The Transformation of the Phoenix
An origin story — firebirds, sunflowers and the courage to begin again
I am excited to let you know I am launching a new Substack Publication called Firebird Feathers. This marks a new beginning in my creative process where my love for writing, visual art and music come together. In the very first Firebird Letter we will explore the myth of the Phoenix and how endings give birth to new beginnings.
Last Whit Sunday, I came together with other creatives in a lovely art studio called De Kust (translation: The Coast). A peaceful and nurturing place that allows me to delve deep into the creative process. I dedicated the whole day to work on an illustration. I felt inspired to draw a phoenix. First I used a picture of a heron as a reference. Then I began to draw more freely as the bird moved through a mythical transformation.
Art always invites me to reflect on my own transformation. I find myself in the midst of a big transition in life. I have decided to leave my home city, The Hague in the Netherlands to travel to South America. This is a big leap of faith that invites me to trust myself as I move into the unknown.
The space in between chapters brings up fears, unhealed wounds and self-doubt. It’s the dark night of the soul before dawn. I noticed it can be tempting to cling to the old, but I have found myself at a turning point where I can no longer deny my true calling.
In the afternoon, a couple arrived. A man gifted his wife the experience of having a full day to create and feel inspired by other creators. She shared she was moving through a transition in her career that brought up deep rooted fears. It was time to let go of her role as a school teacher and trust her intuition to follow a more creative pursuit. After the lunch we moved back to the atelier and she noticed I was drawing a phoenix. She turned around and pointed to her phoenix tattoo on her upper arm. I responded by pointing to the phoenix tattoo on my right calf.
Again I was reminded of the deeper meaning of the mythical bird. A symbol that has guided me through the most challenging yet powerful phases of transformation. It clearly wasn’t a coincidence we sat next to each other. We both found ourselves at a crossroads, an old way of being no longer works, but the new is yet to emerge. We can wait for clarity indefinitely or accept uncertainty as a part of change. More often than not taking a risk is what brings the change we have been longing for in motion.
The phoenix reminds me that what I have outgrown must be released before the new can emerge. In my drawing I noticed a big empty space underneath the phoenix. I felt inspired to draw a sun that transformed into a sunflower. Then I was reminded of how the sunflower lets go of its petals once it’s fully grown and leaves behind the seeds.
Nature reminds me the process of transformation is cyclical. The ending of a chapter carries the seeds of a new beginning. After a period of blossoming the flower is destined to decay and return to the soil. The essence of the flower is contained in the seeds that hold promises of new life.
When we travel back to ancient times, we can find different stories about a mythical bird associated with the sun. Where did the myth of the Phoenix come from? The true origin of the myth remains uncertain, but for today I want to share the story of Bennu with you that inspired my drawing.
In Egyptian mythology, the Bennu bird had an important role in the creation of the world and tells the story of the first dawn. The bird was depicted like a heron flying over the waters of chaos. When Bennu landed on a rock, he opened its beak and its cry echoed far and wide over the water. The cry was an important call to creation which ‘determined what is and is not to be.’
The firebird was born at Heliopolis “City of the Sun” in ancient Egypt. Bennu created itself from a fire at the top of the Persea Tree, a symbol of eternal life and divine knowledge. In ancient texts, Bennu is mentioned as “the Heart-Soul of Ra” who enters the underworld at night to return at dawn. The setting and rising of the sun symbolises the cycle of death and rebirth. After darkness Bennu rises to bring light to the world.
I take another look at the sunflower. The sun rises and sets each day, flowers bloom and decay. The process of transformation invites us to let go of our attachments to identities, people and places. If life gives you a blank canvas; what would you create? What is the most radiant future your heart can hold? Imagination invites us to move beyond our current limitations to create something new.
The myth of the phoenix spirals back into my life for a reason. A major life change invites me to let go of an old way of thinking rooted in fear. I am finally ready to step out of my own way. I was given a lesson. Let go of the baggage of the past and travel lightly. You won’t miss what you have outgrown. The more you are ready to release, the higher you will rise.
2026 Phoenix © Sanne Ham
This is only the beginning of Firebird Feathers. Stay tuned for more tales filled with depth and meaning. I am looking forward to sharing my creative journey with you!