“People have forgotten the meaning of candles in a world of electrical light. For a candle offered not only light but companionship. Its flame was an invitation to contemplation. And, of course, the circle of light that extended from a candle like an aura did not reach very far. Nor could a candle cast a beam. It was an unfocused, gentle light that mirrored the natural consciousness of the human mind in a state between wakefulness and sleep.
“But enough of such matters. That which seems lost to you can easily be regained. What I wish you to understand tonight is how a candle may be made into a prayer. This is old wisdom. No one knows where it started or how far back it goes. Before candles there were lamps, before lamps there were rush lights, and before these were the fires that the first people made and sat around, forming the first circles that you ever sat in.
“To light a candle and set it upon an altar, or before a statue or icon, is to call forth the protective spirits that dwell in the Earth itself and emanate from its rocks and streams, its rivers and mountains, and even its atmosphere. To light such a candle and leave it burning is to set your intention in harmony with these energies, to acknowledge them and give them a place in your homes.
“These candles want to be lit, their flames want to burn. Give them your troubles, your wishes, and hearts’ desires. Let them ease your sorrow, relieve you of trauma, and settle your souls within you.”