Choosing a Candle for Meditation

Lighting a candle before you sit down to meditate does two things. The flame gives your eyes somewhere to rest, and the scent becomes a cue: after a few weeks, the smell alone starts to tell your mind it's time to slow down.

What makes a good meditation candle

• A simple, calm scent. Busy, sweet or heavy fragrances pull your attention. Herbs and woods work better.
• A steady flame. A clean-burning soy candle with a trimmed wick barely flickers, which matters if you use the flame as a focus point.
• Low smoke. You're breathing slowly and deeply, so a candle that doesn't produce soot is worth paying for.

Scents that work well

• Lavender. The most familiar calming scent, and for good reason.
• Cedar and sandalwood. Woody and grounding.
• Sage. Clean and herbal, long used in rituals of clearing a space.

Himalayan Mist brings lavender, sage, pine and cedar together. It's our pick for a morning practice or a quiet few minutes before bed. If you prefer something softer, Linen Grove is light and clean and stays in the background.

Using a candle as a focus point

Trataka, or candle gazing, is a traditional practice of softly watching a flame.

1. Sit comfortably with the candle at eye level, about an arm's length away.
2. Look at the flame without straining, blinking normally.
3. When your eyes tire, close them and notice the after-image.
4. Start with a minute or two.

Keep the room still. A fan or open window makes the flame jump and breaks your focus.

Safety

• Never meditate with a candle near curtains, cushions or loose clothing.
• Put it on a flat, heat-safe surface.
• Blow it out before you lie down for savasana or fall asleep.

Building the habit

Same time, same place, same scent. Within a couple of weeks, lighting the candle becomes part of the practice itself. It's one of the small moments we make our candles for.

See Himalayan Mist