The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly is a process that has its equivalent in our psychic life. For a certain period in his existence (and this could be millions of years), a human being is like a caterpillar that eats leaves.That is to say, he satisfies his appetites at the expense of others whom he defiles and decimates.
But one day he becomes ashamed of his behaviour and decides to improve himself. He begins to concentrate, to meditate, and to create a cocoon which will protect his inner work, and one day a butterfly emerges from this cocoon. For us, the cocoon represents the aura. A disciple who understands the power of the aura and who works on it no longer ‘eats’ people, just as the butterfly no longer eats leaves, but feeds on the nectar of flowers. Whether you are an ordinary man or an initiate depends on how you feed yourself.

Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
Extract from Daily Meditations,