Comments on: What Butterflies and Mountains can teach you about Self-Respect

By: MzzJohn

MzzJohn — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:20:16 +0000

http//this learning experience of butterflies have really changed my little dare life!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:58:21 +0000

@Karlil: I think both types have their strength and weaknesses. The mountain can be firm and strong, but also stubborn and rigid. The butterfly can be flexible and good at adapting to change, but also indecisive, airy-fairy, building dream castles and weak in following through. So they need to balance each other to play their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses.

By: Karlil

Karlil — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:05:07 +0000

Great post Patrick. Often, I feel more like a butterfly as well. The lack of stability can be seen as indecisive in behavior, which I can really relate to. Sometimes, we all want the change to occur instantly along with the result. When the result doesn’t come as fast as we wished to, we tend to get demotivated as result. But flexibility can also be seen in a butterfly, something which is good. I guess in the end of the day, it’s all about finding the right balance.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:22:34 +0000

@Justin and Jai Kai: Thank you. I think that firm ground is a basis for any type of flexibility. Otherwise your flexibility will be like a tree that will be swept away by the slightest blow. You must know who you are and what you are willing to stand for and then you are ready to learn and grow.

By: Jai Kai - SharingSuccess.tv

Jai Kai - SharingSuccess.tv — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:40:59 +0000

Great post… I love the whole concept of the mountain and the butterfly. It is so important to be firm and strong and at the same time be willing to change and morph into a new evolved being.

By: Justin- AlittleBetter.net

Justin- AlittleBetter.net — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:24:15 +0000

Great job. Flexibility in circumstance but firm ground in who you are. What a great combination.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:59:15 +0000

@Dayne: Indeed we are our own mountains as well as sources for everything we need. Thank you.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:58:34 +0000

@Gail: There are many ways of achieving that state of self-respect. If you have the feeling, that you first need to become aware of the clutter around your ability to love yourself, that is so. You must become aware and are then able to let go. It is like with real clutter. Yes, you must get rid of the physical clutter, but you must also let go of your inner neediness for the clutter. Like an inner and outer way, that go hand in hand.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:31:19 +0000

@Mary: Great Addition to the analogy. Yes there is a passage called the dark night of the soul (an old term for this time of chaos), that we need to go through. There is always pain of uncertainty and frustration before any major breakthrough. Once we are through we are indeed a new person.

By: Mary | GoodlifeZEN

Mary | GoodlifeZEN — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:52:13 +0000

Lovely post, Patrick!

I've always been intrigued by what happens in the cocoon and how the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. The amazing thing is that the caterpillar turns into a kind of soup. Some cells die, others revert to an undifferentiated state, some cluster together as ‘imaginal discs’ that carry a genetic blueprint for new structures.

In terms of self-development I take this to mean that we need to embrace the darkness, the constriction, and the sense of not knowing what happens next.

Then, one day, we break out of the cocoon and find that we can fly!