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 the land. In some cases, the fire is needed to ensure the life. Disease, famine, flood, earthquakes and more wipe out hundreds, even thousands of people and their homes at a time, yet, the survivors come together time and time again to rebuild and heal.

As individuals few escape one or more processes of death and rebirth. Not in the literal sense of being clinically dead and resurrected, although, those who have near death experiences would likely disagree. Personal tragedies, traumas, addictions, illness and more can bring us to our knees, even to the edge of death itself, yet, we can and do come back. We heal and grow, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Growth and Transformation

We shed our old self to create space for the new growth and transformation. Allowing the fire of change to engulf the old, we are opened to the possibility of coming through the flames, emerging from the…