Ever wonder why we celebrate birthdays? It’s not something I usually ponder, but as I set my intentions towards celebration this month I started to think more about the festivities that surround one’s day of birth. We may never know it’s origin as babies were born long before the written word. Perhaps it’s always been a joyous day that is celebrated each year from birth until death. However, the earliest known record is from the bible, about 3,000 BC from Genesis 4:20. So that makes me feel not so bad that I started celebrating my birthdays when I got older. When I was younger I didn’t want people make a fuss over it, however, since I’m older, I love celebrating my birthdays and friends and families birthdays as well. I’m celebrating life and that I am on this beautiful planet at this time being around amazing people doing very rewarding work.
Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants;and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
The Egyptians started the party, but the Greeks are the ones who gave us the tradition that many would agree is the most important: the birthday cake! Not originally intended for birthday celebrations at all, the Greeks would offer lunar shaped cakes to their moon goddess, Artemis. They started adding candles to the cakes to symbolize the moon’s bright glow. And while we appreciate their contribution, it should be duly noted that at this time only religious figures, such as Pharohs, Gods or Goddesses were worthy of any attention on their birthday. The Romans busted through this golden rule when they started acknowledging well-respected dignitaries on their big day. Still missing from the festivities? Women!
What I find most interesting as I looked into the history of the birthday celebration is that Jesus didn’t even get a nod in the first four centuries! The Christians believed that birthdays were a Pagan tradition and did not practice any sort of celebration for anyone’s birth, even their savior! It’s a riot to think of what Christmas has become in modern day.
It also evoked laughter when I learned my country of origin, Germany, was a huge influencer on modern day birthday rituals. In the 18th century Germany started Kinderfeste, which was a huge jubilee that mothers put together for the children, or the kinder, of their hometown.
One powerful player in the birthday trajectory that often doesn’t get a lot of credit is China. The Chinese government notoriously censored much of the literature throughout the ages so the time of origin is quite blurry, but the Chinese find a ton of importance in the year of birth and the symbolic animal that is associated with that year. My Marketing Director is born in the year of the goat which seems fitting as she is astrologically coined as a Capricorn! China doesn’t get much credit for their birthday contributions as traditionally you were given noodles to eat that represented the wishes for longevity and prosperity in one’s life.
There are so many celebrations throughout the year, but it’s been fun to explore the history of the birthday party. Slim’s birthday is in July and it always marks a good time for me to pause and think about all of his contributions. My life was forever changed after our fortuitous meeting in 1997. The Light-Life Tools were Slim’s life work and soon became mine after I learned firsthand about their powerful healing properties. I hope you’ll join me this month as I celebrate all that we learned from Slim. While there are so many birthday traditions in the world, I hope you’ll join me as I activate my Harmonizer in his honor and set my intentions towards celebration. Just think if all of us joined in together each year on this practice? The world would be a very joyous and exuberant place indeed. Until then, wishing you many blessings and many reasons to celebrate!
The Light-Life Harmonizers are all built using various cubit lengths
