I am not religious, but there is something that I do religiously in places of worship. If I see a church, I will enter it and light a candle. I will stand in the solemnity of stone and flame and think of someone who I love who needs help. I don’t “pray” per se, but I focus my attention on them and hold them in the stillness of memory, in the movement of my beating heart.
“Attention is a form of prayer.” Simone Weil
I have done this for as long as I can remember. And this ritual would not exist for me without the presence of candles.
But why do we light candles?
A quick Google search suggests several possibilities: warmth, remembrance, to mark the passing of time (birthday candles), to ask for something. In ancient Greece, the gift of fire was given to Prometheus for illumination and progress. On the winter solstice, we light candles to usher in the return of light on the darkest day of the year. We light candles to acknowledge the contrasts inherent in the daily task of living—dark/light, cold/warm, hidden/illuminated.
Candles are a separation—from day to night, from the ordinary to the divine. We light a candle when we have something important to honor. Even if that “something” is simply a moment out of one’s otherwise mundane and hamster-wheel-esque daily life, to take a pause, watch the flame jump and lap the air in greedy gulps, and to dream.
Here are two candles that are illuminating our winter—with the gift of light layered upon the gift of scent. For us, scent is as sacred as fire. With something as simple as smell, an entire mood can change in mere miraculous seconds.
So, what needs illuminating for you? What sensorial cobwebs need dusting?
Light a candle and ask it to bring light to a dark and hidden corner of your being. Breathe in deeply, and follow the scent to an enchanted realm—the woods in winter, or say, the heat and spice of an embrace with someone who turns you on.
Winter Woods
Tara is a certified aromatherapist and for this year’s limited-edition candle they envisioned something woodsy and grounded. Warm tones for the cold earth. Take a walk in the woods in winter and you’ll find evergreens resplendent… but little else. Maybe you tucked a few heated sachets of lavender in your pockets to warm you. In addition to the evergreen and herby-floral tones, there is also vetiver. One of the most gorgeous scents on the planet. It’s earthy and woodsy, with a balsamic-like sweetness and a touch of smoke. Vetiver, like a woodsy walk, is calming to the nervous system.
Hold Me Close
a collaboration with People I've Loved
We created this candle for our friends at People I’ve Loved. It’s a sweet and spicy mix of scents designed to impart a nourishing amber light from the brown glass. It’s sexy and spicy, wintery and warm. Cardamom and clove are classic winter scents, as is cedar. Ylang ylang boosts relaxation and, simultaneously, your sex drive. So you can turn up the heat in more ways than one ;)
All of our candles are hand poured into recycled glass. They are made with soy wax, pure essential oils, and a lead-free cotton wick. To ensure even burning for the life of your candle, melt it to the edges of the jar with each burn. Candles create an open flame, so please don’t leave it unattended. Here’s to bringing more light to the darkness this season. We will make it through the winter together.
Written By Vera Kachouh