Butterflies are one of the most beautiful and intriguing creatures on Earth. But did you know these glorious entities can also be seen as a metaphor for the seven planes of existence? Join us on this journey of discovery as we explore how butterflies can teach us about the spiritual realm.
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Butterflies and the 7 Cosmic Planes of Existence
There are seven planes of existence, just like there are seven chakras in Eastern philosophies – and just as each chakra represents a different level of energy or consciousness, so too does each plane represent a different level of existence altogether.
When we see a butterfly, it can be a reminder that we too have the ability to transform and change for the better. Just as a caterpillar undergoes a profound transformation to become a beautiful butterfly, so too can we transform by tapping into our own inner wisdom and strength.
Just as butterflies flap their wings and rise up higher and higher into the sky, so too do we keep striving upwards towards ever-higher levels of consciousness until ultimately we reach our goal of Enlightenment.
The journey through the 7 Cosmic Planes is the unfolding story of our enlightenment as humans. Just as the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis as a higher being than it began, we can also transcend through unseen worlds, gathering the knowledge and lessons needed to reach our greatest potential – both in life and our experiences beyond.
1. Butterfly Physical Plane
Just as a butterfly starts out as a caterpillar, crawling along the ground eating leaves, so too do we start out on the first plane of existence: the Physical Plane. This is where we’re born and where we die; it’s the world of the material and the physical. As the caterpillar eats its way through leaves, so too do we eat our way through life experiences; everything from our first taste of food to heartbreak tastes like new things when we’re on this plane.
The caterpillar goes through the motions of life based heavily on impulses that it does not quite understand. Like the caterpillar, we are limited in this realm by our physical experiences. Only when we begin to look past our physical experience and shed our shallow shells will we experience the next level of transcendence.
2. Butterfly Astral Plane
Eventually, the caterpillar sheds its skin for the last time and becomes a chrysalis. Also called the Kamasic Plane, the Astral Plane is highly accessible through the chrysalis of death. The caterpillar, however, knows that this is not the end. This creature undergoes a sort of decomposition phase within its chrysalis, much like how humans – and all other entities – experience physical death.
Read more: What Does it Mean to Dream About Butterflies?
Each person, animal, and creature has a form that can be used to explore the Astral Plane. This astral form is only realized when we transcend the need for physical bodies. Some even believe that we can even access this realm in sleep, our dreams providing the vehicle for our consciousness to soar.
3. Butterfly Mental Plane
After we’ve eaten our fill of experience on the Physical Plane, we move onto the Mental Plane. This is where thoughts originate; it’s ethereal and intangible. We might start to ponder existential questions or ask ourselves what our purpose is.
Also called the Manasic Plane, this inner world of thoughts and ideas is attained once we’ve freed ourselves from emotions and impulses. It is heavily influenced by human consciousness.
Because this plane is accessed from within the mind, many comparisons can be drawn between the Mental Plane and the caterpillar’s newly-crafted chrysalis. Just as the caterpillar must shed its old form to make room for its new one, so too must we let go of our old thoughts and ideas in order to make way for new ones. The process is not always easy, but it is essential for growth. By retreating into the Mental Plane, we can shed our old ways of thinking and emerge transformed.
4. Butterfly Causal or Soul Plane
On the Causal Plane, our consciousness undergoes a series of life lessons. We are able to release our egoic tendencies and reach full spiritual awareness. During this phase, we no longer regard ourselves as human but as a heightened state of consciousness that roams free from physical bonds.
Much like the way a caterpillar is completely destroyed within the chrysalis to ascend to a higher form, we too must shed our ego and realize that we are so much more than our physical selves.
The Causal Plane is much like a bridge between our human experience and the next world. It’s said that those who are able to reach this plane have transcended past the experience of death.
5. Butterfly Spiritual Planes
In many spiritual traditions, butterflies are associated with the Atmic or Spiritual Plane, which is the plane of pure consciousness. This is the place where we connect with our true selves and our highest purpose.
Perhaps this can be compared to the rebirth of the butterfly: while still in the chrysalis, the cells that once belonged to the caterpillar are forming something new with the information they’ve received.
The Atmic Plane is thought to be split into four smaller planes. On each of these planes resides an ascended spiritual being that will help in guiding you to spiritual knowledge.
6. Butterfly Monadic Plane
The Monadic Plane is the source of all life on Earth, and it is believed to be the spiritual center of the universe. It is where all forms of consciousness are created: all souls are born within this plane, and to this plane, all souls will inevitably return. Thought to be the most sacred place in the universe, the Monadic Plane is a place of peace and harmony that is filled with light and love.
Also referred to as Anupapaduka, it is on this plane that we are able to absorb our three lower bodies – physical, astral, and mental – into the corresponding high-frequency bodies that we experience on the Causal, Buddhic, and Atmic planes.
7. Butterfly Divine Plane
What is the Divine Plane? Put simply, it is a realm of existence beyond our own. It is a place of perfect peace and harmony, where all of our deepest desires are fulfilled. When we reach the Divine Plane, it is because we have learned all of life’s lessons: shedding off human distractions like ego and emotion so that we may reach our highest possible frequency.
Just as a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis transformed into something new and beautiful, so too do we emerge from the experiences of our lives transformed into our highest selves. We let go of what no longer serves us and step into our power, ready to fulfill our deepest destiny.
When we connect with the Divine Plane, we open ourselves up to limitless possibilities. We remember who we truly are: infinite beings of light and love. We tap into our innate wisdom and guidance, and we start living from a place of purpose and passion. Our lives become an expression of our highest truth, and we fulfill our greatest potential.
The next time you see a butterfly, take a moment to reflect on your own journey and what you hope to achieve. Allow the butterfly to serve as a reminder that anything is possible if you remain open to change. How do we reach the level of transcendence that we see in this ethereal creature? How does the butterfly’s journey mimic that of our own?
