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The 'chrysalis' concept
The other day I read a citation from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures where Mary Baker Eddy talks about a “chrysalis” state of thought (see p. 297).
This got me thinking about what a chrysalis is, so I looked up the word and realized it had to do with the life cycle of the butterfly. As I did some research on this, I found it correlated very closely to our progress Spiritward as we study and practice Christian Science.
The butterfly shows such wisdom in where she lays her eggs. Not only does she choose the right leaf so that the small caterpillar, when hatched, doesn’t need to search far for food, but she typically lays her eggs on the underside of the leaf for protection.
Once hatched, the caterpillar has one purpose and one purpose only: to eat, eat, eat, and then it grows, grows, grows. As the caterpillar becomes bigger, it outgrows and sheds its outer covering.
Similarly, when listening for God’s direction and earnestly studying Christian Science, we imbibe the truth. We might take more time alone to commune with God. We might also study the Christian Science Bible Lesson each day and read the Bible, Mary Baker Eddy’s writings, and articles from The Christian Science Journal, Christian Science Sentinel and The Christian Science Monitor—anything that promotes our spiritual growth. As we pray and grow Spiritward, we shed our material beliefs, and there is no going back to outgrown stages.
When the caterpillar is the correct size, it starts to transform into a chrysalis. To the human eye, the caterpillar may appear to be sleeping, but it is not dormant. A significant metamorphosis is going on. The caterpillar is transforming into a beautiful butterfly. It will never be the same again!
When the metamorphosis is complete, that butterfly slowly emerges from the chrysalis to stretch its wings and get ready for its skyward flight to freedom, flowers, and new pastures.
The butterfly doesn’t need help during this process. Though it seems to take a lot of time and struggle, it has naturally been given all it needs to grow and mature. When we meet trials with courage and spiritual conviction, that strengthens us and helps us grow. This is essential to our progress. Nobody can overcome these trials for us. We need to work out our own salvation step by step.
As we pray for ourselves, it might feel as if we’re not growing, but as we let all that we are learning wash over us, material beliefs are shed. As we “study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit” of Christian Science (Science and Health, p. 495), we find ourselves “breaking away from the mutations of time and sense …. Fixing your gaze on the realities supernal, …” (Science and Health, p. 261), and we will be like the butterfly, ready for skyward flight.
—Kay Hansen, Marina Beach, South Africa