Metanoia as Metamorphosis
The Enabling. The Monarch butterfly starts life as a little egg clinging to a milkweed leaf. The egg hatches only a few days after being laid and the larva that emerges from the egg becomes the first stage of the butterfly’s life. At that point the larva is only one twenty-fifth of an inch long. Its first meal consists of its own egg casing. But from then on, the caterpillar eats only milkweed. Through this exclusive meal, the caterpillar develops a natural defense system against the toxicity of the milkweed which is poisonous to birds—the Monarch butterflies’ natural predator.

The caterpillar eats nonstop for three days, and then begins to molt for the next three weeks. During this time he adds colorful stripes. Two more weeks of nonstop eating follows. At this point, the caterpillar is two inches long and 2,700 times its original weight. If a 6 pound baby grew as fast as a Monarch caterpillar, it would weigh eight tons in twelve days. After its varocious eating spree, the caterpillar then begins to climb until it finds the right place for its cocoon.

The Equipping. Once it finds a suitable place, it produces silk and weaves a small button that it firmly attaches to a twig. Near the caterpillars rear legs is a small hook-shaped apendage called a cremaster which the caterpillar hooks into the silk button and gently hangs from the twig forming a “J” shaped silhouette. The caterpillar molts for one last time and its stripes turn into a milky green sheath called a chrysalis. As the chrysalis hardens into a green case, gold dots appear. Depending on the air temperature, in a little less than fifteen days the case turns transparent and the Monarch butterflies’ golden wings show through.

Soon the chrysalis shakes and splits and the Monarch butterfly emerges. At first, the Monarch is wet, crumpled and looks exhausted and vulnerable. The Monarch begins transferring fluid from its plump stomach to the veins in its wings. The butterfly must hang vertically and allow its wings to fully expand and dry before it can fly. If the butterfly flew off immediately, it would starve because its proboscis or feeding tube is disconnected and must also spring into place. Once in place, the proboscis supplies the butterfly with nectar and water. When not in use, it coils up under the Monarchs head, like a watch spring. Soon, the velvety wings become smooth and dry and the Monarch caterpillar has successfully changed into a Monarch butterfly and the “metamorphosis” is complete.

The process of metamorphosis is both enabling and equipping.