Before we continue, have you ever questioned the purpose of being asked to make a wish before blowing out the candles on your birthday?
Well, it’s true that many cultures have long practiced the custom of making a birthday wish before extinguishing a cake’s candles. Although its precise beginnings are unknown, this practice has grown to be a beloved component of birthday celebrations.
And the reasons why people make a birthday wish before blowing out the candles include some of the following:
Symbol of Purity and Divine Light: Candles have traditionally been connected to spiritual importance, illumination, and warmth. Blowing out the candles represents overcoming the dark and beginning anew in the new year. The flame of a candle is seen as a symbol of purity and divine light in many cultures. This is so because people frequently equate fire with light or the sun, which they view as a source of vitality and life. A birthday cake’s candles are extinguished, metaphorically, putting an end to the darkness in the person’s life and inviting in the light.
Superstition: Some individuals think that making a wish and keeping it to themselves increases the likelihood that it will come true. It is believed that blowing out the candles while making a wish allows you to quietly express your desires to a higher power. So, on your next birthday before blowing out the candles on the cake, make a wish on your aspirations and dreams for the coming year. And pray that they come true. But please, dream big (laughs)!
Fun and Tradition: The birthday celebration is made more exciting and mysterious by the tradition of making a wish before blowing out the candles. Regardless of the particular meaning behind it, it has grown to be a beloved practice that people enjoy partaking in.
It’s important to keep in mind that everyone interprets birthday wishes differently. Some might take it extremely seriously and think that their wishes have real power, while others might just see it as a custom without giving it any thought.
Similarly, this information was acquired from studies on the spiritual significance of candles:
Candles were seen in classical Greece as a means of communication with the gods. People used to blow out the candles on their birthday cakes to make a wish that the gods would grant.
In some Native American societies, candles were regarded as a symbol of the spirit realm. It was believed that blowing out the candles on a birthday cake was a way to communicate with the spirits and solicit their favor and blessing.
While blowing out candles on a birthday cake was thought to protect the celebrant from danger in some Chinese cultures because candles were thought to be a way to ward off evil spirits.
But in terms of spirituality, candles stand for illumination, enlightenment, or direction. And I could assure you that this is accurate. I spend three to seven days praying with a white candle whenever I need God’s instruction, guidance, or wisdom on a matter. And in my dream, I get an epiphany or a revelation.
Warning: Please understand that I mentioned only WHITE candles. This is so because holiness, purity, and divinity are only connected with the color white. And it facilitates or helps with effective praying. In other words, it speeds up the effects of prayers. Additionally, it has no repercussions, negative or detrimental spiritual effects and consequences.
Besides, if you’d like to pray with candles, one is enough. But if you must use more than one, then use three or seven. Please, take note of these numbers.