The summer season in alchemy is the same for almost every other cultural wisdom. It’s also symbolic of clarity, illumination, immortality and expression. Much like fire, the sun’s connection to the phoenix in alchemical practice is akin to the cycle of time and cycles of life. Southern symbolism (and hence phoenix symbolism in alchemy) deals with purity, renewal, strength, health and the present moment in time.įire in alchemy is a symbol of transformation, purification, life, creation/creativity, consumption. Here are a few… Phoenix Correspondences in Alchemy In alchemical texts, the phoenix is connected with powerful correspondences. Ancient alchemists employed the Egyptian Bennu in their alchemical rituals concerning life, death and renewal. In addition to the Nile, the art of alchemyalso runs through the land of Egypt. In short, the Egyptian meaning of the phoenix deals primarily with themes of life and death associated with provision.
This flooding was relied upon to sustain agriculture in this region. The Egyptians also felt the Bennu was responsible for the annual flooding of the Nile. The Egyptian phoenix continues its life-giving role with the Nile. This symbolic connection is far-reaching, it implies the Bennu affected life and death for the Egyptians, as there would be no food crops without the Bennu establishing the rising and setting of the sun. In this way, the Bennu is symbolic of the daily death and birth of the sun. It flew with the sun in its beak, plucking it from its sleeping place at dawn, and putting it to rest at sunset. The Bennu was said to control the cycle of the sun each day. Their version of the phoenix was a Bennu, which was part heron, and part falcon. In Egypt, the meaning of the phoenix is connected with the sun and the Nile. To wit, the phoenix was a symbol of Christ in the Middle Ages – specifically, His resurrection – having died on the cross and returned from death in three days, just as the legend of the phoenix. That didn’t pan out too well – the Empire didn’t last forever, but the legend of the phoenix certainly did.īecause of its ability to die and come back to life, the meaning of the phoenix has a foundation of resurrection. In Rome, the phoenix was a symbol of the perpetual continuation of the Roman Empire, and the bird was featured on Roman coins as a reminder of the indomitable strength of the Empire. Herodotus may have borrowed some of his impressions about the meaning of the phoenix from the Greek poet, Hesiod, (b: 700 BC) who proclaims the phoenix as a brilliant bird who could outlive nine generations of ravens. After three days, the phoenix emerged from its own ashes – reborn and released from the sentence of death, able to live on forever. While sitting in the nest, the bird created a great deal of heat, and set itself on fire from its own heat with the cypress serving as kindling. But not in preparation to lay eggs the phoenix was preparing to die. The historian also reported that the phoenix made a nest cypress branches. It was spectacularly large, beautiful and adorned with mind-blowing plumage. With each rendition, the themes are pretty consistent: Transformation, Longevity and Renewal – just to mention a few meanings.Īccording to the Greek historian Herodotus (b: 484 BC), the phoenix was a mythical bird from Ethiopia. Symbolic Meaning of the Phoenix in Myth and LegendĪlmost every culture has a version of the phoenix. Here is a quick-list of meaningful highlights… Symbolic Meaning of the Phoenix Keywords Whichever cultural myth you’re consulting, there are some common symbolic themes of the phoenix. This bird burns brightly in a myriad of cultures, with each one having their own spin on the meaning of the phoenix. This is all about the myth, the legend and the symbolism surrounding an unforgettable symbol of power, strength and renewal. This post isn’t about me, or my phoenix tattoo. I talk about that tattoo and the associated memory here, if you’re interested in reading it.īut I digress. Those are the very best kinds of tattoos in my opinion – the ones that are emblazoned upon more facets of ourselves than just the physical. My tattoo not only embodies the phoenix theme of rebirth, it has profound memory attached to it. I appreciate their symbolic implications so much, I adopted a Japanese phoenix tattoo some years ago. I totally dig the meaning of the phoenix.
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