Inspiring & Practical ways to use candles

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared”. Buddha

Introduction!

The National Candle Association (NCA) tells us that 7 out of 10 American households use candles regularly. Two-thirds of candle purchasers say they use candles once a week or more often.
I want to share with you a few of the many uses of candles which will brighten up your every day life! Burning, flickering, soothing candles emanate warmth, hope, peace, love, comfort and relaxation!

“The Bath”!

Candles in the bathroom make it warm and relaxing while taking a bath. It’s known to be the quickest way to relieve stress and bring you to an immediate state of calmness!

• Try a 20-minute Escape Bath! Draw a bath; pour your favorite bubble bath or bath oil; light a candle or  two in your favorite scent and within minutes you will be escaping from the pressures of everyday life!!
• Combining the soothing scents of Aromatherapy candles with a hot, relaxing herbal tea bath is a also great stress reliever and very therapeutic.
• Use pillar candleholders of varying heights around the tub's ledge for that exotic spa effect, make sure they are placed at a safe distance from flammable items such as towels, curtains and toilet paper.

Add a little Romance everyday!

Romantically, the warm glow of candles caress our senses and soften our silhouettes, creating an atmosphere of love. It takes little thought and time to place just a few candles randomly around a room.

• Use various size candles and keep them lit throughout your romantic evening. Put them on your coffee table, the dining room table, on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom, as an arrangement of assorted pillar candles inside your fireplace. Having nothing but lit candles all around the house will automatically create seductive & soothing surroundings!
• Fill any clear glass or crystal bowl with water and add a few floating candles for a romantic candle centerpiece. The clear/crystal glass will magnify the glow of the candles creating a desirable & magical atmosphere!
• Create a romantic mood! Get an assortment of candles, a bag of rose petals and a single rose. Have a trail of rose petals starting at the entrance of your bedroom leading up to the bed; place your petals on the bed in the form of a heart. In the heart you could have a few options: it could be just you!, or a note telling your partner to meet you somewhere (restaurant, bar, shower, etc.), or tickets (movies, play, concert, etc.).
• The smell of patchouli or rosewood candles is said to be an aphrodisiac!

Family time!

Re-create fancy restaurant ambience in your own home! Serve your family a candlelight dinner with quiet dinner music, lighting a couple of unscented candles. The calm and dim atmosphere will relax your whole family including the children. Serving simple foods like hotdogs & chips will taste good by candlelight! And, drinking milk in a long stemmed or pretty glass will have a better taste!

Candles still make the Best Gifts!

Tired of giving toasters at wedding showers? Perfume at every birthday? Or, chocolates on St. Valentines Day?

• Give a candle-lit dinner for two gift! Put together the following: line a picnic-style basket with linen napkins, two crystal champagne flutes, elegant brass or silver candle holders, and long, romantic tapers. They’ll be talking about your gift for weeks!!
• Whether you give just a candle or an arrangement of candles as a holiday gift, house warming gift, hostess/dinner party gift, a thank you gift or an adult birthday gift, you’ll be sure to make a great impression every time.
• Out of the ordinary candles shaped like animals, fruit, angels, soda cans, glasses of beer, cars, or Looney Tune characters can be found.

Candles Décor!

Candlelight is one of the most welcoming accessory you can use to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Even unlit, candles serve as a decorative addition infusing color, elegance and enticing scent into your environment. Designers around the world choose to add candles for accents in all rooms of the home.
Soy candles has been the hot trend for the last couple of years. They are non-toxic, made from soybeans and are biodegradable. A healthy choice!

• Try different size taper candles in a direct line down the center of the table, spaced three inches apart in order of height. Make the tallest candle the center with shorter ones going down the line on each side. And presto! You have easily created an elegant setting!
• Fill your fireplace with pillar candles and turn it into a “candle place“. Vary the height with bricks or stone blocks to create the illusion of a glowing flame. Candles behind a fire screen or on top of the mantle will accentuate your room.
• I love candles! I have them everywhere! I have 3 scented tealights always burning in the bathroom. It adds such a warm and inviting touch!
• To create a grandiose affect on a small budget, place your candle arrangement in front of a mirror. This will create the illusion of a larger arrangement and amplify its warm glow.

• Buy about 10 votive candles that are exactly the same height, width, texture, color, etc. And buy 10 simple votive candle holders that are also exactly the same to use with your candles. Light the candles in their holders in a straight line down the center of your coffee table or dinner table. You’ve just created a rich and fabulous look for very little money!
• Floating candles can provide both a formal and informal setting for either a dinner party or a back yard picnic. In a clear bowl place your floating candles, use distilled water so as to eliminate mineral buildup on the side of crystal or glass.
• This is my favorite! A great conversation piece. Place a single floating candles in a martini glass and place a few of them around your table while you dine. It creates a sophisticated style that your guests will love!

Stress saviors!

• This is a quickie for instant stress relief! Find a quiet comfortable place; light your favorite scented candles; sit down facing the candle; focus on the candle’s flame; try to visualize all of your thoughts flowing freely out of your head and into the candle’s flame! Doing this for only a few minutes a day will do you a world of good!
• If ever you find yourself in the middle of an argument, light your favorite candle to create a more calming atmosphere. You will both become calmer in the way that you discuss your differences. Believe it or not, I tried this and it works!
• We all go through periods in our lives when things just don’t go as expected and just lighting a few scented candles can bring back memories of good times (kind of like chicken soup for the mind).

