Gaze into a candle flame and you are at once connected to the past and to the future. It manages to convey energy, comfort and hope all at once. Consider the rich words of this ancient prayer, older than time, which is still recited at the Jewish Feast of Lights when the candles are lit: ‘May this candle’s radiance pour upon our hearts and spread light into the darkened corners of the world.’
There’s something very soothing and satisfying about working with the texture of wax, and polishing its smooth surface. And making them is child’s play. There’s an old tradition in Spain that says a candle should be lit and placed on the windowsill so the Christ child can find his way on Christmas Eve, but you don’t have to wait for Christmas to make your window come alive each evening. Make a candle – or a group of them – and arrange them on a windowsill to show a friendly light to passers-by.
Lightly coat moulds with vegetable oil and insert wicks following the manufacturer’s instructions. (There are usually six moulds in a set, depending on the size and shape of the candle you want.) You can also recycle milk cartons and cut away at the end.
Melt the wax in the top half of an old double-boiler over simmering water. Melt the stearin in another old, small saucepan, then add to the wax and stir. Add the essential oil now if you wish to include it. Pour the wax into the moulds and allow to set. When the candles are firm, trim the wicks. To give the candles a smooth finish, polish them with cottonwool dipped in vegetable oil.
The simplest, most commonplace actions often have the most restorative and empowering effects. Perhaps it’s my mother’s influence (she would no more leave the house in the morning without wearing lipstick than she would go out without wearing knickers), but I find that whipping out a lipstick and applying it is a quick pick-me-up that rarely fails.
In just a few seconds, I look better, feel brighter, more confident, and I know I am more optimistic, and more able to deal with things when I have – as John describes it – ‘coloured in my face’. That creative little touch of colour is a private signal to my inner self, a private rosy proof that I can reclaim time to do something that is utterly, selfishly and completely for my benefit.
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1. Plant a tree and allow the earth to energize you
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