Every year, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche prays together with Louise J. Miranda Ramirez, Tribal Chairwoman of the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation, and the Pacific Grove community for the monarch butterflies as they make their epic 3000 mile migration. They come from Washington State, Canada, and the Sierra Mountains to overwinter at the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary and other locations on the central coast of California. From what the Honorable Louise has taught the community over the years, the monarchs are the souls of the ancestors, returning to ancestral Indigenous lands.
Typically starting in October, monarch butterflies cluster together on pine, cypress and eucalyptus trees in the Sanctuary. Their migration to Pacific Grove is so unique that Pacific Grove is nicknamed ‘Butterfly Town, U.S.A.’ The community has always welcomed the butterflies and advocated for their protection. Citizens of Pacific Grove voted to create an additional tax to create the Monarch Grove Sanctuary which is cared for by dedicated volunteers.
The Monarch Grove Sanctuary is located at 250 Ridge Road, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950.
The big “butterfly count” is always conducted the day after Thanksgiving (November 29th in 2024), and you can volunteer! The count is led by the Xerxes Society and the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum. Click here for more info.
Photos from the 2024 Blessing of the Butterflies
All photos courtesy of Miles McBreen/Karma Palden. See also a video on Rinpoche’s Instagram.
