Butterfly Formations Pty (Ltd) was born out of The Butterfly Movement, a transformational programme pioneered by Caroline Green. Over a period of eight years in her role as school counsellor, Caroline strove to make a difference at an inner-city high school in Johannesburg.
The premise of the programme was to enable the students to first embrace their own Belovedness in order to make positive and lasting changes in their lives. In practice, it consisted of weekly Butterfly Messages to the entire school at Assemblies; daily quotes read over the intercom; Butterfly Workshops for individual classes; and the Butterfly Board. The Butterfly Board was a bright space in a busy area of the school building which displayed encouraging messages. From all the feedback she received over the years, it is fair to say that the Movement was successful.
Metaphorically, the school served as a cocoon: a nurturing space in which the students could gradually transform into butterflies – their full Potential. It is as a result of this role that she became known as Mrs Butterfly or The Butterfly Lady.
Premise and Purpose of Butterfly Formations
In today’s world, there is easy access to every temptation possible. Young people cannot depend on external sources to keep them on track – they need to find the Will from within. The key is for us to embrace our Belovedness – with the ultimate aim of taking responsibility for our lives.
The Premise of Butterfly Formations is that human beings make positive changes from a place of self-love and wholeness. It holds that lasting change occurs with a deep-down conviction that We Are Loved. It is this belief that inspires positive movements for change. Each wise choice reinforces the knowledge of our inherent goodness, which in turn propels further positive acts.
It goes without saying that the butterfly is a symbol of new life, change and transformation. It still astounds me that a creature housing the identical DNA of an earthbound caterpillar can transform into a graceful, beautiful butterfly. What then are we capable of? The superior species that we are!
This miraculous process reminds us that we already possess all we need to change – deep within us. This awareness makes all the difference – we don’t need to take a pilgrimage to find our true selves; we simply need to look within, whilst creating the containment needed – the cocoon – enabling our Potentiality to flourish.
The Purpose of Butterfly Formations is to empower and encourage youth to make wise, responsible decisions as they navigate their way through life’s twists and turns. And ultimately to live their Truth.
Founder of Butterfly Formations: Caroline Green aka Mrs Butterfly
Caroline Green has served in the education sector for the past 27 years, primarily as an English teacher and Student Counsellor. Caroline currently works with the Roedean Academy and the Realema Teacher Internship Programme, where she strives to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged youth in the inner-city of Johannesburg. In all her work, her deepest desire is to fulfil her spiritual purpose.
Franciscan Blessing
May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe you can make a difference in the world
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done
to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor