2013 Faith (in) Wellness Challenge Week 14: Light a Candle
Something changes when you light a candle. The room becomes a little more magical as light flickers on and off the walls, as the flame sways side to side in the breeze of the ceiling fan. The room smells of freshness or Christmas or sometimes, of freshly baked goods. Smells bring on memories of good times past. You sink into a sense of relaxation. All from a little flame and some wax.
Candles can serve many purposes in your daily life. They can guide your way in the dark, provide heat on cold wintery days, freshen the air with a new scent, add romance to a dinner for two. Candles can spark imagination, or the flames can be meditated on.
Lighting a candle is a very small thing to do, and often you light it and walk away, making it seem like an inconsequential act. There are plenty of air freshener products you can use instead of candles, but there is something about that flame that adds to the mood of the room.
Lighting a candle lightens things up, literally and figuratively.
Your search for wellness doesn’t have to include complex, time-sucking activities. Simply lighting a candle with intention and lingering on the flame for a second longer than normal can provide stress-relief and connect you back to what matters.
Try soy-based candles to avoid smoke and look for scents that are natural.
What is your favorite candle? Let me know in the comments below.
Image credit: Lars Hammar
