Picture of the Day 5/27/08

I was just curious about the symbolic meaning of butterflies. It's one of those subjects that you know a little bit about what it means but you never really had it explained to you. Anyway, I just thought I would look up the symbolic meaning and share it with you.

In ancient Greek the word for butterfly is "Psyche", which translated means "soul". This was also the name for Eros' human lover and when the two figures are depicted they are often surrounded by butterflies.
In one of the Russian dialects, butterflies are referred to as "dushuchka" which is a derivative of the word "dusha" also meaning soul.
There is also an Irish saying that refers to the symbolic meaning of butterflies. This saying is: "Butterflies are souls of the dead waiting to pass through purgatory".
There is a small town in Mexico that also associate butterflies with souls. It is to this town that Monarch Butterflies migrate every year, around the holiday known as the Day of the Dead. The people of this town see these butterflies as the returning souls of the deceased.

Dreaming of the butterfly relates to rebirth and metamorphosis. Often when we dream of butterflies it indicates we are going through a transition in our lives. Here the subconscious is telling us to be mindful of the changes taking place. These changes are natural, and we should do our best to appreciate the shifts as they come (rather than fighting the changes).

Butterfly animal symbolism speaks of:
1. Resurrection
2. Transition
3. Celebration
4. Lightness
5. Time
6. Soul

I love butterflies! They are so delicate and beautiful! I love when girls put those little butterfly clips in their hair, it looks so cute! Such a thing of beauty!