The Phoenix
I have been reflecting a lot on the power of human strength and redemption. The timing this week is perfect to talk about the Phoenix. This glorious mythological creature is both ancient and ageless. The winged messenger is a sign of divinity, resurrection, and carries a soft scent of myrrh. Legend has it that this magical creature dies only to resurrect itself nine days later at the end of a five-hundred-year cycle. There is also the school of thought that after the Phoenix burns to ash, the bird is born from the first rays of light. It arrives at the break of dawn, wise and watchful despite being only moments old. It has an old soul due to its perpetual reincarnation.
The Phoenix imparts a very important message to our civilization, “That which makes us different is not a burden but a gift, for it also makes us strong.”
There is nothing we need to do to do to access this gift. It is innate. This is the part of our spirit that makes us stand apart from the rest of the crowd—it’s what makes us shine.
Fire demands respect. When we walk through the flames, we sacrifice habits and patterns that we thought we needed to survive. The Phoenix teaches us that sacrifice is acceptance. It’s time to acknowledge that we’ve outgrown a nest that once felt cozy.
Phoenix is a sign of when we tire of one version of ourselves, there’s another version waiting. We have permission to weave our life narrative of victory and defeat, self-acceptance, and self-denial.
