Phoenix

It’s Friday evening, after a busy and fulfilling week, a week during which, as usual, various topics have crystallized in my mind that I think are worth writing a few words about. But I must warn you that this time it will be a little more personal than usual, because next week I will reach my half-century. It always resonates with me that Jung and I are separated by 100 years and a few months.

But returning to the half-century that will begin next week, I decided to share with you today the theme of the phoenix and other symbols in my life.

Have you ever experienced a moment when the characters from your fairy tales, cartoons, novels, or symbols suddenly appear in your life and experiences? Jung would call this the guidance of the Self. Moving to Tenerife has reminded me of the various avatars or other characters I have used in my life. For example, when lecturing to students, I like to use the character of Moana and her relationships with other characters in the story, including the ocean. And yesterday, while walking along the ocean, Moana suddenly popped into my mind not only as a good teaching symbol, but also as a living image in my own psyche. She is someone who overcomes her complexes, follows the path of individuation and the call of the Self, and arrives at the ocean. Apart from Moana, one of the most powerful symbols I have ever liked to use is the image of the Phoenix. Irina Vecvanaga will not let me lie, because I actively used it when my eldest son was little and there was a portal for young mothers called calis.lv. And looking at the meaning of this symbol in relation to my path of individuation, I see that it is also a powerful symbol sent by the Divine.

And exactly three years ago, I went through surgery, chemotherapy, and the horror of poor statistical prognoses. But somewhere inside me was the strength to seek meaning, possible solutions, and to keep hope alive, despite moments of grief and despair, relying on intuition and the unconscious, as well as the paths shown in dreams, including dreams of Asclepius’ snake. Because everything is One, isn’t it? And just as a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, so too is the Phoenix born from the ashes. And so the archetypal transformative energy truly possesses enormous power. It burns away everything that is old, stagnant, and lifeless, but creates something new, and, of course, not without pain or suffering, but that is precisely what gives life ever new direction, excitement, risk, permission (including to write), strength, and meaning.

And it is only through these transformative experiences that it becomes possible to truly get to know oneself, to become aware of and acknowledge one’s own qualities, which one would previously have been afraid to even mention aloud.

Over the years, I have come to understand that we influence each other much more than we can imagine. In many different ways, but what is important is that each of us has our own inner fire and the ability to transform the things around us much more than it might seem at first. And that is why it is even more important to keep in mind what the purpose and direction of my inner fire is today. Do I want to do good, or does my fire bring destruction and ruin (speaking of violent relationships)? And has it already accidentally escaped uncontrolled, and instead of burning stubble, is it already burning my neighbor’s shed?

Only by realizing your inner strength and directing it in the right direction is it possible to fulfill your long-held dreams and fight and fall, and rise again and again. And maybe finally let go of yourself and stop expecting and demanding that everything always be done perfectly and never make mistakes.

And, standing by the ocean, with a happy and joyful inner child, I can honestly admit to myself that yes, the path has not been easy, but now the moment has come when I can simply be and enjoy what is. In alchemy, this is the moment when shadow and light begin to merge, forming a new kind of wholeness. The fire of the phoenix’s rebirth plays a key role here, as it serves to heal and connect opposites.

And then there is the ocean as a symbol of the collective unconscious, which contains all pain, traumatic experiences, and fears, as well as a huge resource for life and vitality as such.

Water and fire are opposite symbols, but not in alchemy, because those who are going through or have gone through transformation know that when fire and water combine, steam is created that rises upwards. Like in the Rosarium, where two combine to create a third. And it is the spirit or power of the soul that carries a person forward. And it is at this moment that we can talk about the Phoenix, or the rubedo stage, as the result of an alchemical process, when a person, through suffering and death on one level, is reborn in a new quality. And perhaps this is also the answer for my clients who are currently at their lowest point—right in the fire, or between the hammer and the anvil. And yes, it hurts right now, and right now it seems that the light in the tunnel has been turned off, but someday the moment will come when the forest will begin to thin out and the trees will become sparser, and light will begin to appear. And I know this because I’ve been there. And it is important to remember that healing means getting to know and appreciate all your imperfections. And it also means being in your fire and in your water. Being brave enough to look your shadows and your lights in the eye, until you can rise from your own ashes and see yourself as you truly are.

I wish myself and others a wonderful week filled with moments of insight on my upcoming birthday!