Embracing the Phoenix In Life

Fire can be a vehicle for destruction or renewal and rebirth. Nothing represents the power of rising from the ashes than the mythical phoenix. The myth found it’s roots in ancient Greek, Egyptian and Middle Eastern mythology.

The Phoenix Myth

This magnificent phoenix, a bird with red, orange and gold plumage, was said to live hundreds of years. As it reached the end of is life it would build a nest of aromatic branches, spices and other materials. When the time came he’d give his wings a single flap and burst into flames.

From the ashes would rise a new phoenix. Tradition ranges from an egg to a full grown phoenix emerging from the ashes. The point is, from the ashes of the death of one rose the next phoenix. It would then gather the ashes and fly off to the ancient city of Egypt, Heliopolis to present them as a tribute to the sun god Ra.

The myth is seen as symbolic of hope, renewal and triumph over death. For some cultures it represents the soul’s journey through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. The myth of the phoenix is a hero’s journey that has been repeated in a myriad of ways throughout history.

The Phoenix Journey in Life

In nature, forest fires wipe out swaths of land, yet, after the fire passes, new life rises to renew…