The Story of the Bennu

Bennu is the Egyptian equivalent of the Phoenix. The Phoenix (Bennu) is a bird that lays no eggs and has no young. The Bennu/Phoenix is red, gold, bright, and dazzling, much like the sun. It is believed to have been here when the world began and still lives in a hidden faraway desert spot. The Bennu/Phoenix is the bird of fire. It is known to rise from the ashes despite obstacles it encounters.

Every 500 hundred years, when the Bennu/Phoenix begins to feel weak and old, it flies west to the same mountain area. There, it finds a fragrant nest on top of a palm tree, and once again, it burns to ashes. Each time the Phoenix rises from the ashes, it is fresh, renewed, and ready to orbit.