Hi!
Today, a young bird fell into the neighbors' chimney and then straight down the shaft into my apartment. I heard a chirping sound, opened the shaft door, and there was a tiny bird standing right behind it in the ashes. I took it outside, and it flew away. Now I keep wondering what this could mean. I live here since 10 years and this is the first time happening.
When it comes to omens it´s always good to try to observe the circumstances. For example: What was going on inside of your when this happened? Has life brought up any specific theme lately, were you thinking of something special?
Colors, directions, anything else that caught your attention, etc?
In general term it´s an omen about setting yourself free, I´d say. What do you think the ashes represent in your life at this moment?
Staffan
I’m definitely also thinking of the phoenix that rises anew from the ashes. When it happened, my son was sitting next to me—he had just returned from a school camp and told me he had gained many new experiences and that he had changed.
He’s currently going through an intense phase of puberty, a real crisis, and I see the bird in the ashes as a symbol of renewal—but also of the crisis, the fall through the chimney shaft—almost like a birth.
Being trapped in the sooty passage reflects a kind of darkness—my son sometimes goes through depressive phases. And since my life is closely intertwined with his, the meaning also relates to me personally.
The bird was eventually free, but it was still a young bird—I was afraid it might not survive out there in the world. These are my own fears as a mother of a child who has always been different, someone who doesn't fit the mold.
Thank you for your impulse, Staffan!
@tamarap I also immediately thought phoenix 😊 and I thought of mitra aditya in the context of needing someone to help or, in your son’s case, being a catalyst of potential
@tamarap Well, that puts things in perspective. Seems spot on. It cuts out your task for the upcoming years it seems - learn to trust your son and let him go.
The Cinderella myth comes to mind. In French it´s "Cendrillon", meaning "Little ashes". In Swedish it´s "Askungen", "the ash child". In German "Ashelputtel".
Living through an ash state - being grey and invisible, taking care of the lower tasks in the kitchen like taking out the ashes etc - is litterariy a phase that we should live through at a certain age, typically in the teenages. If we don´t do that, it might manifest as depression.
And then the rise of the phoenix, of course.
Robert Bly has written about this in his book Iron John.
I remember him telling that back in the days in Scandinavia, people used to live in long houses, and the young men at a certain age would sleep by the fire, in the ashes. Didn´t wash, didn´t care. And then, when spring came and it was time to go "viking", they raised and shone. True or not, i don´t know.
In that book he also tells about initiation rituals for young men and how they are needed. Men have to be introduced to adult society by men, well, at least that´s my belief. If they aren´t, they will have a hard time finding there role in life. Sadly, in our time and culture, we don´t have much of that left anymore, spaces for men only in which elder men can teach and introduce younger.
It might interest you to know that there is a tale similar to Cinderella from Norway in which the main character is a boy in stead of a girl. It´s name is Askeladden, Ashlad in English.
Staffan