The most universal characteristic of the Phoenix Bird is the bird’s ability to resurrect. Living a long life (the exact age can vary from five hundred to over a thousand years), the bird dies in a self-created fire, flaming into a pile of ashes, from which a phoenix chick is born, representing a cyclical process of life from death. Because it is reborn from its own death, the phoenix also takes on the characteristics of regeneration and immortality.
So the mythological story goes, of the phoenix bird surviving the fire and ashes and re-emerging, resurrecting, into a new being and a new life. Flying high, very high in this reborn life. I resonate strongly with this symbol and this beautiful painting on the cover of this book that is on the wall in my living room. It gives me strength and courage to move forward, to stay in the light, and stand in my truth. As this Phoenix bird energy becomes stronger and stronger in me with each day and each breath and each experience, my light and energy soar higher and higher. It is a wonderful feeling, rising above the grief, sadness, betrayal, trauma, and shock. After we go through the fire and feel it all, we can start to release it and step out of the fire, shake ourselves off, and start a new life; a new path, become whole again; become who we really are and lead the life we are meant to live. We all can have this strength and overcome horrific things in life that we may not believe we could until we go through them.
We can be that phoenix bird and soar higher and higher into the light. We can free ourselves. Just like the mythical phoenix bird that flames to be reborn, this is me now. I still smell the smoldering flames at times. I still feel the loss and destruction at times of something I thought was so good and real. I still have dangling memories of the “good husband” and the good times with him when he was so kind, loving, and gentle with me. Like the phoenix bird, I have shaken myself off. I am growing new wings and colors. I am taking the time to nurture and love myself, to grow into an amazing phoenix bird that will fly and soar. I have been through a great shock and a great trauma and betrayal, the biggest of my life. I can feel the energy of myself soaring, soaring very high above the clouds to things and times I am not even aware of yet. I am growing into this with each new step, each new day, and each new revelation.
This is the healing….this is the gift of the Phoenix…I equate it to a spiritual bird of Light and Grace; filled with compassion, forgiveness, healing, love, strength and courage.
