Butterfilies, wonder, and being changed by Beauty.

Hello Lovely,

Wednesday a dear friend and I went into San Francisco to the Conservatory of Flowers. There is a butterfly exhibit right now she insisted was a must see .

How right she was!

Not even counting the glory the conservatory holds all on its own, the butterflies were nothing short of magical. A transport into the embrace of Beauty and the Feminine.

Oh my, my breath was taken away.

Imagine a room, thick with humidity. Lush plants. Trickling water from a fountain and a water garden. Soft, almost unnoticed music in the background that brings a hush to your spirit. The feeling is of a forgotten garden.

Dreamy right?

Now fill that room with butterflies. So many butterflies of different sizes and colors. Dancing. Floating. Fluttering. Peacefully resting everywhere.

I was transported into a mystical realm of wonder.

My friend had two butterflies perch on her hand and mate. And mate, and mate, and mate, for just about the whole time we were there. She finally had to remove them because it was time to go and they would have stayed forever. Come to find out this specie is known for spending all its time mating.

Ah, Aphrodite is alive and well!

Out of so many rich moments, here is just one favorite. I sat on a bench over to the side and watched the faces of people entering the butterfly room. I witnessed over and over again the pure, unfiltered, uncensored joy that lit up face after face as the spell of nature overtook them.

For some it was a widening of the eyes, for others a beaming smile radiated. Couples turned and looked at each other as if to assure themselves it was real. Strangers made eye contact with each other smiling, nodding, acknowledging they were witnessing the power of delicacy.

We were all taken in by the Feminine and invited to play.

As I write now, I realize there were no children. It is easy to see the world through wonder when in the presence of children. As adults we don't always find our way there on our own. So to be in a space full of adults, all in a state of natural wonder, all captivated by Beauty, infused a big dose of soulful giddiness straight into my heart.

Today I am left in the shimmering haze of a butterfly hangover and (re)knowing the necessity of taking time to connect to Beauty, to invite the slow, warm embrace of the Feminine into our days, to allow wonder to flow into our imaginations.

The truth is that we tend to dismiss this as less important than the to-do list, to treat it as a once in a while indulgence, or to think of it as a lucky happenstance when it spontaneously shows up.

But it doesn't have to go like this. You can choose Beauty more. You can invite the Feminine closer.

You can court wonder and look for Aphrodite's wink everywhere you find yourself.

Each of us in that butterfly room was there because we made the time, opened to seeing and letting in the magic, sought out the space, chose to prioritize this way of experiencing our day. And, I will speak for myself, decided to allow the encounter to change me.

While not everyday will include flied trip to a Victorian era glass conservatory filled with butterflies, everyday can include moments of allowing the Feminine essence of your world to captivate you. Notice the bee buzzing around the flower outside your window. Choose to wear silk next to your skin. Gaze at the moon for a moment (or longer!).

Make a wish for yourself the next time you see a butterfly flutter into your world.

Allow tiny moments of Beauty to whisper with the delicate power of butterfly wings, because your world wants to bring you more wonder, more joy, more of your heart's desires.

All it needs your invitation and opening.

Will you?

Until next time, be beautiful with yourself and embrace wonder.

Love,

Sandi

PS, I'd love to hear your moments of wonder and Beauty. Please share, just hit reply. And, if you want more stories and insights come on over to the blog.