Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly. ~ Proverb
I’ve been cocooning for clarity a lot lately and especially the last month. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines cocooning as “envelop or surround in a protective or comforting way.” UrbanDictionary.com elaborates a bit further by noting, “When someone excludes themselves from society and attempts to improve on a certain factor of themselves, such as a particular skill, their personal appearance or an assignment, so when they’re done they feel like a beautiful butterfly.” Subsequently, this means limiting excursions and social interaction.
I have always resonated with the metamorphosis of the butterfly beginning as a caterpillar, being dormant in a chrysalis and then emerging as a butterfly, so much so that I included the metaphor in Journey into Consciousness as well as the image depiction on the book cover.
I felt like a beautiful butterfly emerging from a long dormant cocoon.
I was on the cusp of something new and exciting, and I could feel the power of what was to come
…my journey into consciousness.
Upon further research via Google, the term cocooning was actually coined in 1981 by Faith Popcorn, a trend forecaster and marketing consultant. She forecast it would be a trend, not a fad, and explained in a 1986 article in The New Yorker that the concept involves building a “shell of safety” around oneself.
In essence, cocooning involves pulling your energy in as you become more aware of energy drains, whether it be people, places or things. As an empath, I feel the energies and emotions of those around me. Discerning what is mine and what isn’t can be a fine line at times. The same is important for you, too! Practicing good energetic hygiene is a must – ground and center your energy, clear your auric field, cut energetic cords and keep your chakras cleared and balanced.
In addition, choosing to honor your physical health as well as your mental/emotional well-being is an aspect of the cocooning process, which involves self-care, including massage therapy, reflexology, daily meditation, relaxation, float therapy, acupuncture and any other modalities that may resonate with you personally.
I partake in all that I have listed and recently floated at H2Oasis Float Center & Tea House in Tulsa, OK. The experience was fabulous and was probably the best floating experience I have had to date. Stepping into the warm salt warm and relaxing as the lights fell dark, I was “out” very quickly. When I came back, I had no idea who I was or where I was, but didn’t feel disoriented or confused. I just felt relaxed and at peace. The feeling of weightlessness and timelessness transported me to a place of nothingness, and the experience was exactly what I needed. I set the intention for the float to gain clarity on a few things. Although I didn’t receive immediate clarity, the answers arrived by the end of the day.
All of the answers that you seek can be found within if you take the time to listen. ~ Shelly Wilson
This excerpt from Rumi’s poem, Be Melting Snow, reminds us of the power we behold as we connect to our Higher selves, God, Source, Consciousness, Spirit, Universe, Infinite Intelligence (insert your preferred term):
“Lo, I am with you always means when you look for God, God is in the look of your eyes, in the thought of looking, nearer to you than yourself or things that have happened to you. There’s no need to go outside. Be melting snow. Wash yourself of yourself. A white flower grows in quietness. Let your tongue become that flower.”
Since everything is energy, including each one of us as an energetic being, cocooning for clarity is a beneficial and essential resource for our physical health and mental emotional well-being.
