The Darkness Before the Light
Where are you on the journey?
I raise monarch butterflies. It's a hobby I began a couple of years ago.
I'm fascinated by the entire process. You may have learned this in fourth grade, but allow me to walk you through it.
First, life starts as an egg, then a tiny caterpillar bursts out. It keeps molting and getting bigger and bigger until it forms a chrysalis. And finally, it emerges as the magnificent monarch butterfly.
There's one stage in particular that I'm captivated by: the chrysalis.
The caterpillar has grown 100x in size from its first day out of the egg. But then, the hour strikes, and it stops molting. Our cat (butterfly-lover slang) manufactures and encapsulates itself in a bright green sheath. Inside it releases digestive enzymes to turn itself into a black soup.
It no longer appears to be a caterpillar or a butterfly.
It's in a vulnerable space between--the caterpillar's dark night of the soul.
Our giant caterpillar's willingness to stop molting and start liquifying is crucial. For our cat, it's not a choice but its destiny.
The DNA stays the same, but what comes out will be entirely different.
Yoga teaches us that we are neither our bodies nor our minds. We are something much bigger and better. The caterpillar teaches us this same lesson in the most authentic way.
Leaving our comfort zone is scary and risky. But aren’t we called to live life fully, completely, and joyfully? Otherwise, what’s the point?
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin
YOGA
We are in week 2 of our 4-week series of Gentle Yoga, Breathwork, and Meditation. Last week we meditated for our longest time yet—30 minutes! I love seeing the growth and transformation of our small group of dedicated yoga practitioners. This week will be a yin practice, so be sure to bring lots of props!
BOOK CLUB
We have a new book for April— “The Friends We Keep,” by Jane Green. We will meet on Monday, April 11th at 7 p.m. to discuss. Read about the book here.
This is the second to last book club before we take our summer break. We hope you’ll join us. Sign up for the Zoom link here.
What a beautiful post Ilona. Love this quote too.