In memoria ad Antonio Gelsomino
Saturday, November 23, 2024

The butterfly - symbolism

butterfly

The butterfly is a symbol of a soul.

In Greek mythology, Psyche (in Greek yuch, "soul", "butterfly") is the personification of the breath of the soul. The ancient Greeks imagined the souls of the dead in the form of a butterfly or a bird in flight. The souls of the dead, in the kingdom of Hades, are shown flying, and represent the separation of blood of the deceased, fluttering in the form of shadows and ghosts. The souls of the dead fly in the vortex of spirits around Hecate. The spirit of Achilles, during the siege of Troy, appeared in a whirlwind. The myths, on the psyche of the nobles, tell the temptation to join the human soul to love.

Because of its indescribable beauty Psyche was envied even by Venus. According to a mythological tale, the goddess being jealous of Psyche sent her son, the god of love, Eros (Cupid), to inspire Psyche with love for the worst and ugliest man, but seeing how beautiful she was, Eros himself fell in love with her and forgot the instructions of his mother.

To be able to love without being recognized, Eros met her in the dark every night.But she was very curious, one night while he was sleeping she approached him with a lamp, lit up his face, and in the excitement she dropped hot oil on his body; this awoke Eros and he escaped for not being recognized. After some ups and downs, by the will of Zeus, the lovers were reunited. In "The Metamorphosis" by Apuleius, it is told the myth of romantic love between Cupid and Psyche, the wanderings of the human soul, thirsting to meet love.

The butterfly is a symbol of the fragility, the shortness of life, happiness and non-permanence.

The butterfly flying to fire is a symbol of destructive attraction, but also an irresistible charm. In China, it has been associated with joy and marital happiness, and served as an amulet to fulfill the wish for longevity. In Sufism, a butterfly flying to fire symbolizes the union with the Absolute, which causes the destruction of the person (for "ardent love of God the heart burns").

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The peacock - In Indian mythology, to draw its wings, reminiscent of many eyes, represents the image of a starry sky.

The spider - In ancient Indian tradition Brahma, the creator of all things, was allegorically called the spider that was spinning the web of the world.

The dove - In China, a dove is a symbol of longevity and filial piety. In the East, the dove is a symbol of love and marriage.

The tiger - The tiger is a symbol of power, strength and success, but at the same time it is a symbol of destruction, because the energy can be both creative and destructive.

The lion - In the symbolism of the elements associated with the fire, the lion represents courage, supreme power, nobility and pride.

The jaguar - Aztecs and Maya  believed that four jaguars represent the guardians of the road to peace.

The elephant - represents many qualities including: strength, royal power, dignity, patience, wisdom, longevity and happiness, as well as being a symbol of good luck.

The owl - It is a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, sensitivity, a prophetic gift, moderation, and melancholy.

The toad - In Vietnam, the toad is associated with rain, fertility, wealth, and sexuality. In Egypt, frogs were considered sacred animals.

The bear - The bear is a symbol of good will, heroic strength and clumsiness but also of malice, brutality and greed.

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