A blue line between flame and fuel distinguishes the twin flames of this candle – a dinner party gift from an old friend. Glowing in the dimming afternoon light, it crackles slightly, providing illumination and sound and delicate scent, along with a gentle source of warmth – touching on all the senses and setting a soothing scene for a daily meditation.
In these icy winter days, meditation has become a necessary custom, one in which I indulge gratefully. It usually marks the moments between the work day and the afternoon if I’m working from home, or the wind-down time after a day in the office, or sometimes the dim period right before retiring to bed. In all circumstances, it provides a literal grounding, as I sink onto the floor, assume the lotus position, and slow my breathing, narrowing the windpipe until I approximate the sound of a distant ocean.
