Butterfly Symbolism: The Significance of This Delicate Creature

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What the butterfly represents in various spiritual and cultural traditions

Co-authored by Bailey Bujnosek, BA Reviewed by Stina Garbis

Last Updated: January 29, 2025 Fact Checked

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What do butterflies symbolize?

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Spiritual Meanings

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Cultural Symbolism

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Butterflies in Dreams

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Butterfly Tattoo Symbolism

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Why You Keep Seeing Butterflies

Butterflies are one of nature’s most elegant creatures. Their dainty flight and inspiring metamorphosis have captivated writers, artists, and philosophers throughout time. But just what does a butterfly symbolize? The winged insect has spiritual and cultural significance, woven into the mythos of many cultures and considered a potent message in dreams. Read on to learn the full story of what butterflies symbolize.

Butterfly Meanings: A Quick Overview

A butterfly symbolizes change and transformation. Through its metamorphosis, it also symbolizes rebirth and the immortal soul. Other meanings of the butterfly from cultures around the world include freedom, joy, love, and longevity.

Section 1 of 6:

What do butterflies symbolize?

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The insect starts its life as a humble caterpillar, disappears into a mysterious chrysalis, and emerges as a beautiful butterfly capable of flight. This metamorphosis is a potent metaphor for human transformations, whether spiritual, physical, or otherwise in nature.^{[1]
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The radical change in the butterfly from its caterpillar state to its final form is symbolic of a fresh start, full of possibilities. Its emergence from the darkness of the chrysalis also signifies hope for the future.^{[2]
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Butterflies symbolize joy because of how they gracefully flit between flowers, pollinating and spreading the bounty of nature’s beauty. At the same time, their colorful wings and capability for flight symbolize freedom and liberation.^{[3]
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Section 2 of 6:

Spiritual Meanings of Butterflies

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Differently colored butterflies are ascribed unique spiritual meanings. The symbolism of a white, black, purple, yellow, blue, or red butterfly depends on the spiritual and historical connotations of its color. Below are some common associations, though this type of butterfly symbolism is subjective and open to interpretation.^{[4]
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- White: A white butterfly symbolizes purity, innocence, and new beginnings (like a clean slate).
- Black: A black butterfly symbolizes death (reminding you of lost loved ones) and the release of negative energy.^{[5]
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- Purple: A purple butterfly symbolizes wisdom, royalty, and the sacred.
- Yellow: A yellow butterfly symbolizes joy and optimism for your future.
- Blue: A blue butterfly symbolizes peace and tranquility.
- Red: A red butterfly symbolizes love and courage or bravery.
Attracted to the flowers at gravesites, their presence around the deceased is seen as spiritually significant. In certain cultures, they’re symbolic of the souls moving on to the afterlife. In others, they’re viewed as the messengers of the dead who tell the living that their lost loved ones are at peace.^{[6]
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Throughout history, the butterfly has symbolized the inner, spiritual self. In myths and art from ancient Greece and stories from ancient China, the butterfly’s metamorphosis and flight are symbolic of the soul’s transformation. Its fragility also symbolizes the ephemerality of human life in the grand scheme of time.^{[7]
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- The Ancient Chinese story “Zhuang Zhou Dreams of Being a Butterfly” uses the creature to question human perceptions of reality and equate the ephemeral human soul with the flittering butterfly. The brief tale relates to the core philosophies of Daoism, which teaches that people are meant to live in harmony with the natural world.
This meaning stems largely from the Ancient Greek myth of Psyche, a mortal woman granted immortality by Zeus. In art from the period, she is represented with butterfly wings to signify her freedom in the afterlife. The butterfly’s chrysalis, in some depictions, is equated to the tomb.^{[8]
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For some Christians, a butterfly’s metamorphosis evokes the resurrection of Christ. While not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, butterflies are considered part of God’s creation. Some Christians view the creature’s metamorphosis as a reminder of the resurrection of Jesus—though it’s not considered spiritual or holy in and of itself.^{[9]
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- Some Christian artwork features butterflies as a symbol of the story of Christ’s resurrection.^{[10]
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Section 3 of 6:

Cultural Symbolism of Butterflies

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In Greek mythology, the butterfly and word “psyche” symbolize the immortal soul. One of the meanings of the Greek word “psyche” is the soul. In Greek mythology, a beautiful mortal woman named Psyche falls for Eros (Cupid). She’s granted immortality by Zeus so she can be with Eros forever.^{[11]
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Research source} The word “psyche” also appears in ancient references to the butterfly, and butterfly wings appear in art of Psyche. Both symbolize the believed immortality of the soul.^{[12]
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- Aristotle was the first person to use the ancient Greek word “psyche” (meaning the human soul) to refer to the butterfly in his “History of Animals.” Both the insect and the soul were thought to rise anew, from the chrysalis or from death.^{[13]
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- Since “psyche” references the soul or the mind, it is a root of derivative English words of similar meaning, like psychology and psychic.^{[14]
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In Chinese culture, butterflies symbolize love, freedom, and beauty. The delicate insects are popular motifs in classic artwork, as their pollination of flowers is read as a representation of the union of males and females. They also serve as a symbol of eternal love in the popular Chinese folktale “The Butterfly Lovers.”^{[15]
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- ”The Butterfly Lovers” tells the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, two star-crossed lovers who die to avoid being separated by Zhu’s family. After death, they turn into butterflies and fly together toward eternal happiness.
  - The tale predates Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which it is often compared to.
- Butterflies are also seen as symbols of luck and longevity. The Chinese characters for butterfly are 蝴蝶 (hú dié). The first character 蝴 sounds like the character for good fortune, 福 (fú). The second character 蝶 sounds exactly like the character for the elderly, 耋 (dié). Thus, the butterfly symbolizes luck and a long life.^{[16]
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In pre-Hispanic folklore, this particular orange butterfly carried the souls of the deceased during its annual migration so they could visit the living. Mexico’s Indigenous people viewed the monarch butterfly as sacred. Today, the monarch symbol features in the ofrenda home altars during Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).^{[17]
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In Native American mythology, a butterfly can symbolize balance, cooperation, and transformation. Myths of Pacific Northwest Coast Natives feature the butterfly as a companion and scout for the raven. The animals’ cooperation represents the balance of the natural world. The insect’s metamorphosis also represents transformation as part of life. It appears in various Native American artwork.^{[18]
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- The Hopi of northern Arizona occasionally hold a Butterfly Dance. It’s a two-day, ceremonial dance done by young people in the villages, featuring 32 prayer songs, dancing, and colorful ceremonial dress.^{[19]
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- The Blackfoot tribe has a myth about butterflies spreading sleep and dreams to people—the insect version of the Sandman.^{[20]
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Butterfly populations have declined and butterflies have altered their migration patterns to search for cooler climes in the face of warming temperatures. Some researchers and writers have dubbed the sight of butterflies a warning sign, indicating via their unexpected presence that the climate is in crisis.^{[21]
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Section 4 of 6:

What Butterflies Symbolize in Dreams

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The transformative creatures appear in dreams near times of change or transition in our lives. They could represent anxiety about change, but also hope for the new phase.^{[22]
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Like the Chinese folklore of the Butterfly Lovers, a pair of butterflies represents eternal love and a long relationship. The butterflies could also foreshadow a change in your romantic life.^{[23]
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The butterfly flutters from one flower to the next, never settling down for long. While a romantic, liberated life, the insect’s flight symbolizes you going from one thing to the next quickly. It may be a sign to slow down and appreciate what’s around you.
According to intuitive life coach and happiness counselor Kari Samuels, the dream is a sign with multiple meanings: “[Telling you to] remember the beauty of the present moment, and also that you're in the process of transformation, [and] that all your hard work is about to pay off.”^{[24]
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Section 5 of 6:

What does a butterfly tattoo symbolize?

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A butterfly tattoo represents personal growth, resilience, and nature. Because butterflies undergo metamorphosis to reach a beautiful new form, a butterfly tattoo symbolizes your personal journey of growth and self-discovery. Reflect your resilience in the face of hardships that made you grow and change with a butterfly tattoo. You can also get butterflies and vines tattooed to show your love of nature.^{[25]
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- Many cultures see butterflies as symbols of departed souls that are now at peace. Consider getting a butterfly tattoo as a beautiful, meaningful tribute to someone you’ve lost.

Section 6 of 6:

What does it mean when you keep seeing butterflies?

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Seeing a butterfly could be a sign from a deceased loved one. In many cultures, butterflies are messengers of the dead. They symbolize the soul’s flight to the afterlife or its immortality. Some people believe butterflies are a reminder that departed souls still watch over us.^{[26]
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- This is especially true if a butterfly lands on you, which symbolizes a spirit’s visit.
Butterflies are fragile and beautiful, just like human life. They call you to change in your life that will make you happier and freer. They can also symbolize the unique beauty of nature, reminding you to appreciate the world around you.^{[27]
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