Do you ever feel like there’s something better for you in life, that there must be something more than what is happening in your life right now?  Does this sound like a different version of a Katy Perry song???  LOL…. read on, I have been here my friends.  

Could it be that “something better” is calling to you???  Could this feeling actually be the awakening of a new phase of life?  I had this feeling almost a decade ago and that’s when I met my mentor/hero/friend Vicki Ann Clough.  She facilitated a retreat I attended called Inner Child that would forever change the course of my life.  (She continues to change lives and offers this workshop a few times a year.  Click here for more info.)

This workshop is where I first heard about imaginal cells.  I since have googled and read about incredible new discoveries so when I began teaching my own workshops several years ago I had to include this amazing discovery by Bruce Lipton and many other amazing scientists, about imaginal cells.  (Just google it and read about it, WARNING: You could get lost in a vortex of bliss!)  Recently one of the participants of my workshop reached out and asked if I had this story written anywhere so she could pass it along to friends that were going through a “transitional” time in life (that’s code for ….MY LIFE FREAKING SUCKS!!!  WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE!!!!  THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS!!!)  This was a great “push” for me to get this exciting new research on my blog!

Let’s talk about IMAGINAL CELLS!  (Cool name, right?)  These imaginal cells have been discovered in the caterpillar, but they have nothing do with the caterpillar and everything to do with the butterfly.  Let me explain.  There comes a point in a caterpillars life when it feels “drawn” or “called” to a certain tree or plant or life giving organism.  At this point, thousands of caterpillars begin this journey and converge upon a common tree or orchard grove, shall we say.  They eat until they are fat and sassy, then begin the process of building a cocoon.  They are going within, this is when the imaginal cell (imaginal disc as they sometimes call it in science) first appears.  There is only one in the beginning.  This cell contains the blueprint for the butterfly it is to become.  But this cell is different from every other caterpillar cell so the other cells want to get rid of it.  (Self preservation and “habits of life” are strong!)  They do their best to fight off the new cell because it is different, it threatens to change everything that the caterpillar has become up to this point…..(and let’s face it, it’s scary to “change”).  However, this new cell is strong and holds its ground, soon it multiplies and there are now two imaginal cells.  This happens again and then there are four.  You get the idea.  The caterpillar is now quite literally turning to “goo” (that’s MY term, not the scientific word for it).  I’m not sure who does these studies and just how these studies are done.  Although, being a college student I have done my share of being the guinea pig for research sake and I can tell you, they have a lot of cool stuff to work with in those labs._)  I imagine scientists putting little tiny diodes on these caterpillar to study their experience.  Scientists report this is the most painful process this little caterpillar ever experiences in its life.  They have discovered at this point of “goo,” the caterpillar is experiencing excruciating pain in this (quite literal) life-changing transformation.  This is because, after the metamorphosis is complete there will not be ANY caterpillar cells left, they will have all become the butterfly DNA cells.  The caterpillar eye is NOT the butterfly eye, the antennae from the caterpillar is NOT the same as the butterfly, the internal organs are all completely different as well, do you get where I’m going here???  Total transformation!!!  When the transformation is complete, the butterfly must break out of the chrysalis on its own.  If you see a butterfly struggling and you assist it to get free of the chrysalis, you will handicap it.  It will never fly if you don’t let it break free by itself.  This is a journey it must undertake on its own.
This journey begins way back, with the sudden appearance of just one imaginal cell that seems to “call” the caterpillar to transformation so that it can, transform, grow wings and fly!   The most amazing part of this miraculous discovery is that imaginal cells have been found in humans.  Where do you suppose they may have been found??  The brain???  Nope!!!  The heart.  These imaginal cells are dormant but I believe they are beginning to wake up.   This is just my hypothesis at this point but I really believe this is the calling, the being drawn feeling we get in our life when we want a change, when we feel that there has to be something better, when we imagine that maybe we could fly!!!!  But how???!!!!  Now begins the journey to your “tree”…….. Remember that this journey includes patience and perseverance (and so many more strengths you have within you!!).  You may experience pain, you may turn to green “goo”….. And if you do……HOORAY….. Because on the other side of goo, there are wings, there is flight, there is freedom and there awaits a life you were always meant to create.  The good life.  The pleasant life.  The life of purpose and meaning.    Are your imaginal cells beginning to wake up????  Listen to your heart…… it will whisper what you need to hear!  Namaste, my fellow awakeners….. I see you, I hear you and I love you!   Cheers to SOMETHING BETTER….oh, and green goo!!!