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Celebrating yourself with an intentional birthday ritual is a beautiful way to practice self-love, boost your self-esteem and take advantage of the opportunity to create some luck and magic for yourself in the coming year.
In this detailed guide I’m going to share an approachable, inspiring and uplifting birthday ritual anyone can do on their special day.
Grab a cup of cacao and let’s dive in!
Celebrating yourself through a birthday ritual is a wonderful way to increase self-love and connect to your desires for the year ahead.
What is a birthday ritual?
Have you ever had a birthday that felt melancholy? Maybe it brought up feelings of regret, not-enoughness, grief or even loneliness.
Well, this birthday ritual I’m going to share is a wonderful way to inspire a boost of self-love and renewed potential for the future.
Starting your birthday by filling up your cup with self-love, self-care, and personal power is a great way to combat any dense feelings that may come up on your special day.
A birthday ritual can of course be anything you want it to be!
The point of a birthday ritual is to love, celebrate and inspire yourself to feel good and empowered as you take another journey around the sun.
It’s simply taking some time for yourself to reflect and connect with feelings of self-love, self-appreciation and future desires.
Why you should do a birthday ritual every year
Making it a priority to do a birthday ritual every year is tied into intentional living.
The more intention you put into your life and your daily experiences, the better outcomes you will experience. (hello, dream life manifesting!)
When we go through life celebrating birthdays, holidays, and regular ol’ days on autopilot, we leak and drain away our personal power.
Make the most of it by taking your power, focus and intention back into conscience!
Sure, we all may have days (and even birthdays) where we only have the energy, health or wherewithal to survive and be human- and that’s perfectly okay.
But if you’re here, on this blog and drawn to this article, I think it’s safe to say you want more. More fulfillment. More pleasure. More abundance. More rest. More alignment.
THAT’s what a birthday ritual can bring you… open up the doorway to a journey around the sun that’s filled with more YOU.
Astrological Significance
In astrology, your birthday is known as your solar return. It’s the moment when the Sun returns to the exact position it was in at the time of your birth, marking the start of a new astrological year.
If you think about the sun and all it does for us (provides warmth, sustains growth, provides energetic cleansing), you can tap into a moment of reverence as it repositions itself into the same place it was when you were born.
Birthday Ritual Journaling to Release the Misaligned Pieces of my Past Year
Perhaps starting the evening before- bring to mind what you’d like to leave behind.
Take the night before your birthday to do a quick life review and journal the following:
- What regrets do I have from the past year?
- Am I carrying any sorrow, pain, guilt or grief thats accumulated over the year?
- Did I honor the boundaries I set for myself and follow through on what I said I’d do?
- Is there any thought patterns, beliefs, relationships or environments that I want to leave behind as I move into a year of more alignment and abundance?
Recommended: Magic of I Journal
Birthday Ritual fit for a Goddess: Step-by-step for the Best Day Ever
Happy Birthday! It’s here. Your solar return. You’re in your astrological season, the sun is shining on you and it’s your day to be loved on and celebrated- even if that’s only coming from yourself!
Here’s a step-by-step outline to having the most incredible, love-filled, personal-power-activating, and rejuvenating day… get ready to step into your best year ever and up-level your life and yourself in every way.
Let’s begin!
1. Set the Vibe
As you awaken, take a moment to stretch and take at least 5 deep breaths. Bring focus into your body and simultaneously give thanks for all it’s done to sustain you over the years.
Open up the blinds and make your bed. Don’t even think about touching that phone yet!
Light your favorite herb or spritz some cleansing spray and speak blessings of clarity and richness into your life.
Thank the universe/god/your spirit team/ancestors/spirit for carrying you through another year here on earth.
Recommended: Ethically Sourced White Sage and Lavender Bundle or smoke-free Raise Your Vibration Holy Water Spray
2. Meditation and Gratitude Ritual
Prepare a comfortable, sacred space for yourself to sit.
I like to set out my plush blanket on the floor, then place my grounding mat on top. (Recommended read: I Tried Earth and Moons Grounding Mat: Heres What I Think!)
Either with some solfeggio frequency music from youtube or a guided meditation, take the time to plug into your breath, connect to your higher spirit and allow your energy to recalibrate to a new year.
