Candle Bright
Happily, at the Spa we work surrounded by candles, and it’s such a luxury to absorb their warm, flickering and friendly light. Candles are soft on the eyes and cast a loving glow, while consistently clearing and cleansing the energetic fields around us and reminding us of our truest intentions. But I also love to light candles at home—they literally rekindle my inner flame, and soothing candlelight is so helpful to meditation, softening the edges both literally and figuratively, and inviting an easy tranquility that supports introspection.
It’s lovely to find a quiet space where you simply sit in solitude for a moment or two, perhaps surrounding your candle with objects that resonate for you, from nature, or from your life. (Choosing a toxin-free beeswax candle, rather than one made from petroleum-based paraffin, is best.)
The ancient practice of yogic candle gazing, or Trakata—fixing the eyes on a candle for some length of time, then, with eyes closed, visualizing the flame at the brow’s center—opens and cleanses the “third eye,” at the pineal gland, our seat of intuition, bolstering focus and concentration, bringing clarity and releasing stress. In the morning, you might light a candle while you perform your beauty ritual, or do your yoga routine, warming the heart.
During the day, you might keep a candle on your desk, bringing focus and intention to your work. And, of course, nothing is sweeter than dinner by candlelight. At the day’s end, that amber light has the added benefit of preparing the body for rest. Our circadian rhythms are hugely influenced by our exposure to light, as the eyes connect to the rest of the neurological network via the hypothalamus, regulating sleep cycles and hormonal fluctuations. Lighting a candle before bedtime is very effective.
Our connection to the warmth of fire at that moment is visceral and ancient. All that power in one small flame! As the holiday season grows near, and as we find ourselves surrounded by this symbol of hope, celebration and prayer, let’s find creative new ways to usher candlelight into our lives wherever and whenever we can.
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