The Beautiful Symbolism & Meaning Of Purple Butterflies

With their jaw-dropping beauty, purple butterflies are hard to miss. And because of that, they make great spiritual messengers!

This guide covers the symbolism and meaning of purple butterflies, and how you can accurately determine what their presence is telling you about your life.

Purple Butterfly Symbolism

Purple is one of the most powerful colors in color magic. It represents power, mystery, royalty, authority, magic, and the psychic senses. It’s also not very common in nature, so things that are lucky enough to be purple tend to stand out.

Butterflies are also rich sources of spiritual meaning. They symbolize change, transformation, prosperity, and all kinds of positivity. When you pair the color purple and the symbolism of the butterfly, you get a very powerful omen.

Purple Butterfly Spiritual Meaning

Most butterflies come in shades of black, white, brown, orange, or yellow. Purple butterflies are particularly striking and noteworthy. When you see one, it definitely stands out as a special message from the universe.

Here are the most likely meanings associated with purple butterflies.

1. Spiritual Evolution

The color purple is steeped in spiritual symbolism. In candle magic, purple candles are used in workings to strengthen psychic abilities, communicate with spirits, and heighten meditative states.

When you see a purple butterfly, it can mean that you’re reaching a new stage of spiritual evolution. Butterflies often represent growth and change, since caterpillars go through an intense process of metamorphosis. A purple butterfly can indicate that you’ve recently undergone a period of intense inner growth.

It may also be that you’ve been neglecting this side of yourself, in which case a purple butterfly may appear to you to guide you back onto the right path.

2. Abundance

Purple is the color of royalty and authority. While green is typically the color we associate with wealth, purple was historically the most expensive color to produce. In ancient times, it needed to be made from the secretions of certain species of snail, and it took many snails to produce enough dye to color a single garment. Medieval English sumptuary laws even decreed that only the highest echelons of society were allowed to wear purple clothing.

The meaning of a purple butterfly can symbolize a particularly abundant or prosperous period of your life. This may refer to financial abundance, but can also represent abundant friends, or even abundant happiness.

3. Seek Inner Peace

The color purple is frequently connected to meditation. It’s the color of the crown chakra, Sahasrara. In Hindu Tantrism, this energy center governs your connection to the divine, your higher self, and inner wisdom.

A purple butterfly may show itself to you when it’s time for you to seek inner peace. It’s possible that you’ve been more focused on the world around you and haven’t had the opportunity to cultivate tranquility within yourself. It’s time for you to restore your connection to spirit and attempt to achieve inner peace.

4. Take Things One Step At A Time

Butterflies are the culmination of a very delicate process. There’s no room for impatience here — they need to start as caterpillars, fatten up, pupate, and emerge all in due time. Some caterpillars pupate in a matter of weeks, while others can wait for years until environmental conditions are right.

If any of these steps get skipped, then the caterpillar won’t survive to become a butterfly. Metamorphosis can’t be rushed, so this makes butterflies an excellent symbol of patience.

If you see a purple butterfly, the spiritual meaning can be a reminder to take things one step at a time. No matter how much you want to reach your destination, you can’t hurry the process. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, you need to follow the appropriate steps for success.

5. The Importance Of Spirituality

Butterflies are very spiritual animals, and purple is a very spiritual color. To some Christians, these insects are strongly connected to the story of Jesus Christ and his transformative works. To many people of different faiths, purple represents intuition and a connection to the divine.

The sudden appearance of a purple butterfly may be intended to remind you of the importance of spirituality. It’s part of a balanced life, and it’s important to tend to this aspect of yourself.

If you wouldn’t neglect your physical, mental, or emotional health, you shouldn’t neglect your spirituality either. A regular meditative practice and a willingness to appreciate the beauty and mystery of the world can help foster healthy spiritual growth.

6. Positive Inner Dialogue

A positive inner dialogue consists of beneficial self-talk. Many people have a running dialogue in their minds, but, sadly, this can often be negative. Negative self-talk is harmful and sabotaging.

The spiritual meaning of seeing a purple butterfly can be that you need to stop talking down to yourself. Butterflies are a beautiful, special creation, and purple is said to be the highest energy color. If an insect can be this unique and lovely, why would you think any less of yourself?

Practice positive self-talk by trying affirmations. It can also help to stop yourself when you catch your inner dialogue becoming negative. Over time, you can break the pattern of negative self-talk.

7. The Presence Of A Lost Loved One

In some cultures, butterflies are connected to the concept of the soul. Certain colors were said to be lost spirits, trying to find their way to the Otherworld. In some cases, butterflies were the souls of the deceased that returned to visit the living.

When you see a purple butterfly, it might mean you’re in the presence of a lost loved one. You’re regularly surrounded by a team of ancestors, spirit guides, angels, and other benevolent beings. A purple butterfly can be a visible indicator of the kind of spiritual support that you have around you.

8. Self-Reflection

As a color, purple is very intertwined with the mind. It represents the secret senses, like your intuition and connection with your higher self.

Being visited by a purple butterfly can mean there’s a need for some self-reflection on your part. There may be something you’re ignoring in your life that needs your attention. It’s also possible that there are changes that you want to make, but you haven’t yet done the necessary inner work.

