Although a candle may be viewed as "
primitive" because it uses
fire as its source of
illumination,
candlelight contains an almost
mystical quality that cannot be duplicated by any form of electricity.
Lightbulbs may have replaced fire as a way to see in the dark, but in the transition, we have lost the richness of shadows.
The yellows, oranges, and reds of a burning candle speak to us on an unconscious level, to a primal instinct in man that finds comfort in the mastery of fire. Seduction, through candles, is but one manifestation of a its luxurious speech. A candlelit room, though dynamic in its flickering sparks and dancing darknesses, is also inherently calming. How easy it is to lose yourself in such a place; how easy it is to lose your time in the glint of a candlelit room.
A candle's primary purpose is not to provide light or warmth for us. Nor is it a simple decoration for a table or bookshelf. On some level, a candle is a reminder that we are human, and that nature will always be in us and around us.