Last Updated on December 19, 2022
The phoenix has been associated with many things, mostly rebirth, resurrection, and renewal. Although there is still a debate about its true origins, stories about this majestic creature has spanned centuries. It’s also present in various countries in many forms. Though their shape and meaning are different, the phoenix is every legend is a symbol of new life.
The Legend of the Phoenix
Experts have traced the origins of the phoenix to ancient Egypt (however, there are scholars who say that Egyptians were influenced by ancient Greeks).
It is said that early Egyptians spoke of a sacred bird they called Bennu. It has similarities with the Greek phoenix in that both beings seemed to burn like the sun, with gold and red plumage. According to legend, Bennu would carry his parent bird to the temple of the Sun by way of a giant ball covered in myrrh. Old illustrations of the phoenix feature it with a halo, highlighting its association with the sun.
In Chinese folklore, the phoenix is called Fenghuang and is more complex. It is said that this creature is made up of different animal parts: a rooster’s beak, a snake’s neck, a tortoise’s back, a fish’s tail, and the head of a golden pheasant, to name a few. Fenghuang is neither male nor female; but it is often seen coupled with the Chinese dragon. Together, they are the symbol of the emperor.
Another interesting phoenix legend is that of the Russian firebird. With a body aflame, stories say that its feathers are so bright, you can light up a room with a single one. Firebirds are often the subject of quests in Russian fairytales. The protagonist would be compelled to find one, usually because of the bidding of a king. In this sense, the firebird becomes a symbol of success as well as doom.
Uplifting Phoenix Quotes
Pain and obstacles are a part of life. We need them to grow, improve, and understand ourselves better. Without suffering, we will never grow to our full potential. So even if it’s painful right now, know that there’s spark inside you. You may be down, but you will rise up – like these beautiful phoenix quotes.
1. “Ready must thou be to burn thyself in thine own flame; how couldst thou become new if thou have not first become ashes!” — Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
2. “We are more than the worst thing that’s ever happened to us. All of us need to stop apologizing for having been to hell and come back breathing.” — Clementine von Radics, Broken
3. “The phoenix must burn to emerge.” — Janet Fitch, White Oleander
4. “I no longer feared the darkness once I knew the phoenix in me would rise from the ashes.” — William C. Hannan
5. “Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise.” — Maya Angelou
6. “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” — Haruki Murakami
7. “And just as the Phoenix rose from the ashes, she too will rise. Returning from the flames, clothed in nothing but her strength, more beautiful than ever before.” — Shannen Heartzs
8. “Sometimes the worst thing that happens to you, the thing you think you can’t survive… it’s the thing that makes you better than you used to be.” ― Jennifer Weiner, Fly Away Home
9. “For a star to be born, there is one thing that must happen: a gaseous nebula must collapse. So collapse. Crumble. This is not your destruction. This is your birth.” — Zoe Skylar (I think)
10. “From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring…” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
11. “Hope rises like a phoenix from the ashes of shattered dreams.” – S.A. Sachs
12. “I’ve died a thousand deaths, each time reinventing myself brighter, stronger, and purer than before. From the midst of destruction, I became the creator of myself. From the midst of darkness, I became my own source of light.” — Cristen Rodgers
13. “Suffering can lead to transformation. And redemption. And marvelous mystery.” — Dr. Allen Hunt
14. “Temper us in fire, and we grow stronger. When we suffer, we survive.” — Cassandre Clare, City of Heavenly Fire
15. “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” — Charles Bukowski
16. “Here in this suffering, all previous beliefs are called into question. They are consumed in the fire sparked and fueled by our own illusion. The pain becomes the ashes we are now entombed in. It is only when we find ourselves at this most imprisoned of junctures that we emerge again, the phoenix of our very life which is ever so much more beautiful than the last one.” — TEAL
17. “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou
18. “Life tried to crush her, but only succeeded in creating a diamond.” — John Mark Green
19. “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” — Rabindranath Tagore
20. “She never seemed shattered; to me, she was a breathtaking mosaic of the battles she’s won.” — Matt Baker
21. “And when all that was left was ashes, she would again clothe herself in flame. Rising from the dust of her past to rekindle the spark of her future. She was a Phoenix, her own salvation; rebirthed, renewed, resurrected.” — LaRhonda Toreson
22. “Often it’s the deepest pain which empowers you to grow into your highest self.” — Karen Salmansohn
23. “A heart filled with love is like a phoenix that no cage can imprison.” — Rumi
24. “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” — Kahlil Gibra
25. “In order to rise / From its own ashes / A phoenix / First / Must / Burn.” — Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Talents
26. “Whether we remain the ash or become the Phoenix is up to us.” – Ming-Dao Deng.
27. “I’m like a phoenix. I rise from the ashes.” – Bess Myerson.
28. “Like the phoenix, socialism is reborn from every pile of ashes left day in, day out, by burnt-out human dreams and charred hopes.” – Zygmunt Bauman.
29. “Don’t hoard the past. Don’t cherish anything. Burn it. The artist is the phoenix who burns to emerge.” – Janet Fitch.
30. “Stars are phoenixes, rising from their own ashes.” – Carl Sagan.