The butterfly has been my totem for many years. At one point, in the 70's, every birthday, Christmas and anniversary gift I received had a butterfly on it, in it, or as it. I had belt buckles, cowboy boots, art work, blankets and doormats with butterflies on them. My favorite was a purse I found at the Laguna Art Festival. It was a handmade leather purse and the outside pocket was a butterfly, the wings were peacock feathers. Hey, it was during the hippie days. What can I say?
All of these years I thought a caterpillar wrapped himself up in a silk cocoon and transformed into a butterfly. I assumed, as many of us did, that the essence of the caterpillar was in the butterfly, but that isn't the case. In order for the butterfly to be born, the caterpillar must die. He dies and a few cells remain that eat up the mush that was once the caterpillar. A new and completely different insect is born.
A butterfly represents total transformation, down to the cellular level. I dare say, down to the essence level. From one energetic expression to another. From a crawling perspective to a soaring one. And so it is with humans.
When we shift and change it bits and pieces we don't notice the cellular changes. However, there are times when we are called upon, summoned to shift so dramatically that the change is apparent immediately and completely. Old ideas of 'self' die. New ideas and experience of who we are, are born.
In 1981 I had a client arrive for a massage. I had just read "Joy's Way" a book about hands-on healing by Dr. Joy. The client was lying on her stomach and the room was dark and quiet. Only the sound of soft music and our breathing could be heard. As my hands slid down her back and she was beginning to relax, I felt a large, golf ball sized lump under her skin, near her sacrum. It wasn't a muscle spasm, it wasn't a knot. She screamed out loud and was about to jump off of the massage table. I calmed her and asked her to try to relax again. She was very resistant and had no idea she even had a cyst there. She was afraid of the pain and afraid of what it might be. Once she agreed to lay still, I placed my hands, ever so gently, over the lump. I remembered what I had read the night before and simply waited for the energy to work. I didn't say anything. I didn't guide her through any visualization. I didn't even know Rieki at the time. After a few minutes I removed my hands and the cyst was gone. Gone. Completely gone. The woman said, "Oh my God! It's gone!" I said, "Well of coure it's gone." But inside my head I was screaming, "Oh My God! IT's GONE!"
I continued with the rest of the massage as usual, but something magical had happened. A miracle healing happened that changed her and changed me. It changed her on a cellular level as well as shifted her awareness of possibilities. It changed my idea of human potential, my potential.
I had forgotten about this case. I was reminded of it last night. Now I understand why my daughter has so much confidence in my ability to heal Michael. Afterall, I've assisted in disolving cysts before. Why not now? The only thing in the way was my fear. I was too close to this case. I have new perspective this morning.
So, Michael and I are healing his cyst and creating more space for his brilliant brain. I can't wait to see the doctor's face when he says, "Oh My God! It's gone!"
