Bespoke & Co. Candles
OUR BESPOKE ALTARS ❣️ Here at Bespoke & Co. Candles, we love nothing more than keeping traditional rituals alive. Altars have been used since the 12th Century by several religions. These structures come in a number of shapes and sizes, to provide a safe place for prayer and worship. So, of course, we had to make an alter with our signature Bespoke & Co. Candles twist! Our in-house hand-cut wooden altars are customisable in colour and choice of saint / spiritual being. We utilise 24 karat gold leaf and Australian-made epoxy resin to give that beautiful, crisp, crystal-clear glass appearance. These altars come with sand (packaged for you to put in).
Our altars are made in-house by Anthony. Before he joined Eleni on her bespoke journey, Anthony had his own joinery company. He is a master in his trade, with 30 years of experience in woodwork!
About our altars:
We include a prayer, verse (our most requested is Psalms), affirmation, intention, Name(s), and blessed oil
Our process is original to us! We have decided to put in that extra love and effort into making these altars. Through the making process, we bless the wooden altar and write a personal prayer / affirmation (customisable to you) and bless it with holy oil from Jerusalem before we add the icon, and all other goodies that come with the altar!
When ordering online: in the notes section, simply write:
- Choice of altar colour: Black or White?
- Your choice of writing. E.g., names, prayer, verse, etc.
- You are not limited to one choice of writing. You can include all writing choices!
- Icon Image. E.g., Saint(s), Spiritual being of your choice.
- Let us know if you want a cross on top of the Altar. You can choose with, or without.
What is the purpose of an altar?
Home altars have always played an important role in a Christian & Spiritual life. They are a place of centring; a reminder that God/ higher power is not trapped within the walls of a church. The Holy Spirit graces us all where we live; in the place where we are most human, where we wake up, eat, rest, wonder, and live a human existence.
I believe there is an open portal to Heaven over my altar. It may be a small one, but you would not believe how significant the atmosphere is there. It’s saturated with God’s glory. And whenever I sit down there, even if I’m having the worst day ever, I can feel the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit ministers to me there, and His presence and work are powerfully manifested.
Lighting candles in your altar:
A candle is a witness to faith. It is a symbol of humanity’s inner longing for divine light. It presents the flame of our love to the angels, saints, ascended masters, and the whole of the universe. The flame of the candle is a metaphor for the soul. The flame of the candle is the vehicle by which God illuminates our souls. When we make the conscious decision to connect with our spirits and walk our spiritual path, we see the Creator of our world as light. For us to be one with our Creator, our light must shine brightly, not hidden by the filters of fear.
Humans have used candles for centuries, and we’ve always regarded the flame as holy, magical, and mysterious. Many Christians light candles in church as a reminder to let the light of God shine in us, and as they regard God himself as light. The Evangelist, Saint John reveals this when he says, “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all” (John 8:12). When we hold an intention as we light a candle, the flame brings light to our wishes and desires and guides us to manifest our dreams. The magic of a candle can change our mood in a heartbeat. The simple action of lighting a candle and allowing the flame to fill your heart with light brings about profound change because when your spirit sees the flame, it knows what to do. Candles also create unity. We acknowledge this by lighting candles when we entertain family and friends.
It is not a coincidence that we light a candle on our birthdays for every year we’ve gained, and then blow out the flame with a wish to take the light forward with us. This is another part of the mythology of candles. Even children understand the magic behind the flame as they delight in blowing out their candles. As we get older, we often choose to lose touch with our inner children, and so this delight disappears. Yet, we see the glow of our inner flames once again. This inner light then leads us on a journey of self-discovery. Our delight then returns stronger than ever!
Why we use bees wax candles in our alter?
In the tradition of the Orthodox Church, burning beeswax candles symbolise obedience and readiness for repentance, and the clear flame of the candle purification in the divine fire, by which our sins are cleansed as in fire.
The pure substance of the wax itself, has been seen as the pureness of our souls and sincerity of our oblations. The softness and mouldability of the beeswax, symbolizes our conversion and readiness to mould our choice according to the will of God.
Since beeswax is collected from different, fragrant flowers, we are thereby reminded of the sweet grace of the Holy Spirit, but also how pleasant the sacrifices of righteous souls are before God.
The combination of fire and light is a symbol of the union and the strength of mutual love and peace among the Christians.
Why we use sand in our altar:
Sand is often a metaphor for the passing of time (as in an hourglass), especially with regard to eventual destruction (as mountains and pyramids turn to sand over time). The colour beige is neutral, calm, and relaxing.
The sand symbolises survival, creativity, clarity, revelations, loneliness, and overcoming life's greatest obstacles.
It also distinguishes the candles in a safe and clean manner.
It is for this reason here at Bespoke & Co. Candles that we use sand in our altar.
Prayer:
In the temple of silence and peace, go within and listen to the voice of God that speaks in your heart. Prayer is the highest form, the supreme act of the creative imagination. It is the expression of a being, a means of existing and causing to exist. Prayer is a “creator” of vision.
Prayer fans the flame within as we connect with the Holy Spirit, God, Ascended Masters, and Angels. We release all expectations, fears, worries, and concerns and surrender them to the source. Through prayer, we get to know our source and receive nourishment of divine wisdom and knowledge, restoring ourselves to balance. Through prayer, we also clarify our desires and raise their energy to a high frequency and send it to the universe together with the emotion that corresponds to that desire. In this way, we attract our desires. This, my dear brother’s and sister’s, is how we turn wood into gold. However, at certain times in our lives, we are blocked by mental clutter and cannot allow love to flow and raise our vibrations. If this happens, call upon Archangel Michael and hand him all of your fears and concerns.
“Archangel Michael, thank you for being by my side and protecting me and guiding me in the divine direction. Please remove all of my fears, concerns, and ego, and fill my human vessel with unconditional love.”
As you do so, visualise yourself throwing all your worries and fears into a large garbage bag, tying a knot on the top to seal in all that pain and fear, and hand the bag to the light of Archangel Michael. Take a deep breath and feel love flow through your body as you exhale. When you’re finished with your prayer, take three deep breaths, and slowly bring your awareness back to your surroundings.
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