Power of transformation - coaching and imaginal cells
Transformation literally means going beyond your form.
Wayne Dyer
I had a weekend whereas part of the Business Coaching Diploma faculty I deliver with one of my amazing co leads another module, Zana Goic Petricevic. This time, synchronicity of that space showed up with the journey of the caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. And it continue to show up on Sunday, and on Monday in my meetings when I returned to work. Ergo this article.
Synchronicity is a concept introduced by Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology, to describe events that coincide in time and appear meaningfully related, yet lack a discoverable causal connection. Jung held that this was a healthy function of the mind, and I realized how many people have the power to recognize it even if they can’t label it.
All these inspired me to finish and publish the article inspired by the story of the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly that attracted me in Leon Vanderpol’s - A Shift in Being.
Have you ever wondered how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly? The transformation isn’t just about growing wings—it’s a complete metamorphosis, guided by something extraordinary called *imaginal cells*. These tiny, visionary cells hold the blueprint of the butterfly within the caterpillar, even before it begins to change.
In my experience - coaching works the same way. Whether you are going through a personal or professional growth, a career shift, or deep inner work - transformation is not only about improvement - is is about becoming a new you. This article is build as a parallel between the metaphor and the power of a coaching process.
Each caterpillar, long before it starts to spin a chrysalis, grows special cells - it is a natural process. These *imaginal cells* are different from the rest of its body, holding the DNA of the butterfly it will become. At first, the caterpillar’s immune system resists them, seeing them as a threat. But as more and more imaginal cells appear, they start connecting, communicating, and working together. Eventually, they take over, dissolving the old structure and forming something completely new.
Does this sound familiar? Transformation—whether personal or professional—is often met with resistance. When we start to change, old habits, fears, and beliefs fight to keep us the same. But with support, guidance, and trust in the process, something new emerges. And here is where the coaching can support you. The relationship between a coach and the client acts like that safe container that holds the deep change - a chrysalis.
The coaching space offer you as a client:
Safety - just like the cocoon protects the caterpillar, coaching is a judgment and label free space where you as a client can explore your deepest fears and desires.
Mirroring - a coach mirrors back supporting you to recognize your own “imaginal cells” - the emerging parts of yourself that hold the potential and the growth.
Integration - as the old version of you transforms into the new one, coaching support you to make sense of the change, holding the space where you step into your new reality as you have build it.
This can be seen in the growth of a person that wants to become a coach while they are just stepping into the new role leaving behind believes and , a person that is moving from people pleasing observing and letting go of patterns that don’t serve them any longer, someone that changes careers after spending years in a corporate environment goes for fulfillment and starts the path to entrepreneurship and I have so much more examples from my coaching clients.
Embracing the change or your won metamorphosis is rarely comfortable. It requires of letting go of the old, unlearn patterns, and trusting the unknown, embracing the new. Just like the caterpillar goes into the process and does’t have to “figure out” how to become a butterfly - its imaginal cells already “know” - you, too, have within you the seeds of your own evolution.
A coach does’t give your the answers - listens with curiosity, mind, heart and gut, mirrors back with questions and in this space where they see you as natural born resourceful, creative and whole she helps you to listen to the wisdom already inside of you. If you’re feeling the pull of change, perhaps it’s time to step into your own chrysalis and discover who you’re meant to become.
Are you ready to spread your wings? 🦋
The journey from caterpillar to butterfly is one of profound transformation, just like the coaching experience. As a coach I can be your partner in a transactional way (from A to B in reaching your goal) or in a transformative way where you enjoy discover what is under the waterline. Whether you’re navigating change, seeking clarity, or stepping into a new version of yourself, remember—you are already wired for growth. All you need to do is trust the process.
If this resonates with you I’d love to invite you to journal a reflexive practice on the question: What’s one area of your life where you feel that you need to trust your “imaginal cells” and trust the process?
