Most of us have our own warming morning ritual, intentionally or not.
Warm water, coffee, tea… we all get our fix on something. Unless you go straight for green juice… and in that case… well…it’s ok if you stop reading now!
Yes, something warm in the stomach early morning (yes water!) has some proven health benefits, but more than that, warmth works on our subconscious.
Warmth signals safety.
When I hold a warm mug in the morning, I’m not just waking up our body. I am grounding myself into the moment. I am reminding my nervous system that I am alive, that the day can begin gently before it accelerates.
That simple ritual, repeated day after day, becomes an anchor.
And then the storm of daily tasks hits us full on.
I navigate through urgency, conversations, responsibilities, unexpected events, joys, frustrations, noise. Even the most beautiful days tend to pile up quickly until slowing down feels almost impossible.
By the time evening arrives, I am not just tired... I am sore from carrying the weight of the day.
This is why returning home matters so much. Home is not only a place, it is a state. A cocoon. A soft boundary between the outside world and our inner one. And my evening ritual helps me cross that subtle threshold and I think it can help you too.
For some, that ritual is journaling. For others, a hot bath, stretching, breathing, or a few moments of stillness. For me it is lighting a candle. And I’m sure many of you do that too and maybe paired with some other relaxing trick.
When you think about it, fire has always done something magical to us. Its movement, its warmth, its quiet insistence on the present moment. A flame cannot be rushed. It dances at its own rhythm. Watching it slows our breath, lowers our heart rate, brings us back into our body.
A candle is also scent. It fills our space gently, without asking for attention. It wraps the room in something familiar and grounding.
Over time, I even realized I make a very clear distinction between the candles I use during the day and my night candles.
Stay with with me here : Day candles are atmospheric. They make the house smell good. They accompany work, cooking, movement, life happening around them.Night candles are different. Night candles are rituals.They are not there to decorate the day, but to close it.
They belong to earth and fire. To grounding. To coming back to oneself.
This is where Red Wine & Black Cherry lives.
It is not a light scent. It is earthy, deep, and warm. The weight of the grape, the richness of red wine, anchored by the sweetness of black cherry. There is something slightly sultry about it, but also something comforting: some sweetness at the end of a long day.
Lighting this candle does not mean I stop. I still move around the house. But slowly, without effort, the body begins to soften. The mind loosens its grip. The day starts to slow down and my shoulders relax.
And when I blow it out before going to bed, there is a small but very real sense of satisfaction. A quiet gratitude. Whether the day was good or bad, it passed.
Now we rest a bit more still, like slow dancing ashes. Now we dream.
So sweet dreams my darlings,
Anne.
