Every customary birthday celebration will have a cake and candle as part of the occasion. While the cake is cut by the birthday celebrant the candle would be blown out when the ‘happy birthday’ wish is sung.
I noticed a senior friend telling us on the occasion of celebrating his birthday that he was not used to blowing out the candle on the cake. He added that, if candle represents life, let the candle burn out! This was the first time I came across such an insight and practice.
It is good to look at symbols that convey meaning and insight.
I have had occasions to reflect on this. The symbol of cake represents the wish for inner fullness of life on the occasion of birthday. The inner fullness has the dimensions of joy, contentment, hope, altruism, faith, relationship with God and others, etc. The burning candle is a symbol of the life that is lived publicly. The candle gives light and warmth. The candle dispels darkness. It shows the way to a path finder. It is able to light other candles to make a collective impact of light. A burning candle has a span of time for it to burn after which only its remnant would stay on without its wick. This is why the senior friend was hesitant to voluntarily blow out the candle.
Le me suggest that we turn our birthdays to meditate on, Life, Living and Learning. It is good to dwell on these three themes in connection with every birthday to make our lives more connected with the past, present and future. Remembering our day of birth is one way of viewing our life through how we have lived and what we have learned! It then becomes a means for revision of life. The birth day thus becomes another beginning in continuity with the past.
One habit which has become part of my birthday celebrations is a daily reflection for a week prior to the birthday, when I set apart time to revisit my life in blocks of seven years. Each block of seven years when revisited each day meditatively, usually brings to surface truths that remained hidden or unknown till then. That is one way to prepare for the birthday, when the cake and candle would become symbols of our inner and outer life.
M.C.Mathew
I have had occasions to reflect on this. The symbol of cake represents the wish for inner fullness of life on the occasion of birthday. The inner fullness has the dimensions of joy, contentment, hope, altruism, faith, relationship with God and others, etc. The burning candle is a symbol of the life that is lived publicly. The candle gives light and warmth. The candle dispels darkness. It shows the way to a path finder. It is able to light other candles to make a collective impact of light. A burning candle has a span of time for it to burn after which only its remnant would stay on without its wick. This is why the senior friend was hesitant to voluntarily blow out the candle.
Le me suggest that we turn our birthdays to meditate on, Life, Living and Learning. It is good to dwell on these three themes in connection with every birthday to make our lives more connected with the past, present and future. Remembering our day of birth is one way of viewing our life through how we have lived and what we have learned! It then becomes a means for revision of life. The birth day thus becomes another beginning in continuity with the past.
One habit which has become part of my birthday celebrations is a daily reflection for a week prior to the birthday, when I set apart time to revisit my life in blocks of seven years. Each block of seven years when revisited each day meditatively, usually brings to surface truths that remained hidden or unknown till then. That is one way to prepare for the birthday, when the cake and candle would become symbols of our inner and outer life.
M.C.Mathew
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