many were stepped upon by the larger beasts. Many withered on the great journey, not being well prepared.
But - if you were to see - that sight, on that great day, above the field, of those innumerable yellow butterflies, flying like a summers rain shower, their combined joy - a blaze of yellow glory in their dance - you would break down and weep at the very sight of its beauty, and the very grace of it!
Caterpillar? - Butterfly?
This is you, if you will but put in, an once of effort, to begin the great transformation, which unfolds your highest self. Then each in turn, lights each candle that he or she touches along the way. For the yellow butterflies are the candles lit’ of this transformation.
For;
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” - Sutta Nipata
Joy
