Candles as an inner flame

Vol. 25, Issue 14, 27 January 2023 

Today, candles are perceived by us mainly as an attribute of holidays and romantic evenings (of course, if you are not an auto mechanic, then the meaning of the word changes dramatically). Candles help us create the very atmosphere that allows us to relax and plunge into the world of harmony. Some holidays without candles are simply impossible to imagine Christmas and New Year, and even birthdays (festive candles for cakes. Since ancient times, people have been looking for sources of illumination for their sanctuaries and dwellings. Presumably, the prototype of the candle appeared in ancient Egypt and happened no less than 5 thousand years ago. They were used primarily for painting tombs, as it is obvious that it is not very convenient to paint frescoes in pitch darkness.

Candles find different uses, such as:

Lighting source

Candles have been used as a source of illumination since the third millennium BC. Before the appearance and the beginning of the spread of incandescent electric lamps in the 1880s, along with lamps, it was the main source of illumination. Candles are used in this capacity at the beginning of the XXI century in the absence of electricity, most often during planned and unplanned power outages in residential buildings.

Decorative element

Since electric lighting sources displace all others, other ways of using candles come to the fore. Candles are widely used for decorative purposes, as decorations. They are also often used to create a romantic atmosphere.

Aromatization of premises

Scented candles and beeswax candles (exuding a natural aroma) are also used to fill the room with smell.

Candles are often used at Valentine’s Day celebrations, weddings, and other celebrations. At a wedding in Orthodoxy, so-called wedding candles are used. They are white and elongated. During the wedding ceremony, they are held in the hands of both the groom and the bride. If both newlyweds are not married for the first time, wedding candles are not given. There are superstitions: whoever has a candle that will burn longer will live longer; an extinguished wedding candle foreshadows all kinds of misfortunes.

Measuring time

Before the advent of more advanced devices for measuring time (such as mechanical and electronic clocks), candles were often used in this capacity, replacing solar and hourglasses.

The cylindrical candle burns evenly, which allows you to measure time with the help of hour serifs on the candle. Also, since the XVIII century, the improvement of candle clocks (so-called fire clocks) has been known: weights were attached to the candle on both sides, and the candle itself was placed over some metal object.

In religion

Candles are used in religious ceremonies of Buddhists, Jews, and Christians. Their use goes back to an ancient form of a pagan worldview, expressed in respect for fire, and the sun. “Church candles are an accessory of worship, dating back to ancient ideas about the purifying power of fire”

Also, the energy of candles helps to let go of pain and cope with emotional wounds, remember amazing and vivid moments of life, and cry out your grief.

Candles are an indispensable attribute in any home. Their warm flame warms, frees from worries and worries, and helps to recover and find a personal path to happiness.

Relax the mind, help to get rid of insomnia and anxious sleep.