For all those of you who may be reading this, there are unmistakably special days in your life. Once a young girl went and asked a Mahatma: “If I have realised the presence of God, then should I continue to do all the spiritual practices you talk about?” The Mahatma immediately asked her, “When is your birthday?” She then told him the date and year she was born. “You have to do all the practices,” he replied. Now, is it some astrological connection he was having in mind, she wondered. It is not any esoteric science. If we are remembering our name, if our date of birth makes a special impact on our mind, if we remember who we are and what our role is in life, then we have a very strong body identity.
Which is totally ok, then why not make the best use of it, to improve and evolve? We all
celebrate birthdays, don’t we? Take the birthday celebration of a one-year-old child. Gone are those days when it was a religious ritual like the Ayush Homam where in the presence of fire, the mantras for the well-being and long life of the child were chanted.
Today most birthdays are celebrated with designer cakes in party halls hired for the purpose, with lots of sweets, eatables, beverages, soft drinks, plastic party items. There is a lot of trash that is left behind—mostly non-biodegradable plates, cups, spoons and stuff.
Well, birthdays and other personal anniversaries have a spiritual significance to our lives. They are not just days, but the earth has gone around the sun that many times and come back to the same position as it was on the day we were born. Too much of festivities and fun actually suck out a lot of energy, especially in the case of children.
I have personally witnessed many children who fall really sick after their birthday party celebrations.
Birthdays are very quiet milestones. It is a day when we refresh our perspective of life. It is a day where we clean our own lens and take a clearer look at our goals. Of course, wear those new clothes and eat those sweets and cakes and give to others too. Whatever be your age, it is perfect to celebrate birthday. It is a day when you add a bit of meditation to your life. You can add a bit of silence, quietness, reconnection with the universe that was witness to your birth as a helpless child so many years ago and has contributed to the addition of every cell in your body. May birthdays be a day of thanksgiving, of fresh resolutions, of sharing and opening of the heart. It makes the day much more memorable, meaningful, and of course, what can be more fun than celebrating progress and unfoldment of the best within?
—Swahilya Shambhavi
(www.swahilya.blogspot.com)