Sunday, August 14, 2016

Butterfly Dream

Today was too hot for human comfort in New York, but the butterflies seemed undaunted. There were several monarchs like the one above in the wildflower meadow on Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. They reminded me of the famous butterfly dream of the Chinese philosopher Chuang-Tzu, which I've quoted below. 

"Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awakened, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man." 

 -Zhuangzi (c.3rd century B.C.): The Butterfly as Companion: Meditations on the first three chapters of the Chuang-Tzu, by Kuang-Ming Wu (1990).




Click on the photos to enlarge. 



2 comments:

  1. nice shots! how hot was it? where I live it usually gets above 100 degrees Fahrenheit this time of year, but I guess we have dry heat which is better than humidity like back east.

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  2. Thanks! It was in the low to mid 90s but humid as all get out, so very uncomfortable. Give me 100 of dry heat any day. :-)

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