Light My Flame

 The Ancient Art of Aromatics: Burning Frankincense vs. Burning Sage In today's fast-paced world, many people are seeking ways to enhance their well-being and create a more balanced, harmonious living space. Two ancient practices that have gained popularity in recent years are burning frankincense and burning sage. Both have rich histories and are known for their aromatic and spiritual properties. In the world of aromatics and spiritual rituals, These natural wonders have been burned for their spiritual, medicinal, and aromatic properties for generations. In this blog post, we will explore the differences and benefits of burning frankincense and sage, helping you make an informed choice for your own spiritual and wellness journey. Burning Frankincense: A Timeless Tradition Frankincense, often referred to as the "King of Oils," has been treasured for thousands of years for its spiritual, medicinal, and aromatic qualities. Here are some key points to consider when burning frankincense: Spiritual Significance: Frankincense has deep spiritual roots and is often associated with religious ceremonies and rituals. It is believed to elevate one's spiritual connection, purify the environment, and invite positive energies. Aromatic Benefits: The sweet and resinous aroma of frankincense is known to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance mental clarity. Many use it during meditation or yoga practices to create a peaceful atmosphere. Medicinal Properties: Frankincense is renowned for its potential anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. Inhaling the fumes may offer respiratory benefits, making it a popular choice during cold and flu seasons. Cultural Diversity: Frankincense is derived from the resin of the Boswellia tree and has a rich cultural history, with origins in the Middle East. Its popularity has spread globally, making it a versatile choice for different spiritual practices. Burning Sage: Clearing Negative Energies Sage, particularly white sage, has gained popularity for its cleansing and purifying properties. Here's what you should know about burning sage: Energy Cleansing: Sage smudging, a practice rooted in Native American traditions, involves burning sage bundles to cleanse spaces of negative energies. It's commonly used during house blessings, rituals, or when moving into a new home. Aromatherapy: Sage emits a strong, earthy aroma that many find grounding and purifying. The act of smudging with sage can create a sense of ritual and mindfulness in your daily life. Personal Healing: Some individuals use sage smudging to clear their own energies, release emotional baggage, and find mental clarity. It's often seen as a tool for self-purification and self-reflection. Sustainable Alternatives: It's essential to consider the ethical aspects of sourcing sage. Look for sustainably harvested or cultivated sage to support responsible practices. Choosing the Right Ritual for You Ultimately, the choice between burning frankincense and burning sage depends on your spiritual and wellness goals. Some people prefer the deep, meditative experience of burning frankincense, while others opt for the cleansing and grounding properties of sage smudging. Experiment with both and see which resonates with you. You can also combine these practices to create a unique and personalized ritual that aligns with your intentions. Burning frankincense and burning sage are time-honored traditions that can enhance your spiritual practice and promote overall well-being. Whichever path you choose, these aromatic rituals can help you find balance, peace, and a deeper connection to yourself and the world around you. Explore our selection of high-quality frankincense and sage products to embark on your journey of self-discovery and transformation. At Bespoke and Co Candles, we're committed to providing you with the finest aromatic products to enrich your life.  Explore our collection today and choose the aromatic experience that resonates with you. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination, and both frankincense and sage can guide you toward a more profound connection with yourself and the world around you.

