By Candlelight: Rites for Celebration, Blessing & Prayer by Janina Ren?e, Janina Renee, Janina Rente

Synopsis

2005 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) 2nd Runner Up in Spirituality category!

The simple act of bringing light to darkness is a moving and meaningful way to create sacred space, celebrate joyous occasions, and find solace in times of loss. Candle rites are also a time-honored way to bestow blessings upon loved ones or focus energy on any wish or intention that you may have.

Warm and wise, By Candlelight is the most complete guidebook to candle rituals available. Within these pages are eighty-seven beautifully crafted rites for a wide variety of common concerns, large and small. From a rite for "evoking the good in others" to "summoning personal willpower," there are rituals for both the public and private spheres of life, along with prayers, blessings, meditations, affirmations, visualizations, and ceremonial actions. Suggestions are included for using color and fragrance, home altars, and other approaches to enhance and personalize your candle rites.

Publishers Weekly

Fire has always been a source of mystery, warmth and light, making it an excellent focal point for family or group gatherings. But the candle-with its single, contained flame and soothing scent-is especially conducive to the enhancement of family rituals and group rites, according to Renee, a student of psychology and ritualism for more than 30 years. Starting with the motion of striking a match and lighting a wick, candle lighting offers an intentional pause-signaling the unconscious mind to focus on spiritual forces. "The flame of a candle can represent the fire of life and spirit... [or] each person's ability to bring light into the world," she writes. By concentrating on the flickering flame, it becomes easier to shut out the distractions and reach a more relaxed "alpha state," making creative insight more likely to occur. Considering the ritualistic power and popularity of candlelight, it's not surprising that someone devoted a book to it. What is surprising is how well this one works. Ren e offers 87 non-denominational and inspirational candle rituals for specific situations, such as managing stress, attracting love, greeting a new moon and creating world peace. Each entry includes prayerful phrases to say aloud as well as suggestions for what color candle to use and essential oil scents that will enhance the ritual. Her appendices are especially resourceful, covering the meanings associated with different colors (for instance, light blue represents peace in the home), the uses of essential oils, and home altars. (Apr.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Biography

Janina Renée is a scholar of folklore, psychology, medical anthropology, the material culture of magic, ritual studies, history, and literature. Her books include Tarot Spells, Tarot Your Everyday Guide (winner of 2001 Coalition of Visionary Resources award for best Self Help book), Tarot for a New Generation (2002 COVR winner, best General Interest Title), and By Candlelight: Rites for Celebration, Blessing and Prayer (2005 COVR runner-up, Spirituality). Janina continues to work on multiple books, with ongoing research projects exploring the ways folk magic and medicinal techniques can apply to modern problems, including the modulation of Asperger’s Syndrome and other neuro-sensory processing problems.