In recent years, I've spent Winter Solstice and parts of Christmas Eve in darkness, with only candlelight. I have felt untethered from the deeper significance of this time of year - honoring the darkness, the withering of the land, to withdraw for contemplation. Turning off all the the lamps, cooking only by candlelight (which is pretty difficult, actually!!), sitting quietly...it's been a nice way to ground into the season, and to appreciate the exuberance, celebration, and re-lighting that comes after (Christmas day, NYE).
I've also enjoyed dinners by candlelight when possible, it helps my husband and I be more present with one another :)
Cooking by candlelight!!! It never occured to my but the light in my kitchen is GARISH and makes cooking such a chore. Will be trying this - difficulty noted. <3 Thank you for all of this.
I'm enjoying these mini muses so much! Thank you for this one and in particular the Jeannette Winterson essay. I was inspired to shower by candlelight yesterday evening, something I'm going to have to start doing more often!
The last cycle I completed resulted in a new ancestral spirit guide for me, and she asks that I light a lily of the valley candle for her. I light this when I do deeper work with her, via mediumship.
Gorgeous. I love thinking of themn as tools to connect like this. I am currently dabbling with lighting candles to summon my -muses- as guides but not sure how I want to go about the process yet.
I light ten different candle every morning in the early hours as I start my daily ritual practice. This is when I meditate, read my daily cards, and generally just spend time communing with the spirits I work with most closely. I can't think of any spell work I do that does NOT involve candles. Those little flames are part of what creates my happy place.
There’s a bit of a sequence to it. I have a main altar with four candles that I start with. From those candles I light my incense for the morning also.
Next I move to my money/biz altar, and I anoint 3 tea lights with money oil before lighting those.
Finally it’s across the room to my ancestor altar, 3 more tea lights, this time with ancestral tobacco oil.
At this point I return to the main altar and get settled in.
How quietly inspiring and beautiful the mini muse of words can be for my soul! Thank you for sharing from your sweet soul. I’ve returned to reading poetry at night recently and found it so nourishing for my longing. XO
In recent years, I've spent Winter Solstice and parts of Christmas Eve in darkness, with only candlelight. I have felt untethered from the deeper significance of this time of year - honoring the darkness, the withering of the land, to withdraw for contemplation. Turning off all the the lamps, cooking only by candlelight (which is pretty difficult, actually!!), sitting quietly...it's been a nice way to ground into the season, and to appreciate the exuberance, celebration, and re-lighting that comes after (Christmas day, NYE).
I've also enjoyed dinners by candlelight when possible, it helps my husband and I be more present with one another :)
Cooking by candlelight!!! It never occured to my but the light in my kitchen is GARISH and makes cooking such a chore. Will be trying this - difficulty noted. <3 Thank you for all of this.
My evening ritual lacks consistency and the 20min candle concept is really inspiring me. Thank you for sharing.
I think I might start lighting us a candle for journaling club!
I'm enjoying these mini muses so much! Thank you for this one and in particular the Jeannette Winterson essay. I was inspired to shower by candlelight yesterday evening, something I'm going to have to start doing more often!
LOUISE! I love this - a candlelit shower is going on my to-do list!
I have been doing ancestral healing ❤️🩹
The last cycle I completed resulted in a new ancestral spirit guide for me, and she asks that I light a lily of the valley candle for her. I light this when I do deeper work with her, via mediumship.
Gorgeous. I love thinking of themn as tools to connect like this. I am currently dabbling with lighting candles to summon my -muses- as guides but not sure how I want to go about the process yet.
Oh that would be lovely. I wonder if you could use your primary guide as a bridge to find them!
I light ten different candle every morning in the early hours as I start my daily ritual practice. This is when I meditate, read my daily cards, and generally just spend time communing with the spirits I work with most closely. I can't think of any spell work I do that does NOT involve candles. Those little flames are part of what creates my happy place.
I love it! Do you light them sequentially as you move from ritual to ritual, or all at once?
There’s a bit of a sequence to it. I have a main altar with four candles that I start with. From those candles I light my incense for the morning also.
Next I move to my money/biz altar, and I anoint 3 tea lights with money oil before lighting those.
Finally it’s across the room to my ancestor altar, 3 more tea lights, this time with ancestral tobacco oil.
At this point I return to the main altar and get settled in.
How quietly inspiring and beautiful the mini muse of words can be for my soul! Thank you for sharing from your sweet soul. I’ve returned to reading poetry at night recently and found it so nourishing for my longing. XO
I use a low light lamp in the mornings for journaling in the dark hours. I'm now convinced to try candles!