I’ve been thinking a lot about how cultures around the world use metamorphosis as a metaphor for personal change. It seems to show up everywhere, whether in myths, literature, or even modern self-help language. I always come back to the butterfly example, because it’s one of those universal symbols that almost anyone can relate to. But I wonder, why do you think this specific image of transformation became so dominant compared to other natural processes, like a seed growing into a tree?
top of page
FORUM
To see this working, head to your live site.
How cultures around the world use metamorphosis as a metaphor for personal change
How cultures around the world use metamorphosis as a metaphor for personal change
2 comments
2 Comments
bottom of page
I think the butterfly stuck in cultural imagination partly because the transformation feels so extreme—you go from a crawling caterpillar that seems almost invisible, to this fragile but striking creature that suddenly takes flight. In some traditions, it’s been tied to the soul, in others to rebirth, and in modern contexts even to recovery from trauma. I once read a piece where the chrysalis stage was compared to those hidden years in someone’s life when nothing “seems” to be happening, but all the real work is going on inside. Interestingly, I recently came across an article that described the scientific and symbolic aspects of metamorphosis in detail, and it really helped me see how biology and culture intertwine: aviator app download
. What struck me was how people use these natural images not just to explain personal growth but to process social upheavals—like revolutions, migrations, or even technological change. In a way, the butterfly metaphor works because it’s dramatic and relatable both at the personal and collective level.