The emblem of our Order is the phoenix – a universal symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Legends of the phoenix-type bird abounded throughout many civilisations of the ancient world, where it was said to symbolise renewal, resurrection and life in the heavenly paradise. Its influence can be found worldwide. Relatively few people are aware that the supposed "eagle" featured on the Great Seal of the United States is in fact intended to be a phoenix, sending out a subliminal message of the "New World" (America) arising out of the ashes of the Old (the British Empire).
In recent years this ancient symbol has undergone something of a renaissance in popular culture, thanks in no small measure to the inclusion of Professor Dumbledore's pet phoenix Fawkes in J.K. Rowling's blockbuster Harry Potter franchise. In mythology, a phoenix dies by bursting into flames before being reborn, arising triumphantly from the ashes of its predecessor. Traumatic life events often represent a similar breaking down of old dysfunctional patterns of living and thinking in order to make way for new patterns more in tune with the improved lifestyle you will go on to enjoy.
Fawkes Regeneration, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Warner Bros, 2002
At the time that it happens, the breaking down of the old can be hugely traumatic, devastating and destructive. Like the phoenix bursting dramatically into flames at the end of its life-cycle, it can seem like literally the end of the world. And in a sense it is. It’s the end of an old world, old ways of thinking and acting, old outdated methods of living and working and old relationships which no longer serve you. It could be that you’ve lost your job, that a marriage or long-standing friendship has ended or that circumstances are forcing you to make a geographical move about which you’re uncertain. Such changes are natural sources of anxiety and apprehension. Letting go of the past can be extremely difficult and frequently involves a significant emotional wrench. But sometimes you simply have to let go of the past in order to clear the way for an entirely new life which may well prove to be much better than the old one.
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The concept of birth-death-resurrection has been hardwired into creation and into the collective unconscious of humanity since ancient times and can be seen reflected not just in the symbolism of the phoenix but also in the archetypal phenomenon of the ‘dying-and-rising-god’ or messiah who traditionally sacrifices himself for humanity only to be reborn anew. The most famous example of this is obviously Jesus Christ who was tortured to death on the cross by the Romans and rose from the dead on the third day. However, the same principle spans all cultures and faiths and can be seen reflected also in the stories of the Egyptian Osiris, the Greek Dionysus and the Roman Bacchus among others as well as in the symbolic rituals of Freemasonry which enact the death of the allegorical character Hiram Abiff. The Christian celebration of Easter was in fact preceded by the pagan festival Ostara which marked the symbolic death of winter and the "resurrection of the light" with the arrival of spring. Sound familiar?
Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose
- Master Yoda, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980
The process described by these stories refers not only to literal death and resurrection but can also be viewed on a metaphorical level as symbolising the transmutation one goes through in the course of self-improvement work and spiritual growth. The eminent Swiss psychologist Carl Jung viewed the dying-and-rising god as an archetypal figure symbolising the process of transformation which a person undergoes in evolving towards their greater personality or "Higher Self". The key to this transformation is that new growth can only come about through the death of the old. It is therefore necessary for old and outworn forms to first be broken down in order to make way for the new. We have to be prepared to let go of attachments - the unhelpful habits and behaviour patterns which keep us shackled to the past. Buddha famously said that “the root of suffering is attachment”. Or to quote from another great sage - none other than Jedi Master Yoda from Star Wars: “Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose”.
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There is an inherent danger in human nature that we tend to cling to the old for the sake of comfort and security - whether that be an old shirt, a job, a habit or a relationship - but sometimes we have to recognise that change is necessary for growth. Have you ever wondered why spring cleaning feels so satisfying? Purging ourselves of unneeded old possessions provides us with a buzz because we’re severing attachment to things which no longer serve us, in much the same way as the human body sheds dead cells.