– New Moon & Full Moon Manifestation Ritual – Our New Moon & Full Moon Pack has been created by myself, to serve you and remind you that you have the power to manifest all that you desire. I first created candle therapy and incorporated it with the New Moon and Full Moon over 10 years ago. But, in 2013 I decided to not only share it with my clients, but to share this powerful therapy with the world. And voilà, my candle therapy book, “Light My Candle” was born. This practice is very simple, and straight forward! Let’s begin with the new moon. The darkness of the new moon represents the fertile soil of the land, in which we can sow our seeds of intentions so that they can grow and flourish for harvest by the time the full moon comes around. It is believed that as the moon grows, your intention will too. We use its power to manifest all that we desire. What every individual wants to manifest is different, and nothing is too small or too big. Remember, the universe doesn’t know how big or small your desire is. The universe isn’t going to say, “hold up, you can’t manifest this cause it’s a 3-million-dollar lottery you are after. So nope, you don’t get it!” Instead, the universe works on your energy! It’s simple; your thoughts create a feeling, and that feeling creates your emotion which then determines your vibrational frequency. It’s not about lighting a candle, putting out the order with the universe and *kaboom* “your wish is my command!” It is for this reason, so many beautiful souls lose faith when they can’t manifest what they desire. The secret is that there are many elements that need working on before, during and at the end of your New Moon & Full Moon Manifestation Ritual. Let’s start with your vibrational frequency. It is the rate at which our energy vibrates and emanates from our energetic fields. We are each like a radio transmitter, constantly emitting a frequency of some kind into the universe, which acts like a giant mirror and reflects the same frequency back to us. Your frequency determines the life that you’re creating and experiencing in the present moment. Remember, emotions reflect your thoughts, which are vibrations. A lovely thought has a high frequency vibration. High frequency is the vibration that the universe understands to deliver your wish. When your thoughts are vibrating high, you are allowing a positive emotion to come through. So, when you change your thoughts, you change your emotion. This in-turn creates a new outcome for your life, and this thought process happens in a nanosecond; it all starts with a thought. Candle therapy prepares you and gets you ready for when you place your order with the universe. Before sitting the new moon ritual, you need to be clear about what you want to manifest into the world and prepare for a change. Your heart must be open to a breakthrough, so you don’t put out any intentions into the universe that you are not ready to receive what it is that you are trying to manifest. I will help you through this process with your worksheet that we have provided for you in our New Moon & Full Moon Manifestation Pack. We will help guide you through this so you can unlock the moons’ full potential and power. The new moon is all about new beginnings and letting the universe know what you want. It’s about releasing, trusting, giving thanks, and having gratitude for your amazing and abundant life. The new moon is the perfect time for a reset. It symbolises wiping the slate clean, embarking on new beginnings, and planting new seeds of intention. The full moon on the other hand is all about harvesting those seeds of intention that you place during the new moon. The moon has 8 phases that you could work with: New Moon Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous Full Moon Waning Bibbous Third Quarter Waning Crescent   But, we will only work with the two – the new moon and the full moon.   You will receive two worksheets; one is to use on the New Moon Ritual, and the other is for the Full Moon Ritual.   What you will need to prepare for the New Moon and Full Moon Ritual: You will need to lock in a time. Give yourself an hour to do the ritual. If you are going to include a bath before your ritual, give your self an extra 30 mins on top of the hour. Locking in a time means that you are stepping into your power. It’s self-love; your time alone without any interruptions. You will need your New Moon Candle, or Full Moon Candle (depending on which moon phase you are working with). Remember, we always start with the New Moon Ritual first. Your candle has been cleansed before we send it out to you and set it with an intention that all you desire will be heard, and grow with the filling of the moon. Your candle has three crystals. The crystals all have a purpose throughout this ritual. The 3 crystals for the New Moon are Sodalite, Black Obsidian and Clear Quartz. The liquid crystal that I have incorporated throughout the soy wax is Black Kyanite. Combined, they represent and emit energy to keep you grounded. They cleanse negative energies from your space and within yourself. They neutralise emotions such as anger, greed, and resentment. They have the ability to increase self-esteem and boost your personal power, making it ideal for increasing concentration, as well as creativity. The symbolism of the 24K gold leaf is that it’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. It is trusting that you can turn lead into gold. The Full Moon Candle also has 3 crystals: Moonstone, Labradorite and Clear Quartz. The liquid crystal I have Incorporated throughout the soy wax is Selenite. Combined, they help with protection, awareness, balance, enhances intuition, brings forth hope and self-love, and finally, Goddess energy. I have used silver as it is seen as a noble metal. It symbolises purity, strength, focus and feminine energy. Furthermore, I have used activated charcoal to cleanse, as well as represent the full moon.   You will need your sage, Palo Santo and your selenite wand (included in your pack).   After gathering what is required from step 3, you will need to bring forth your worksheet and a pen. Also, have some herbal tea or water with you to sip on.   Gather a lighter or some matches, and most importantly, a heatproof bowl.   You now have everything you need. Everything in front of you represents the 4 elements. EARTH: Crystals and Selenite Wand. FIRE: New Moon & Full Moon Crystalline Candles© AIR: Sage and Palo Santo. WATER: Cup of herbal tea or a glass of water.   Now, let’s do this! It’s time to release the old and bring in the new. Begin with a new moon bath. Remember, the moon rules the water, and water is very symbolic of washing away the old. Having a bath in a beautiful environment is the pure essence of self-love and self-care. And, when we are in a state of love, we can manifest so much easier. For instance, when having a bath, create a loving atmosphere by playing some relaxing music, infusing your bath with essential oils, bath salts, herbs, flowers, crystals…whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed. I recommend our Protection Bath Soak or  Unconditional Love Bath Soak for this ritual. You will create your space for this ritual. It can be done either inside or outside, and there is no right or wrong. Some like to sit on the floor on a yoga mat or comfy cushion, while others feel more comfortable to sit on a chair next to a table. You can decide what works for you. Place your worksheet and a pen in front of you to work on, as well as your selenite wand, sage, Palo Santo stick and your candle. You will start with removing the 3 crystals and keeping them beside your candle. Once this is done, light your candle. Pick up your selenite wand and first cleanse your body. You will do this simply by gliding the wand over all parts of your body, then glide the wand over the candle and crystals, and place it next to the candle. Light your sage stick and cleanse your space to remove all negative energy. Cleanse and say goodbye to anything that does not serve you. Now that you have cleansed your space and grounded yourself, place your sage wand in a heatproof bowl to extinguish. Now you can simply just sit in silence for as long as you need to connect with your higher self. I find for most people, the simplest way to do this is to close your eyes and connect with your breath. Take in deep healing breaths; breathe in healing, positive energy and exhale energy that does not serve you. When you feel ready, open your eyes, and pick up your worksheet. For the new moon worksheet, you will: Start creating the life you desire. Don’t rush through this part. Take your time and sip on your tea or water, as this is where all the exciting planning begins. It’s time to plant the seeds. NOTE: After you have finished working on the new moon worksheet, keep it in a safe place as you will need it for the full moon closing ceremony. For the full moon worksheet, you will: Start to harvest all the seeds that were planted during the new moon. Next step is the closing of the ritual: Once you have finished the worksheet, it’s time to close the ritual. New Moon Closing Ritual: Take a few deep healing and loving breaths, and give thanks to God, the universe, the moon, and whatever else you are thankful for. Light your Palo Santo stick to seal your intentions for the New Moon Ritual. Use the smoulder of the Palo Santo smoke to cleanse your worksheet. The smoulder from the Palo Santo stick incense will take your intentions and send them up to the heavens and the moon. Place your Palo Santo in a heat proof bowl and then extinguish your candle using your candle snuffer. Never use your breath to extinguish the candle, as the two elements of air and fire don’t mix when placing intentions. Keep your new moon worksheet, and over the next 14 days while the moon is filling up, take 5 minutes out of your day and affirm your intentions. Full Moon closing Ritual: Take both the new moon and full moon worksheets and rip them up into little pieces. Light the Palo Santo stick and let the smoke smoulder over the ripped paper. Then, extinguish the Full Moon Ritual Candle©. Again, do not use your breath. Use a candle snuffer as the two elements of air and fire don’t mix when placing intentions. You will take your ripped up worksheets and bury them in a planted flowerpot, or in the ground near a tree or plant. As you water your plant and your plant grows, it becomes a reminder that your intentions are growing too. Sending you an abundance of light and love, Eleni. Author of “Light My Candle”. Director of Bespoke & Co Candles Copyright© 2013 Eleni Contzonis All rights reserved. No part of this program / ritual may be used or reproduced by any means, by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of a brief quotation embodied in an article and reviews.

How to energetically clear your space with different types of incense and rituals There are so many reasons on why the practice of incense burning is so rewarding. I would love to share with you my thoughts, knowledge, and experiences with different types of incense and rituals. Below I will share with you the 5 important reasons and their benefits to why we should be using incense. And, yes, for those beautiful souls who love the idea of and benefits for using incense but don’t like the smoke, don’t worry; we have you covered with our smokeless Mist. In my book, ‘Light My Candle, The Flame Within’, I share my beliefs on the importance of  scent, and why I use it as a tool with my candles and incense rituals to create breakthroughs and positive outcomes with my clients. The sense of smell is a tool that can trigger powerful mental, and emotional responses. Incense & essential oils are used in many wonderful ways and are becoming increasingly popular around the world, including their use not only in alternative medicine, but also in common medicine practices. There is no turning a blind eye to the incredible properties displayed by both incense & essential oils. Some incense/ essential oils induce uplifting or invigorating effects, while others are more calming. Incense/ essential oils are absorbed via the smell receptors, which have a direct link to the limbic system. This system is part of the brain that supports a variety of functions, including smell, emotions, behaviour, and memory. For this reason, incense and/ or essential oils have a powerful effect when used through topical and aromatic application. Below, we explore these attributes and uses for Incense, highlight various benefits and suggest different incense/ essential oils for occasions and purposes. I use many different types of incense. But, I do have my favourite that I go to for different reasons. My personal go to for incense are: Frankincense Palo Santo Sage Three Wise Men Blend (our bled is of three types of resins Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin and combined with herbs and flowers) Dragons Blood   All five of the above incenses cover the below positive benefits. They all help you with your journey and outcome; whether it be spiritually, prayer, to aid in ritual, reduce stress and anxiety, medicinal purposes, clearing, air purification, meditation, yoga, and much more! But, I will break it down with recommending different incense. Keep in mind, you must take into consideration that this is personal to your own journey and experience. So, I recommend you use your own discernment with what feels right for you. Some days, I wake up and I’m drawn to Palo Santo for my meditation and room clearing. Other days, I gravitate towards sage. And yes, there are days and weeks that I use frankincense for all my spiritual and cleansing needs. There is no right or wrong; stay present and allow yourself to feel what is right for you in that moment! All you need to know is that they are all amazing and they all work.   1. Spirituality – Prayer – Aids Ritual The burning of incense can act as a doorway to spirituality; formal or informal, recognised religion or secular. Incense is, and has been used daily use, for thousands of years in many religions around the world; Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. The purpose of incensing and the symbolic value of the smoke is that of purification and sanctification. For example, in the Eastern Rites at the beginning of Mass, the altar and sanctuary area are incensed while Psalm 50, the “Miserere”, was chanted, invoking the mercy of God. The smoke symbolises the prayers of the faithful drifting up to heaven. The Psalmist prays, “Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141). Incense also creates the ambiance of heaven. The Book of Revelation describes the heavenly worship as follows: “Another angel came in holding a censer of gold.  He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God’s holy ones.  From the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with it the prayers of God’s people” (Revelation 8:3-4). For me personally, when I wish to pray, meditate, or to help aid any healing rituals, my go-to incense is pure Frankincense Resin, and our Three Wise Men Blend. This is how you can use this incense in your sacred space:   What you will need to burn Frankincense Resin and the Three Wise Men blend:   Frankincense / three wise men blend Charcoal tablet (also known as a charcoal disc) Incense burner   Method: Hold the charcoal disc with the tongs and light by holding a flame to one side of the disc, until it glows and sparks. Place the disc in the burner or on a heat proof dish and wait for it to stop smoking. I use smokeless tablets. But, if yours smokes up during start up, I recommend you light them outside. The disc will slowly turn grey – if you blow on it, this will happen more quickly and across a wider surface of the disc. Be careful, as this can cause the disc to spark. So, do not hold it too close to your face when you blow on it! Please act with caution. Select a piece of frankincense resin or a pinch of your Three Wise Men Blend. Top tip: if you’re burning it in a relatively small space, choose a smaller piece, as this will make it less smoky, and it won’t burn for as long. Place the piece of frankincense on top of the charcoal disc, and let it burn. If it stops smoking, you can turn the piece of frankincense over, so it burns on the other side. I start at my front door and move room to room, therefore cleansing each room. I finish the cleanse at the back of the home. I then take the incense to my sacred space, where I leave the incense to burn, while I either meditate or pray.   We have created our Livani Crystalline Candle because we understand many souls do not like to light charcoal, but they love the benefits of frankincense. Our Crystalline Livani Candle© is not just a miraculous & holy scent that awakens your soul. There are many layers to our Livani Candle. Firstly, the intention is set to protect you, your family & home, to cleanse and clear any low vibrational energy + raise your frequency in the home, or work environment. Our candles are all 100% soy wax, including the Livani Candles, made from pure frankincense essential oil, not fragrance, and then we add liquid crystal, and pure frankincense, brought in from the monasteries in Greece. When the candle is burning, it purifies in the process, bringing forth a devotional atmosphere, promoting a sense of peace, relaxation, grounding & connectedness, raising your spiritual state.    2. Reduces stress and anxiety A step up from relaxing, burning incense positively helps to reduce bodily activities, like heart rate and breathing. Also, it encourages your mind to stop worrying and racing from one thing to another. Many forms of incense, like Frankincense, Palo Santo, Sage, Dragons Blood as well as Sandalwoods are amazing types of incense to calm the mind. And, let us not forget about herb sand essential oils like Rosemary and Lavender; they are great choices to accompany your incense with too. I will use Rosemary and Lavender many times while burning Frankincense Resin. How do I do this? Well, over the charcoal, I add some Rosemary or Lavender from my garden on top of my choice of incense. Thus, I find that if my family has had a rough day, it completely calms them down.   3. Medicinal / Clearing The effect of good aromas, generated from incense wands, resin or incense sticks like The Holy Wood, Palo Santo, has been shown to raise serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is considered a natural mood stabilizer and helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion. Serotonin also helps reduce depression, regulate anxiety, and reduce headaches. Palo Santo means ‘Holy Wood of the Saints’. Burning Palo Santo wood is a sacred practice used by the Incas, and Indigenous people of the Andes. The Andean shamans use it in religious ceremonies to ward off negativity, therefore purifying, and cleansing evil spirits and misfortune. Palo Santo protects your etheric field from any low lingering frequencies. Palo Santo is believed to help provide medicinal and therapeutic healing energies. The mystic of this sacred wood can be felt at first light, leaving you feeling calm, peaceful, grounded and emotionally clear. HOW TO USE:  Hold the Palo Santo wood at a 45-degrees angle, facing downward, and light the Palo Santo wood. Allow it to burn for 40 - 60 seconds. Blow out the flame and allow it to smoulder. Work your way around the room in a clockwise direction from the ground upwards, and do not forget to cleanse your etheric body, and anyone else in your presence. To cleanse yourself, start at the heart centre, and fan the smoke up, towards your throat. Then, up and over your head and then down towards the ground. Re-light your Palo Santo stick if needed. Then, extinguish in sand, or leave in a heat proof bowl. Palo Santo can be reused. If you prefer a smokeless cleanse, here is our alternative: Our "Palo Santo Mist” is my favourite alternative when I am in a no-smoke zone. It is easy to travel with, and it is a fantastic alternative, as you just spray to cleanse your energy and protect your etheric field, especially if you are visiting hotels, on the road for work, or in a space that you just cannot use smoke. Also, let’s not forgot the beautiful beings that just prefer smokeless cleansing instead. So, go check out our Palo Santo Mist!   Our Palo Santo is a product of Peru and has been wildly harvested without harming the Palo Santo tree. The mystical spirit of this wood must be respected.      4. Air Purification / Space Purification Burning Sage, Frankincense, and Dragons Blood Incense is thought to release negative ions. This is said to help neutralize positive ions. Common positive ions are allergens like: Pet dander / Oder Pollution Dust Mould   Burning white Californian sage is amazing as it not only improves air quality; it also improves overall health and reduces stress and anxiety. White sage is used for emotional, psychic, and spiritual purification. Sage (also known as “salvia”) has a long history of use in Egyptian, Roman and Greek medicines, as well as in Native American healing traditions. Sage burning practices are done to heal, protect, increase wisdom, as well as boost and defend against disease. It is also used for emotional, psychic, and spiritual purification. Burning sage is known as smudging. The smoke purifies the air in your home and workspace. The smoke of the sage attaches itself to negative energy, and as the smoke clears, it takes the negative energy with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy.   How to use the smudge stick: I begin with prepping my area. So, I open all windows and doors to the things that will serve my highest good. The reasoning behind this is for when I start cleansing and clearing the low energies. When the smoke clears and exits my healing space, any negativity will leave with the smoke. I let my sage stick catch on fire. Then, I use my abalone bowl to extinguish the fire, leaving us with the smoke only. I never use my breath to blow out the smudge stick. Once the tips of the sage smoulder slowly, releasing smoke, I allow the smoke to linger around my body, cleansing and removing all energies. Once I have done that, I begin to clean my home. I walk around all parts of my home. I smudge all corners of the rooms, working my way to the centre of the room. Then, I move on to the next room. I also do this ritual moving in a clockwise direction, ending right back to where I started. While I am doing this smudging cleanse, I make sure that I am completely in the present moment and very aware of what I am wanting to release. I also say a smudging prayer. I finish off by cleansing myself again. I remain grateful that I am now cleansed from all negativity, and low vibrational energies. I then use my fireproof abalone bowl to extinguish the sage stick by pressing firmly into it, or I rub it into the dirt. Remember, please do not get it wet. When you are done, place the smudge stick in a fireproof vessel, until you are ready to use it again.   Once again, if you don’t like the smoke and smoulder, go check out our smokeless Palo Santo Mist.   5. Relax – unwind – Meditation - Yoga Light some Incense, relax on the sofa – or a comfy space – with a cup of tea, a book, and some chilled-out music. Alternatively, run a bath, and light our Crystal Infused Healing Candles, or light an Incense Stick or two. Soft scents will further enhance this time, allowing you to give yourself time and space away from the hassles of everyday living. Frankincense, Dragons Blood and our Three Wise Men Incense all work very well when the need to unwind is calling. It is for this reason that we created the candle ‘I Can See Clearly Now’. This candle has been created with a lot of love and it is dedicated to a very important soul, that I have had the pleasure of spending time with, and learning from his teachings. Dr. Wayne Dyer, thank you for being an embodiment of love. The intention that has gone into this candle is so that you can step into your power and see clearly, fulfilling your life's purpose. It is part of the Liquid Crystalline Range. The liquid crystal used is Selenite & Smokey Quarts. The incense used on the top of the candle is my Three Wise Men blend: Frankincense, Myrrh, and Benzoin (representing Gold and Herbs). Its Frequency is very high; perfect to light up and chill, as it will give you a feeling of comfort, allowing you to relax and stay present.   I trust that the above information has given you a clearer understanding on the importance of incense cleansing, and why many beings use incense within their home and lives. Please keep in mind that many of the above types of incense and rituals listed are sacred in many religions, cultures, and practices. For this reason, please respect any ritual or incense that you may try.   Sending you light and love, Eleni From Bespoke & Co. Candles   xoxo