Aromatherapy candles soothe the soul!

The benefits of burning Aromatherapy candles may be experienced when the fragrance is inhaled. These oils act on the olfactory nerves that lead from the nose to the brain. They contain antibiotic, antiviral, and other therapeutic properties.

My nephew’s wife and her mother told me that they'd had trouble sleeping, then burned a lavender candle just before going to bed. They said they slept like a baby!. Lavender not only creates a feeling of deep calm, but also soothes the nervous system and stimulates the immune system. I’ve listed below some of the most popular aromas and their benefits:

Relaxation:  Lavender, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Geranium.

Energy:  Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Basil, Rosemary and Bergamot.

Congestion:  Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Camphor, Lavender and Marjoram.

Slimming:  Fennel, Patchouli, Melissa, Rosemary, Juniper and Geranium.

Romance:  Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Jasmine.

Menstrual Pain and Tension:  Chamomile, Cypress, Jasmine, Marjoram, Juniper and Melissa.

Headache:  Peppermint, Cedar, Rosemary, Chamomile, Marjoram and Lavender

Candle Therapy!

Candle therapy can be used to unite the powers of the mind, body, and spirit. The candle's flame has always been a metaphor for the soul. It possesses a tranquil and almost hypnotic atmosphere to those who allow its power to take them to a very special peaceful place.

Need a new beginning?  …Burn a green candle for growth.

Building a new life?  …Burn a yellow candle.

Seeking life expansion and rewards?  …Use a purple candle.

Shedding unwanted pounds?  …Light a red candleto set the mood.

Want to prompt a peaceful mind, relaxation and success?  …Try fruit or floral scents.

Meditation Candles!

Meditation can be enhanced with candles. By lighting a candle that is infused with color, botanicals or essential oil, these fundamental energies are released into the atmosphere and are absorbed by the individuals within the area of the candle. The auric field absorbs this energy and it is taken into the body. The word "aura" is another name for "energy field" or "radiation“. Meditation can rejuvenate the auric field.

Try this brief meditation procedure:
-Find a quiet, relaxing area, where you are certain you will not be disturbed.
-Get into the sitting or laying down position. However, if you can do the lotus position, without putting strain on yourself, that is fine also.
-Either close your eyes or find something else calm to look at.. I like to focus on a small candle flame.
-Begin to relax every muscle in your body. Don't rush this, as it takes time to fully relax, and relax bit by bit, starting at your toes, and working up to your head.
-Try not to think of anything. This is a hard thing to do at first, but with practice it becomes easy. Try not to force ideas out of your head, as this often inspires more thinking.
-Stay still and relaxed for about fifteen minutes. To become better at the art of meditation repeat this daily.

Candle Colors and their Spiritual Meanings!

WHITE is the source of light. Peace.
Brings protection, peace, purification, cleansing, happiness, innocence and modesty, connects you with your spirit guides.
Spiritual & Symbolic: Clarity. Purity. Energy of the moon. Integrity. Honesty. Simplicity. Truth. Mirror in which we recognize ourselves.
Mental: Clarity . Expansion
Emotional: The understanding of suffering. Clarity. Determination.
Physical: Brings light in to all chakras and all parts of the body. Cleansing.

RED is energy. Grounding.
Brings action, power, strength, vitality, courage, sexual potency. Energy and life. Fiery, & invigorating . Good with other candles to action your purpose.
Symbolic: Abundance, maturity. Family unity through blood. Grounding. Protection.
Spiritual: Flame- the cleansing flame and spiritual energy & strength.
Mental: Extroversion. Material side of life. Energy for change.
Emotional: Passion. Fire. Courage.
Physical: Sexuality related to conception and birth. Womb, menstrual cycle. Blood and iron. Stimulates energy flow.

PINK is unconditional love. Caring.
Brings love, romance, emotional balancing, friendship, gentleness, elevates all purposes, helps communication. Draws & attracts like a magnet. Dissolves old patterns.
Spiritual & Symbolic: Awakening. Feminine intuitive energy.
Mental: The feminine role model.
Emotional: Unconditional Love and Caring. Need for warmth.
Physical: Hormonal system. Reproductive organs. Eyes. Head. True spiritual sexuality.

MAGENTA is love for the simple things in life.
Brings deep love, nurturing. Passion for life. Creative potential.
Spiritual & Symbolic: Color of the eighth chakra located outside the body above the head.
Mental: Ability to focus. Cooperation.
Emotional: Finding ones own reason for living and then living it.
Physical: Hormonal system. Reproductive organs. Stimulates the flow of energy. Magenta affects all chakras and all parts of the body.

Candle Accessory!

Snuffers are the safe and easy way to extinguish candles by covering the wick and eliminating its oxygen supply. Using a snuffer eliminates the chance of splashing the wax onto your skin, furniture, tabletops and linens.

Final Word!

Candles represent much more than just a perfect accent in our homes. They symbolize different things to different people. In whatever ways you use them, candles add such a comforting splendor to our lives, so keep the flame burning! Many assorted candles can be purchased on eBay (search within the Home & Garden category)!!

 I hope this guide is useful to you for I enjoyed writing it! May each candle that you light bring you peace & serenity!