Purple Butterfly Meaning: What Do Purple Butterflies Symbolize?

Blossoming lavender and flying purple butterfly in nature

What does it mean when you see a purple butterfly, and what do purple butterflies symbolize? Let’s find out.

The color purple has long represented various ideas that include royalty, wealth, and a state of grace. Seeing a purple butterfly in your daily life or your dreams is representative of change for the better, an innate serenity, and gentle strength to help you make it through tough times. It also represents the positive changes that are coming your way, and your spiritual state is going to improve in the near future. The purple butterfly represents transformation and the ability to handle the changes without worry or stress.

The color purple in butterflies is one of the least common colors exhibited by this graceful and peaceful member of the insect world. As a result, you’re not likely to notice a purple butterfly as it goes about its business. Encountering a purple butterfly has a host of meanings and symbolism that indicate something wonderful is about to happen or is happening in your life.

What Butterflies Represent

Illustration of rainbow colored butterflies

Butterflies have gained multiple meanings, symbolism, and representations from around the world, but they all have a common theme in the form of the butterfly being a symbol of happiness and joy. All the things that a butterfly represents are positive affirmations that you’re in the presence of something wonderful, and you’re going to have your own positive experience or dream come true.

The core symbolism of a butterfly is that of transformation and rebirth. This stems from the butterfly’s transformation from a flightless caterpillar into a winged insect that looks nothing like it did before it pupated. A visit from a butterfly is supposed to impart some of that transformative power onto you and make a dream come true, make you feel hopeful, and have the promise of better times ahead. Some of the meanings and symbolism of butterflies include:

Rebirth
Spiritual awakening
Renewed consciousness
Joy
Transformation
Change
Hope

These are some of the meanings and symbolism applied to butterflies in general. The purple butterfly, while not a common color for butterflies in general, has a few of its own meanings and symbolism that make it special to spot one in the wild.

Symbolism and Meaning of the Purple Butterfly

The color purple on its own is full of symbolism and meaning. The real-life implications of purple are also applied to a sighting of the purple butterfly as well as the ones associated with the butterfly itself. Butterflies are strongly connected to the spiritual world due to their phoenix-like qualities of rebirth. The addition of the color purple to the butterfly takes the symbolism and meaning to a higher level of spirituality as it represents strength, wealth, and beauty.

Royalty

Watercolor painting of flying purple butterflies

Purple has been associated with royalty for thousands of years. The original version, known as Tyrian purple, comes from the mucus of the Murex snail and required large quantities of the snail to produce the color. The color was originally discovered by the Phoenicians almost 2,000 years before the common era and was in use until the synthetic purple dye was discovered in the 1850s. The cost of creating purple dye was expensive, causing it to be restricted to use by royalty.

In turn, the purple butterfly can be considered the royalty of the insect world.

Those of royal blood used to provide justice and authority to the people they ruled as they wore their purple robes. The purple butterfly can be considered an extension of the powers that royalty once carried, and you might expect the same to happen in your life if you happen to see one.

Personal Introspection

Illustration of human head made up of purple butterflies

Viewing a purple butterfly is a sign or symbol that it’s time for you to slow down and take the time to reflect upon something you’ve been ignoring. It’s also a sign that you should take note of what was going on when you sighted the butterfly, and look for meaning in that moment.

You may feel like your life has stalled, or that you’re stuck in a situation that’s not resolving in the way you’d like it to. Spotting a purple butterfly is a symbol that things are about to change and you’ll be able to move forward in a positive way.

Are you a creative individual, but haven’t been able to find your muse? An encounter with a purple butterfly in any shape or form is a sign that it’s time to draw upon your creative energy and make something beautiful.

The butterfly is a symbol of rebirth or the birth of an idea. You may be at a stage in your life where you’re on the cusp of change or on the brink of a new way of thinking. A purple butterfly represents that change along with the inner strength and grace you’ll need to achieve the transformation.

Spirituality

Artistic image with purple butterflies and wild flowers in the background

Purple and violet are strongly associated with the practice of spirituality. Combine that with the symbolism of the purple butterfly and you get a potent representation of positive changes on the spiritual level. The arrival of a purple butterfly may represent the fact that the person who sees the butterfly is starting on a spiritual journey that will change their life, or is on the right path to achieving their spiritual goals. They also represent the connection between you and a higher entity, or divine intervention is going to occur.

The purple butterfly also features strongly in spiritual meaning and symbolism. For some, the viewing of a purple butterfly signals they’re doing the right things in life and they should continue doing so.

Seeing a purple butterfly may indicate that the crown chakra, one of the seven centers of energy in the body, is opening and you’ll start experiencing a stronger feeling of connection to yourself and the universe around you. On a more practical level, the crown chakra helps you find solutions to old issues you’re dealing with and opens up new pathways.

This color of the butterfly is a symbol for a spiritual journey that is going to be rewarded by reaching one’s final form.

Seeing one in a dream or in life symbolizes an upcoming encounter with someone who brings abundance and prosperity your way. Another meaning of seeing a purple butterfly in a dream is an acknowledgment that higher entities are watching over you and protecting you.

If you find yourself killing a purple butterfly in your dream, don’t panic. You’re not killing your hopes and dreams or doing something cruel to the butterfly. Instead, it shows that you are ready to leave behind the unimportant issues and focus on the ones that will bring you joy and prosperity.

The Loss of Multiples After Birth

Colorful silhouette of mother walking with her child

When twins or triplets are born and one or more don’t survive, a picture of a purple butterfly is placed on the door of the room to signify the loss. This symbolism involving the purple butterfly is a sorrowful one for an otherwise uplifting creature, but is viewed as an appropriate symbol of loss and mourning for this situation.

The Purple Butterfly as a Spirit Animal

Having a purple butterfly as a spirit animal or totem means you’re someone who is strong in their self-confidence and has a gentle strength that makes people take you seriously. You may also possess an intuitive nature that allows you to see the truth of a situation before others do, and you trust your intuition to guide you on your right path. It’s also representative of an open and positive mind that is almost free from worry. You’ll find it easy to make friends and develop great relationships with them over time.

Someone who has a purple butterfly as a totem is more likely to have an easier time with their life. They have less overall stress, don’t worry about the pressures of daily life, live in the moment, and always seem to be replete with good fortune. They may not be leaders, but they have leadership qualities that have people coming to them for guidance. Someone with the purple butterfly as a totem comes across as someone who never worries, has no stress, and always manages to look good no matter how bad the situation may be.

What Does It Mean When a Purple Butterfly Lands on You?

Silhouette of purple butterfly landing on woman's head

If you’re fortunate enough to have a purple butterfly land on you, it means that you’re ready to open up your mind to peace and tranquility in your daily life. It also represents the intervention of a higher entity in your life that is coming to relieve you of a heavy load that you’ve been carrying around.