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Spiritual Development Birds have as their domain the air element, and mediate between the earthly realm and the heaven world. The alchemist in observing the flight of birds, recognised in them a picture of the human soul undergoing spiritual development. |
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The soul, aspiring upwards, flying free of the restraints of the earth bound body seeking the heavenly light, only to have to return to the earthly consciousness again after the meditation, the alchemist symbolised by the bird. Thus the bird symbols, in alchemy, reflect the inner experiences of soul alchemy, the soaring of the soul free from the earth bound body and the physical senses. The soul, in the meditations of soul alchemy, touches upon the spiritual world, and brings something of this back into the outer life again. The birds as symbols mediate between the physical and spiritua1 worlds, they reflect certain archetypal experiences encountered by the soul in its development through the alchemical process. |
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Rebirth The beautiful scarlet and golden Phoenix bird is synonymous with rebirth or recovery, especially after calamity. The lore surrounding the Phoenix bird has countless variations, with some of the earliest accounts dating back to eight centuries before the birth of Christ. It is a stunningly beautiful bird with an entrancing song, captivating enough to make even the Sun stop to listen. If the Phoenix is injured, it can heal itself and enjoy a life span of 500 to more than 1000 years. |
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Transformation With the Peacock stage, the alchemist has entered into the inner experience of the astral world, which initially appears as ever shifting patterns of colour. This experience is often symbolised in alchemy by the appropriate image of the peacock's tail with its splendid iridescence of colour. The turning point is reached with the Peacock. Up until this point the alchemist has experienced aspects of his being which he was formerly unconscious of - the etheric forces and the astral body. Essentially these experiences have happened to him, although he had to make himself open to the experiences. To progress he must begin to work upon his inner being. |
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