🌍 Soft Practices from Around the World — Part 4 of 8
No gurus. No apps. Just quiet rituals you can keep. See all posts in the series.
In Nordic homes, especially during the dark months, it’s common to light a candle first thing in the morning.
Before breakfast. Before the news. Before even speaking.
Just a match. A flame. A little warmth in the silence.
This isn’t about ritual in the religious sense. It’s about anchoring the day — starting it with care, not noise.
A flicker on the kitchen table. A small light before the world rushes in.
Lighting a flame becomes a kind of kindness. Not to chase away the dark, but to meet it gently.
Try it:
Tomorrow morning, before you do anything else, light a single candle.
No talking. No screens. Just light.
Sit with it, even for a minute.
Let the flame be your beginning.
You don’t need winter to feel the stillness.
Just a match. And a moment.
Let it be yours.