9. Stand Out & Be Yourself

Purple butterflies are visually stunning. Their color stands out among all of their brown, black, orange, white, and yellow brethren, and even among the brilliantly colored flowers that they visit. A purple butterfly couldn’t blend in even if they wanted to!

The spiritual meaning of these might be that you need to get comfortable standing out and embracing what makes you special. There can sometimes be value in going along to get along, but hiding yourself only robs the world of your unique voice.

10. Pursue Physical Wellness

While purple is associated with the mind and spirit, there’s something very important to remember. In Hindu Tantrism, the chakras don’t function independently. Each one depends on the ones below it in order to function properly. If the lower chakras are blocked, then energy can’t flow to the higher ones.

This means that, if you want to open your crown chakra and connect to spirit, your intuition, and the divine, you need to take care of your lower chakra needs first. Your physical wellbeing is a precursor to your spiritual growth and development. Even if you aren’t perfectly healthy, it’s still important to do the best you can for yourself so you have the bandwidth to devote to spirituality. If you see a purple butterfly, see if this applies to your life.

What Does It Mean When You See Purple Butterflies Repeatedly?

When you see a spiritual messenger or omen repeatedly, it’s usually a pretty good indicator that they’re delivering a message that you urgently need right now. It’s either very important or related to something that’s going to happen very soon.

The latter part is especially important if you seem to see purple butterflies with increasing frequency. If spiritual meaning relates to an upcoming event, you may notice that they’ll appear more and more as that event gets closer. Make sure you don’t ignore them! This can indicate a major change or an influential person coming into your life.

Sometimes, purple butterflies may continue to appear if you’ve misinterpreted their message. In this case, they want to make sure that you get it right. They may continue to show up until you receive their message accurately and appreciate their symbolism.

Purple Butterfly As A Spirit Animal

In new age terms, a spirit animal is somewhat like a power animal, guide, and personal emblem. They tend to be a creature that you feel a strong connection to, derive inspiration from, and feel enlightened by. It’s unrelated to the concept of spirit animals as used in certain indigenous cultures.

People with purple butterflies as their spirit animals tend to be very confident and self-assured. Don’t confuse this with arrogance, however, for they’re also empathetic and intuitive people. They feel deeply, and aren’t afraid to express what they feel.

These people also generally don’t get upset easily. They know not to sweat the small stuff, and that it’s all small stuff. Instead, they tend to be preoccupied with thoughts related to spirituality, mysticism, and the workings of the universe.

Purple Butterfly As A Totem Animal

Totem animals are used to represent tribal or family groups, but some cultures also embrace personal totems as well.

People who have purple butterflies as their personal totems tend to be very easygoing. They’re great at being calm in a crisis, to the point where other people may gravitate to them for help, advice, and leadership. Despite this, they don’t tend to seek out positions of authority. These individuals are happy where they are.

What It Means When A Purple Butterfly Lands On You

If a purple butterfly lands on you, it can be a sign that a higher being is interceding in your life. If you’ve been having a tough time lately, this can be a great sign.

A purple butterfly that lands on you can also mean that you’ve achieved a level of inner calm and open-mindedness.

The Meaning Of A Light Purple Butterfly

Light purple butterflies represent healing. This can be of the body, mind, or spirit. You are entering a hopeful, positive period in your life.

The Meaning Of A Dark Purple Butterfly

Dark purple butterflies tend to represent luxury, authority, courage, and abundance. You may soon face your troubles with faith and bravery.

They can also indicate that you’ll experience success and wealth later on in life.

The Spiritual Meaning Of Purple Butterflies In Different Cultures

Purple butterflies have been given different spiritual meanings by people around the world. From carrying wishes to guiding the souls of the departed, here’s what they mean in various cultures:

North America

To some Indigenous American people, purple butterflies symbolize good luck. It was believed that catching one and whispering wishes to it would cause the butterfly to carry those wishes to the gods, who would grant them. There were even taboos against harming them.

To others, these insects were portrayed as vain and frivolous creatures.

China

In China, purple butterflies represent longevity, love, and happiness. They feature in the story of a beautiful young woman who was forced to become an emperor’s concubine. She eventually took her own life and was reincarnated as a purple butterfly.

Ireland

Butterflies were connected to the soul and the concept of rebirth. In one story, a beautiful woman named Éadaoin was transformed into a butterfly by a jealous rival. Éadaoin later fell into a cup belonging to the wife of a great warrior. The woman accidentally drank Éadaoin, then became pregnant and gave birth to her.

Greece and Rome

The spiritual meaning of purple butterflies is associated with Psyche, the ancient Greek Goddess of the soul. She was often depicted with butterfly wings.

To ancient Romans, butterflies were symbols of a happy and prosperous marriage.

Egypt

In ancient Egypt, these insects represent reincarnation. They are a symbol of the journey to the afterlife.             

Closing Thoughts

The spiritual meaning of purple butterflies can be rather encouraging. They typically either indicate something good that’s on the horizon, or a call for you to evolve into your true self.

If you have any thoughts or questions about purple butterflies, send them over. We love talking about this stuff with our readers!