"Butterflies of Light" is an immersive, experiential installation designed to strike the imagination; meet the developmental needs and challenge (physically, mentally and spiritually) children, teens and adults respectively. Using the life cycle of the butterfly both concretely and metaphorically, it's like "Alice in Wonderland" that can be understood on many different levels, encourages divergent thinking and hopefully, touches the heart of the participants. Based on a story by the same name (see below) it begins with an egg, created in love. A larva emerges from the egg that asks, "Who am I?” which is the theme of the larval (child) stage of the installation. Challenged, centered and guided by balance beams the larva encounters "I am..." stations that help them answer that question in a positive manner. Entering a beautiful, jade-green chrysalis they emerge as butterflies (teens); fully developed physically, but lacking the maturity of adults. As their developmental journey continues, these butterflies are confronted by various choices where they clarify their values. In short, they are both creating and discovering themselves, but in the end are found still wanting more. Confronted by a omnipotent hand, they have the choice of reaching beyond themselves into a spiritual realm of enlightenment (adult stage)... or not.
BUTTERFLIES OF LIGHT
By Paul R Bareis
Shimmering and glimmering,
Diffracting and scattering,
Light seemingly exploded from the dancing bodies of the gloriously colored butterflies. The glowing wings of the male and female touched and melded for but an instant, but within that infinitesimal speck of time, Love was made manifest.
The female sought the cool underside of a vibrant green leaf to attach her precious pearl of an egg, then flitted off to dance again with the Light and sail on the breath of Love.
Time and the magic of Love animated the small pearl of life, and it began to wiggle and stir, stir and wiggle and wiggle and stir some more until a tiny, glistening grub emerged. Caring not one iota about its appearance and driven by the primal instinct to survive, it began to feed... and feed... and feed some more, consuming the Sun Light drenched and constructed leaf.
With time and voracious consumption, a beautiful, star-speckled caterpillar developed. Knowing not who or what it was, only that it was Loved and sustained by the Sun Light the caterpillar continued to feed until reaching full size and then... it stopped. A very small, but very important thought flickered across its mind, “Who am I?”.
As if transfixed by the thought, the finest trace of silken Light-thread appeared at the end of the caterpillar’s body and began to wrap all about it, layer upon layer of comforting insulating Love. Encased in this chrysalis, this gentle protective womb of jade-green and speckled Light, the caterpillar began to discover its true self and began a miraculous transformation. Painful at times, and at other times joyous, the process was complete when the thought exploded across the transformed creature’s mind, “I am me! There is no one else like me! I’m different! I’m special!”
With those thoughts the chrysalis split and the splendid butterfly began to emerge: first the antennae, then the head and then rapidly the rest of the body exploded out into the world. Spreading her wings into the warmth of Light, she felt an incredible lightness of being. Dazzled by the beautiful color of her own wings she stretched them to catch the gentle breath of breeze that sent her sailing into the world of her life.
On her life’s adventures, she tasted many nectars, some sweet, some not so sweet and some so sour that they brought tears to her eyes. Still, for all the nectars she tasted and all the beautiful flowers she visited, she felt wanting. She even tried flitting with other butterflies, but she still felt alone and unfulfilled even with them all around.
One day, while resting after flitting from flower to flower she spied a butterfly that was not only vividly beautiful, but emitting a glow of astonishing Light. The glowing one immediately sensed her presence and alighted lightly beside her. Extending an antennae, this especially ordained butterfly beckoned her to touch it. Reaching out with her own and making contact, she was immediately flooded with the vision of a giant hand. Immediately, she drew back in fear knowing that such a powerful hand could crush not only her fragile wings, her body but her very being as well! The glowing one nodded with understanding and explained that, although this hand was extremely powerful, it was also extremely gentle and would not hurt her, in fact it would fulfill her in a way she could barely imagine.
Dazzled and somewhat dazed the butterfly thanked the glowing one and returned to her travels of flitting from flower to flower. However, as she flitted and flew she sensed her own emptiness and the vision that had been planted within her became more prominent in her mind’s eye. At last overcome by curiosity and desire, she decided to seek out this strong, but compassionate hand.
Upon making this choice, the butterfly suddenly found herself caught up and lifted by a very special breath of wind. It carried her rapidly but gently over hills and meadows and streams and all manner of natural wonders... it was a virtual kaleidoscope of beauty!
Suddenly, the butterfly found herself before the outstretched hand and what a magnificent hand it was indeed! At once both strongly masculine and softly feminine, it beckoned to her to alight into the safety and comfort of its palm. Looking at the massive fingers she imagined them curling around her, crushing her.... but no, she sensed that this being of Love had no wish to possess or control her, but to in fact free her.... “Free her from what?” she wondered.
Tentatively the butterfly approached the great hand, but at the slightest sound or movement she nervously flitted backwards and away. But always her curiosity and her need to be fulfilled got the best of her and drove her back. Finally, she took a leap of faith and lightly alighted on that magnificent palm. Immediately, she felt safe and comforted; a blissful peace that seemed to resonate with the joy emanating from the great being that held her. Enveloped within that peace, she recognized that she was Loved unconditionally and that nobody or nothing in her life could ever take it away from her.
Then the butterfly felt a stirring of the wind, as if a mighty breath was about to be unleashed. Animated by her fear, she frantically fluttered her wings to escape, but... As suddenly as the wind had built up, it died down. Once again she sensed that this being of Love meant her no harm, and in fact wanted to fill her with its very essence.
Gathering up courage, the butterfly once again alighted on the compassionate hand. Feeling again the mighty wind about to be unleashed, she heard these strong and loving words, “Dear little butterfly, this is the breath of my very being. If you so choose, you can take my breath of Light inside of you to complete your transformation.” Gathering up courage, she inhaled this breath of Light, not so much with her lungs, but with her very being. Like a golden cascade of honey, the Light flowed slowly into her filling every part of her spiritual self. Upon contact, each part became infused with an incredible warmth of Light and Love. Finally, it reached the very essence of herself that had been implanted within her when the two glowing ones had first touched wings. This essence, this hidden kernel of Light and Love within her, recognized and reached out to meet and connect with this cascade of Light and Love. As the two hugged each other in a kind of rapture, this Light and Love became magnified through herself and it virtually exploded from her in a dazzling explosion of Light.
Now complete in her metamorphoses, she recognized that her meaning and purpose in life was to share this Light and Love with others. Smiling at her now glowing wings, she lifted them to sail on the currents of Love that flow continually around our beautiful planet.
Not the end, as the end cycles into a new beginning… over and over...again.