3. Birthday Visioning Journal Session
This doesn’t have to take long, but its worth taking a few minutes to journal out your vision for the year.
Recommended Birthday Journaling Prompts:
- What do you want this year to look like for you?
- What feelings would you like to experience more often this year?
- Do you have a word of the year you’d like to use for a mantra?
- What goals would you like to accomplish?
- What activities bring you peace and joy? How can you make more time for those this year of your life?
- Write down 10 things you love about yourself or you are proud of from your past year of life
4. Water Cleanse
Light a candle (I love the vibe of a burning candle in the morning!) and prepare your water- either a bath or shower.
Candle recommendation: Pure Honey Beeswax Candle (non-toxic, high-vibe and a gentle honey scent!)
I recommend a bath if you’re trying to relax and release, or a shower if you’re trying to rejuvenate and re-energize.
Drop a few of your favorite essential oils into the tub- either filled with water or just at the bottom of your shower. I recommend frankincense, lavender or orange.
Before hopping in- take a moment to dry brush over your body. This helps your lymphatic system to move any stuck energy, inflammation or fluid retention- giving you that refreshed birthday glow.
Its also a really good way to connect with your body and amplify feelings of self-love and self-care in your ritual.
As you get into the water, cleanse your body mindfully and with intention. Go slow and wash your body as you think positive, loving thoughts about it. Affirm: “I love myself, my skin, my body, my heart. Thank you for sustaining me another year.”
Recommended: Luxurious Non-Toxic Body Wash, Holi (wash) by Agent Nateur.
5. Moisturizing Oil
After your water cleansing and drying off, apply some body oil to moisturize and glisten yourself!
My go-to is Agent Nateur Holy (Body). It smells irresistible and feels incredibly luxurious. Plus, its top-quality, clean beauty made with quality, non-toxic ingredients.
Take your time as you apply the oil and keep your affirmations and gratitude for yourself in mind.
Recommended reads:
6. Prepare a Cup of Ceremonial Cacao
I have an entire article on this here, but on your birthday morning its a great idea to enjoy the ritual of ceremonial cacao.
It opens up the heart, connects you to feelings of bliss, and grounds your energy (important especially if you’re going to be around other people or in excitement energy).
For a birthday ceremonial cacao ritual, follow the steps below.
- Get out your favorite mug. I have a dedicated ceremonial mug that I like to use for my rituals or when enjoying cacao. You can find a similar one here: Ceremonial Mug
- Add two tablespoons of ceremonial cacao to your mug while you heat up some water. I use an electric kettle but you can just boil on the stove too!
- Gradually add the water to your cacao as you stir intentionally. I use this part of the ritual to recite my affirmations, gratitude or prayers. Invite the spirit of cacao to join you on your special day, and be open to what that looks like.
You can use the following affirmation if you’re not sure what intentions to stir into your cacao. “I am so grateful to enter into a new year of my life. I love myself, I am powerful, I am beautiful, I am capable of creating the life I desire and appreciating every bit of the one I have.”
4. Once you’ve added enough water, you can sweeten with honey or your preferred sweetener, and add a splash of milk if desired.
5. Optional but recommended: add crystal and flower essences to your cacao.
Recommended essences: 4 Acre Wood Apothecary
6. Optional but recommended: use a handheld electric frother to blend together your ingredients and improve the consistency of your cacao.
7. Once you’re done preparing your cup or cacao, take a moment to give gratitude for all the hands your cacao passed through before reaching you. Give gratitude for the indigenous farmers and people who prepare the cacao for consumption. Bring your intention to mind and sip mindfully as you step into the rest of your birthday day.
At this point in your day, you can move forward with a candle ritual, or other recommended birthday ritual below.
Other Birthday Rituals to Add
- Forage for plants or flowers and make yourself a flower crown, wreath or altar decoration
- Enjoy a piece of cake or a cupcake and make a wish as you blow out a candle
- Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers and set them out in your house
- Oracle or Tarot Card Pull
- What themes should I focus on this year?
- What symbols can I watch for this year to know when I am on track or need confirmation?
- What should I focus on less this year?
I hope this article inspires you to treat yourself, appreciate yourself, love yourself and align with the energy you truly want in your life.
Enjoy your special day! Happy birthday!
