Butterflies symbolize many different things depending on where you live in the world. While some cultures view butterflies as symbolic of transformation, love, or wisdom, other cultures view them with suspicion and apprehension; to them, butterflies are harbingers of a less desirable nature.

Love

In Chinese culture, the butterfly symbolizes love. According to an ancient Chinese legend, butterflies are a symbol of the everlasting bond between lovers. It is common practice for newlyweds to receive a gift bearing the symbol of a butterfly on their wedding day; it is meant to remind the couple of the energy of love. The Chinese also believe that fluttering from flower to flower symbolizes a good social life for the young.

Knowledge and Wisdom

In some cultures, butterflies are a symbol of knowledge and wisdom. Butterflies carry pollen from flower to flower, so some cultures associate this activity with wise men who spread their wisdom and knowledge from person to person and help them grow.

dreams

Dream interpreters have various meanings for the presence of butterflies in dreams. Some teach that if you simply see a butterfly in your dream, it means that you need to settle down in life. If you catch or kill a butterfly in your dream, it symbolizes that you are shallow, and if you see two butterflies in your dream, it represents a long and happy marriage.

bad omens

While many cultures associate butterfly charms with various positive symbols, other cultures believe that the butterfly symbolizes bad omens. In medieval times, a flock of butterflies was a bad omen that predicted an upcoming epidemic or war. In ancient times, the Celts believed that if you saw a butterfly flying at night, it meant imminent death. Some early Americans followed this Celtic tradition by believing that if a white butterfly encircled a person, it meant death was certain—bad news indeed!

Christendom

On the contrary, the Christian religion has long held that the butterfly symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While in the cocoon, the caterpillar appears dead; but then, the butterfly emerges more powerful and beautiful than before. And just as Jesus ascended into heaven, the butterfly can now also take to the skies with its new set of wings. In the Christian religion, the metamorphosis of the butterfly also symbolizes the spiritual evolution that Christians go through when they become Christians.

Transformation and Change

That brings us to the most common and obvious symbol of butterflies for modern society: transformation. The life of the butterfly is a life of transformation through the impressive process of metamorphosis. Many people believe that the transformation of the butterfly symbolizes a change in a person’s life. The cocoon phase can be translated as introspection or reflection with the person emerging from the cocoon metamorphosed into a different person. Butterflies can teach us a lesson to accept change in our lives as easily as a butterfly does.