SKYE stephenson

One of my fondest childhood memories was lighting candles every night before we sat down to dinner. Mom would usually be the one to light the candle. When I learned how to light a match, she would sometimes let me light the candles. What joy!

It may be this early memory repeated so many times over years that impressed upon we a deep and abiding affection for candles burning bright.

Years later, when I began to meditate, I found that it was a candle flame that worked best to transport me from the day-to-day realm to an altered state of consciousness. Just give me a candle, let me look into the flame, and I am off.

This habit has led to my burning through a good number of candles. Sometimes I can burn through an entire candle in a single day.

About six months ago, I was re-reading a favorite book called Brigit’s Flame. This book mentions that many people who feel spiritually connected to the Celtic Goddess Brigit burn a candle to evoke and honor her energetic presence. Some even keep a candle perpetually lit.

I thought to myself that these people must use even more candles than I do. In the back of the book was list of various suppliers of goods, including a place to purchase candles in bulk. “Why not?” I thought.

I am not sure quite how many candles I did purchase, but it was a lot. Several hundred. A year’s supply, or more.

Since I had so many candles now, I began to use them even more than ever. In the morning, for meditation. At my desk, when writing. And more.

Perhaps a month or two after the arrival of these candles, I began to experience some odd symptoms. It began with my sense of smell changing, and then it seemed to spread to my nasal cavity. Day by day, a dull ache in my nasal cavity increased – moving into my head and my ears eventually. I rarely get headaches, but suddenly I was popping aspirin regularly for headache pain. Around my eyes were red patches of skin. And a general lethargy settled upon me.

Of course I tested for Covid. Negative. And I went to my primary care physician sure I had a sinus infection. But she told me I did not. She said it was probably just a virus and I just had to be patient and let it pass.

But it did not pass after several weeks. In fact, I felt worse day by day. The symptoms did abate during a vacation week in the Azores, but returned full force when I was back home again, and into my regular routine.

What was possibly going on, I wondered? And I posed this question to my body one morning, very directly.

I then struck the match and then bent over to light the candle, as usual – when I sensed or smelled a dense and disturbing sensation emerging from the burning wick. And my sinuses screamed out to me – “I don’t like this.”

Promptly, I put out the candle flame, And as I sat in silent contemplation, puzzling what had just occurred, I noticed a dark gray smudge of a sizable dimension right behind the candle.

“What are these candles made of,” I wondered. I had never asked myself this question before.

A rapid search on the internet told me this:

Cheap candles are made of paraffin wax, which is a by product of petroleum, coal, or shale oil. Paraffin contains toluene and benzene – substance that can cause health problems and allergic reactions.

Toluene is used in a variety of products like paints, nail polish, glue, and adhesives. Toluene can cause headaches, respiratory issues, headaches, and contact dermatitis. It can also lead to anemia and a general sense of tiredness. (These were all the symptoms I was experiencing)

I now am using beeswax candles. And all my symptoms have disappeared.

I chose to write my article this month on this topic to alert others to the potential health dangers of using cheap candles made of paraffin wax. Of course, I may be more sensitive than others, but just in case…please be careful of the candles!

From the Monadnock Shopper, Feb 1-7, 2023.