When was the last time you ran from your pain?
Welcome back, traveler. Today’s topic is a hard one. A hard one to digest and a very hard one for me to even write about. It isn’t always easy to recognize what’s hurting us because it can turn out to be something we swore was always good for us. It could be something like medication, a diet, or, in my case, a relationship.
While there may never be a clear-cut decision completely free of regret, it is important to recognize the things that harm us so that we can be renewed by it. But before we get into the nitty gritty, I want to draw upon some parallels that spoke to me.
The Phoenix: Rebirth from the Ashes
So many people know of this iconic bird thanks to Fawkes, Dumbledore’s legendary companion in the Harry Potter series, but allow me to give you more insight. The Phoenix is a Greek legend of a massive bird always depicted in flame. It shares similarities from other mythical creatures like the Russian firebird, Hindu garuda, and the Native American thunderbird (although notably less so).
Our immortal bird is said to regenerate cyclically; dying in a spectacle of a large inferno, only to rise again from the ashes of its burned body. Why does this matter to us? Well, I think because the thing that gives it life is what kills it, and by living through its own death, it begins anew.
It came to my attention that the Phoenix can be more than just a tale, but a model of how we should live through our own pain. The Phoenix symbolizes renewal, the sun, time, resurrection, metempsychosis (the transmigration of the soul, i.e., reincarnation or moving on to the afterlife), and some even believe Jesus Christ.
I don’t know about you, but I have been having disturbing thoughts about one thing I treasure the most: my relationship with my spouse. What if this thing I swore was giving me life, is instead actually killing me? How can I, like the Phoenix, be reborn from this pain, too?
I’m sure there is something in your life you want a fresh start on. Who doesn’t? And how do you know what that fresh start should look like?
Symbolism of Fire: What it Means
In Christianity and other religions, fire can have more than one interpretation, depending on the context. Most times, however, when fire is involved in religion...
Read the rest of this post on my blog at https://www.jrwarden.com/fire-rebirth-through-pain/