How Flame Gazing Meditation Sparked Light Within Candles
Have you ever heard of trataka, or flame gazing meditation? While most meditation is done with your eyes closed, trataka is practiced while you focus on a flickering candle flame. One candlemaker found the practice so helpful, she created a candle brand to spread the word!
Light Within candles are designed specifically for meditation, with long-lasting candle wicks and soothing, earthy aromas designed to help you relax. There’s “Flower Child,” a zingy bouquet of wild blooms. There’s “Amber Moon,” as musky and mysterious as a night in the woods. And there’s “Golden Goddess,” which I received for review—a creamy, feminine blend of coconut and ginger, as intoxicating as a romp on a Caribbean beach.
Elise told me she launched Light Within as part of her own flame gazing meditation practice. After years of struggling with traditional meditation, trataka changed her life.
“One session looking into a candle flame completely changed my perspective on meditation and gave me the confidence I needed to believe that I could continue to do it,” she said. “From there, I decided I wanted to practice trying something else new: making the candles myself!”
All Light Within candles are made with soy wax that’s paraben and phthalate-free and, Elise adds, vegan friendly. The scents come from natural fragrance and essential oils. The tradeoff is that they’re not as intense as candles you might buy from a big box store, but in exchange for their subtlety, they’re not going to give you a headache.
When you buy Light Within candles, you’re supporting a one-woman shop. Elise makes all Light Within candles out of her home. “It can get quite messy in a small apartment when you’re making 100 candles at a time!” she told me.
As expected of a candle brand designed for meditative communion with the spirit, Elise can recall more than one magic moment that occurred thanks to her growing business. After a customer won a tropically-scented Golden Goddess candle in her Instagram giveaway, she sent Elise a note to let her know it had arrived at the perfect time.
“When the candle arrived she directly messaged me to tell me how coincidentally it arrived on the anniversary of the passing of her father and brother, who she had made many memories with on a tropical island near and dear to their family. ‘I feel it was magically sent to me… just in time for today,’ she said. Knowing that she found magic and comfort in the scent and that it gave her a bit of joy on an otherwise sad day is something I will never forget.”
If you’re looking to pick up a meditation habit and haven’t had luck with conventional methods, why not try a Light Within candle? Maybe it will bring some magic to your self-care routine, too.