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Take a look in your wardrobe. Is it full of old clothes that you haven’t worn in years and never will again? It’s human nature to try to cling on to these things because of the memories associated with them but in truth this is simply keeping you chained to the past and unable to move forward with your life. Living in the past is not helpful, so do yourself a favour and have a proper clear-out. Try it now. It’s surprisingly liberating. If you're not getting the results that you want, then take a good look at your life to see if there's some piece of redundant baggage which hasn't been jettisoned. We must have the courage to let go of the past, to allow the old to “die” in order to clear the space for potentially exciting new chapters in our lives. We cannot build a new house on a plot of land where a ruin stands without first destroying the ruin.
The ultimate goal of all self-improvement work is to become the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. This doesn't mean putting on a false facade and trying to be something you're not. Quite the reverse. It means becoming the true and ultimate you - the shining jewel at the very core of your being. It's about unleashing the phoenix within. The world-famous hypnotist Paul McKenna puts it rather well in one of his self-improvement books when he states that we all essentially have three selves. There's the person we're born as - a glittering, untarnished diamond with infinite potential. Then there's the person we become as a result of stressful life experiences and the social and cultural conditioning we're subjected to by our parents, teachers, peers, employers and colleagues. This somewhat bruised and battered version can be likened to a lump of coal due to the original diamond having become covered by years of accumulated muck and grime. Then, in an attempt to hide all our flaws and insecurities from the outside world, we go and paint over the muck with brightly-coloured nail varnish, choosing to project a fake image full of false bravado rather than admitting to being monumentally messed-up inside.
But the answer to our problems lies not in painting over the cracks. The solution is instead to scrape off the layers of muck to reveal the original pure diamond underneath with all of its shining potential still intact. It's a process of unpeeling the onion, layer by layer, until the original diamond at the core of our being is revealed. The diamond is still there, just as it always has been since the day you were born, but it's become obscured by all the rubbish life has thrown at it. The diamond is the true self, the “Chosen One” or Christ within, temporarily entombed but waiting to be reborn. Unearthing it is an evolutionary process which the Hindus call yoga, western esotericism refers to as alchemy and which Jung termed Individuation.
In Jungian Psychology, the first phase of the Individuation process is the shedding of the false self which Jung termed "the persona". The persona is the social mask we wear to fit into society. Its formation begins early in life as the pull of conformity causes us to identify most strongly with elements of our personality which are in harmony with the social values of our day, while rejecting those that clash with social norms. Think "peer group pressure" and you're on the right lines. The problem, however, is that many people reach a point where they believe they are the social mask they wear and in so doing they cut themselves off from the deeper realms of the psyche. Anyone wanting to take the conscious path of individuation must therefore accept that their social mask represents only a tiny fraction of their total personality. Peeling back that onion can be a difficult and traumatic process but, as we’ve seen, the destruction and breaking down of old outworn forms is a vital part of the process if we are to uncover the inner phoenix burning brightly underneath.
The process can be compared to the salamander which, like snakes and reptiles, constantly renews itself by shedding its skin. Funnily enough, the salamander is another common symbol of regeneration and in mythology is widely associated with fire and with our old friend the phoenix. Our ancestors believed that salamanders were actually born in fire – a belief thought to stem from the fact that they would take shelter within rotting logs, from which they would later emerge when the logs were tossed on a fire. No less a figure than Leonardo Da Vinci added considerable fuel to the salamander's mythological reputation when he wrote that they possessed no digestive system and lived purely off the flames of the fire. Once again we see the power of the regeneration metaphor.
In our AMHOP logo, created by graphic designer Daniel Laing, note the distinctive shape of the letter O in the word Phoenix which has been skilfully designed to resemble an ouroboros – the snake that swallows its own tail. This ancient Hermetic symbol dates back to Ancient Egypt and is commonly associated with regeneration, reincarnation and immortality as well as with the cycles of time and nature that we’ve been discussing. In the ouroboros, the snake’s tail is a phallic symbol, while the mouth represents a womb. The serpent is simultaneously destroying and recreating itself… just like a phoenix.
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
- J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan