Landscapes Of The Mind
  • Home
  • Musings & Reflections
  • Glimpses Through The Lens
    • The Feathered Beauties
    • I Saw,I Clicked... >
      • Vishnupur
      • The Tantalizing Landscape Of Uttaranchal
      • Amidst The Sand Dunes Of Khuri
      • Chatris Of Shekawati
      • Havelis Of Shekawat
    • I Saw, I Clicked Part II >
      • Hosaholalu
      • Pristine Havelock
      • Pichavaram
      • Chidambaram
    • I Saw I Clicked Part III >
      • Yosemite
      • A Day At The Vatican Museum
      • Norcia
      • Moscow
    • Butterflies & Flowers
    • Close Encounters At Corbett
    • Bijapur & Beyond
    • Enchanting Athirapalli
    • Splendours of Seatlle
    • Monet's Garden
  • Glimpses Through The Lens: II
    • Poetry in stone >
      • Brihadeeswarar Koil
      • Gangaikondacholapuram
      • Dharasuram
      • Thanjavur Art Gallery
    • In The Land Of Enlightenment
    • Charming Chitrapu
    • Exploring Orissa >
      • Mesmerizing Mangalajodi
      • Bewitching Bhetnoi
      • Daksa Prajapati Temple
    • Birding Down Under >
      • Parrots Galore!
      • Lyrical Lyre Bird
      • Honey Eaters
      • Kingfishers, Wrens, Wagtails, Warblers...
      • Orioles, Golden Whistlers
      • Cockatoos, Kookaburras & Magpies
      • Pigeons, Doves
      • Birds Of Prey, Bower Birds
      • Water Birds & In Flight
      • Others
    • Murals of Pundarikapuram
  • Contact Me

In The Company Of The Monarchs . . .

11/15/2017

13 Comments

 
​ Butterflies have always amazed me.

Their transformation from a wrinkled unremarkable caterpillar to a beautiful winged being is one of the most exquisite phenomenon in the natural world. While I was photographing butterflies in the Golden Gate Park, there was a mention in the arboretum that the migrating season of the monarch butterfly was just around the corner. When I started searching the net as to when and where I could have a glimpse of them, I discovered that monarchs west of the Rockies migrate to southern California to the eucalyptus trees of the Pacific Grove and surrounding areas and the Natural Bridges State Park is one of their preferred sites.

Natural Bridges State Park, down the coast in Santa Cruz, which, though abutting the beach, is densely wooded and last week we spent some time exploring it. As we walked into the grove containing eucalyptus trees we were enveloped in a quivering mass of butterflies clinging onto the trees. At first I could not locate them, as they were so well camouflaged among the leaves and the barks of the trees. However I spotted them soon with some effort: bathed in the rays of the golden sun they were glowing like flickering flames.

We trailed them like spies…

I kept wondering as to what I should focus on….the brilliance of their color, the fluidity of their flight or their silent repose. Do they ever have a glimpse of their brilliant wings?!

Every fall, North American monarchs fly south to spend the winter at roosting sites. They are the only butterflies to make such a long, two-way migration, flying up to 3000 miles in the fall to reach their winter destination. Amazingly, they fly in masses to the same winter roosts, often to the exact same trees! Their migration is much like birds or whales. However, unlike birds and whales, individuals only make the trip once. It is their children’s grandchildren that return south the following fall. Moreover unlike songbirds, which often migrate in the dark to elude predators, monarchs are limited to flying out in the open when it is sunny and warm enough for them, and not too windy. Once the ambient temperature drops, they become sluggish, unable to flap their wings.

They are like marathoners tired from their long journey, eager for a patch of bark, or the branch of a tree on which to rest. Coming to think the complexities, skills and requirements of the long journey, it is more like a voyage to the moon!
 
The annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is a truly unique and amazing phenomenon. Scientists have been striving to unravel this mystery. Researchers are still investigating what directional aids monarchs use to find their wintering location. It appears to be a combination of aids such as the magnetic pull of the earth and the position of the sun among others.
 
The enigmatic, improbable, long-distance, multigenerational movement of monarchs
is a living metaphor for our innate interconnectedness. They are inspirational symbols of strength, perseverance and resilience.  If such small creatures can find and follow their purposeful path, so can each of us.

Like monarch butterflies that have mysterious, hidden ways to determine and pursue their migratory routes, we as human beings also have the potential to discover the purpose and direction in our life journey. The monarchs bring us close to ourselves. We do harbor strong innate urges to migrate to our true inner selves.

As a psychiatrist I facilitate this striving (in a small way), among my clients to discover their authentic, inner, resilient butterfly selves and urge them to never give up the quest for a path ahead . . .

There is so much wisdom tucked inside the gossamer wings of the monarchs!

Savor their company at: photos.app.goo.gl/JCtOU7gieASmIiLN2



13 Comments
Gautam Moorthy
11/15/2017 06:25:03 pm

What eloquent prose! How beautifully described. Yes, one never ceases to be amazed at the marvels that Nature offers us. The homo sampien has much to learn from these silent, winged creatures.

Reply
Ragu
11/15/2017 06:41:42 pm

Thanks Gautam!

Reply
Saranya Devanathan
11/15/2017 10:27:52 pm

As i was seeing the butterflies restlessly flying to one plant to another, i thought of catatonic agitation after a prolonged stupor in cocoon stage.

Reply
Malathi Swaminathan
11/16/2017 02:08:20 am

Sir, you have woven an utmost Picture, Philosophy and Psychiatry synchrony👌👌

Reply
Ragu
11/16/2017 08:03:05 am

Thanks Malathi!

Reply
Nalini.N.R
11/16/2017 09:24:12 am

Bunch of Monarchs so fragile yet so strong within. Irrespective of the crumbling support system, one has to strengthen roots within, in this short journey, seeming so long! Thank you Sir, for the photographs and your description with a worthy suggestion.

Reply
Ragu
11/16/2017 09:58:30 am

Thanks Nalini!

Reply
lata
11/16/2017 06:03:00 pm

Lovely, I am hoping someday I will be able to paint pictures of all your sojournes.

Reply
Ragu
11/16/2017 06:59:12 pm

Wow! I will take you on that Lata!

Reply
Samad Kottur
11/17/2017 10:28:17 pm

So nicely written sir. Mingration of Monarchs is one of the mysteries of the natural world. It takes generations to reach their destination and return. Fascinating natural history moment...kudos sir..

Chauki
11/19/2017 12:56:30 am

Oh,Sir unbelievable that such tiny creatures can take such a long distance journey ! Yes there is much wisdom tucked inside the gossamer wings of the monarchs !

Reply
Bhaskar link
11/13/2019 07:29:19 pm

So many of them! Amazing ...
I also got to know how much they enjoy the warmth of the sun and align their wings to soak in the most

Reply
Brunda Amruthraj
11/14/2019 02:35:05 am

Beautifully articulated and a very nice analogy drawn to never give up. I suppose in the animal kingdom unlike the humans, the purpose is clear which adds to the never give up attitude.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Dr Raguram

    Someone who keeps exploring beyond the boundaries of everyday life to savor and share those unforgettable moments....

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    May 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly