Candles for meditation in India: what to buy for a calm corner or trataka

Which candle to buy for meditation

A meditation candle does one job: it gives you a calm point to look at, without distracting you. That means a steady single flame, a simple shape, and either no fragrance or a gentle one. From our range, hand-poured in pure soy wax in Jalandhar:

• For a focus point or trataka: a single Spiral Pillar Candle in ivory, Rs 179. One tall flame you can set at eye level.
• For a meditation or pooja corner: the Lotus Candle, Rs 349, a layered lotus in green and red or all coral pink. The lotus is the classic symbol of meditation.
• If you like a soft scent while you sit: Vanilla Reverie, Rs 549, our only scented candle, in an amber glass jar.

How to choose a candle for meditation

• Fragrance or none. Many people meditate better without scent, especially in a small room or with breathing practice (pranayama), where a strong smell can be a distraction. Our shaped candles have no fragrance added. If you do want scent, keep it to one mild candle like vanilla, and leave a window open a little.
• One flame, not many. For trataka (candle gazing), teachers usually use one candle with a single steady flame. A row of tealights is lovely for a room but too busy to focus on.
• Height. For gazing, the flame should be roughly at eye level when you sit, about an arm's length away. A pillar on a small stool or a low table works; a tealight on the floor is too low.
• Colour. Plain ivory or a soft colour keeps the eye on the flame. Save the brighter shapes for the room around you.
• Somewhere still. Put the candle away from a fan or an AC vent so the flame does not flicker.

Meditation candles we make

A simple meditation corner set

• Minimal: one ivory Spiral Pillar Candle on a brass or steel plate. Rs 179.
• Calm corner: a Lotus Candle on a low table with one ivory pillar behind it for height. Rs 528 together.
• Evening practice: Lotus Candle with Vanilla Reverie for a light scent. Rs 898 together, Rs 79 shipping; add one Spiral Pillar Candle (Rs 179) and the order crosses our free shipping line of Rs 999.

Where else to look

• Yoga and wellness stores for meditation candles with essential oils such as lavender or sandalwood. We do not make those scents.
• Pooja shops for a ghee diya with a cotton wick, which many people prefer for a spiritual practice.
• LED candles if you meditate in a hostel room, an office or anywhere an open flame is not allowed.
• Beeswax candles from specialist sellers, if you prefer that wax. Ours are soy.

Getting your candles home

• Dispatch in 24 to 48 hours; delivery 2 to 7 days after dispatch, anywhere in India.
• Free shipping from Rs 999; Rs 79 below that.
• Prepaid only: UPI, card, net banking or wallet through Razorpay. No cash on delivery.
• Damage reported within 24 hours of delivery is replaced or refunded.

Safety while you meditate

The risk with meditation is closing your eyes for a long time near a flame. Keep the candle on a stable, heat-proof surface, well away from your clothes, a dupatta or the mat. Trim the wick to about 5 mm before each sitting, never leave it burning when you leave the room, and do not burn it more than 3 to 4 hours at a time. If you have an eye condition, ask a doctor before practising trataka.