Mystical and Spiritual Symbols: The Phoenix
PHOENIX: A universal symbol of the sun, rebirth, resurrection and immortality.This legendary gold and red "fire bird" was believed to die in a nest of cinnamon and myrrh which it ignited. A worm would come out of the ashes and grow into a new phoenix (some versions say an egg or a baby phoenix). Linked to the worship of the fiery sun and sun gods such as Mexico's Quetzalcoatl, it was named "a god of Phoenecia" by the Phoenician. To alchemists, it symbolized the the destruction and creation of new forms of matter along the way to the ultimate goal: the philosopher's stone. To others, it symbolizes the soul rising from the ashes of the physical body.
The phoenix rose everyday at sunrise and spread it's wings in front of the sun to protect man from the harmful rays but allow the benificial ones to get through. The Thunderbird and the Firebird are variations on the Phoenix.
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