Why do we celebrate our Birthday?

My birthday is coming up soon and this led me to think about birthdays in general. Why do we celebrate our birthdays? Is there something special about the day we were born? Well, there is! From an astrological perspective, we come to this planet for a specific purpose. Our astrological natal chart is a mandala of all the planetary energies operating at a specific place and time that is unique to each individual. Basically, we are all manifestations of Spirit that have inca
ated on this Earth at a particular space and time for a specific purpose. The astrological sign that you were born in provides a clue to your nature and your purpose here on this physical plane.

We should celebrate our birthday as a reminder of our original purpose here on this planet. During the year we have sojou
ed through the twelve months and twelve zodiacal signs gaining the experiences that life has to offer us. These are the Twelve Labors of Hercules that we undergo every year. (From an esoteric perspective, Hercules’ Labors are symbolic of the ego’s struggles and triumphs through the twelve astrological signs). Every year, we return to the time of our birth, not quite the same as we were the year before. Each sojou
around the sun is different and brings new opportunities for greater awareness and self-realization.

It's interesting that one of the customary birthday rituals that we celebrate is the receiving of gifts. I am sure most people have fond memories of some of their birthdays they had growing up and the gifts they received. I remember one particular birthday where I received a brand new Schwin bicycle. It was midnight blue with streamers coming out of the handlebars. I was so thrilled! That bicycle enabled me to visit my friends and explore my world in a new way tha
I ever could before, bringing me ever new adventures.

But there is one major gift that we receive every year that most people forget about. And that is the gift of life. God has given each of us the gift of life! It is very easy to forget that. We become so involved with our trials and tribulations that we forget who we are and why we are here. Our birthdays are a celebration of the gift of life, given to us by the Universal Spirit. It is a time to reflect on who we are, what we have been given and what we plan to achieve. It is a time to be grateful to God for our very existence. Thank you, God!

Happy Birthday!
For further information on Twelve Labors of Hercules, please see: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html.