Stres is experienced by everyone in varying degrees, especially in this fast paced world that we live in today. Some stress up to a point is good for us. It increases our energy and keeps us focused. It’s a form of adrenaline people experience that moves them beyond what’s safe.

Stress in small doses can actually be beneficial. It’s when we get overloaded with stress that it begins to take a toll on our mental and physical health. Too much stress has been known to cause fatigue and even illness in individuals. When stress gets to be too much for one to handle, it’s time to seek help in trying to find more productive ways of dealing with the source of the stress.

Each of us has a different level that we can deal with. Some are very low while others can be extremely high. Some people actually get too bored with life if they don’t experience a constant dose of stress in their everyday lives. For many people stress comes from low paying jobs and not having the ability to manage the bills.

The threat of job displacement, family or health issues. The first symptoms of excessive stress will come in the form of inner emotions, with anxiety and nervousness being at the top of the list. Worry and distraction begins to set in if the stress continues. When these conditions persist for a certain time period, one begins to show outward signs of stress.

Their appearance or behavior begins to show nervousness or irritability. They tend to become more and more distracted and focused inwardly towards their own selves. If the stress persists then more than likely the individual will begin to experience physical effects of stress. This can come in the form of extreme fatigue, depression, suicidal thoughts.

The more physical forms include headaches, nausea or diarrhea, chest pains or tremors. One may need to seek professional help to assist in eliminating the stress from your life. When one finds themselves beginning to feel the beginning symptoms of stress affecting their lives, they need to find the source of the stress and act to eliminate it.

Don’t wait until it takes over your life and gets to a point where it becomes a physical problem. Upon identifying the source of the stress, try to take action to remove yourself from this. It maybe that the stress is a little more complicated to eliminate such as a large bill that you’re having trouble paying. This may take a little more effort on your part but in order to achieve mental health, you must try this.

Remove yourself from the financial worries even if only temporarily. Take some time and just refuse to think about the bills. Dwell on pleasant thoughts or focus on a positive energy. Surround yourself with calming scents and sounds. When you learn to practice this, you’ll find yourself much more able to return to the financial situation with a clearer head and more positive outlook.

Candles are a light source used from the beginning when man first discovered how to make solid fuel out of wax. They’re created by molding a form of wax with a wick in the middle for the flame. This was discovered to be a self sustaining form of light with the flame melting a little of the wax and the liquid wax providing fuel to keep the flame burning.

The first candle was found to have been used back in 3000 BC. The Egyptians and Cretans would make candles using beeswax. Later on in the eighteenth century, oil derived from the sperm whale was found to produce a superior product.

Today the candle has evolved to a purely decorative product that is typically infused with essential oils to produce fragrances. It’s no longer a necessity as it was before the discovery of electricity.

Today, candles still are a favorite among people who want to create a mood or ambience in a room. They give off a soft warm glow that’s flattering to people and creates a romantic atmosphere. Restaurants often utilize the use of candles on tables to encourage a sense of warmth and relaxation.

Many households will also stock up on candles in case of power failures. Many religious ceremonies use candles as part of their proceedings. In Buddhism, candles are placed before shrines as a show of respect. The light is supposed to represent the light of Buddha’s instructions.

In Hinduism, a basic form of candle is used. This consists of oil lit by a wick. It’s considered an extremely important part of the Hinduism rituals.

In Christianity, the candle is used for decoration and ambience in religious ceremonies. It’s a symbol that is supposed to represent the light of Christ.

In Judaism, the candle is lit on Friday evening during a weekly Sabbath celebration and at the end of the ritual. The Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, which is a holiday that lasts eight days, is celebrated by the lighting of a candle on each of those eight nights. Many people throughout the ages have used lit candles as a way of remembering or honoring deceased loved ones.

Candles were even used as timekeepers at one time. They burn pretty consistently and people would mark the time on the sides of the candle to gauge the passing of time.

Today people enjoy the scent of burning a fragrant candle but the addition of essential oils for the scents often clouds a candle by producing excess smoke or carbon deposits. This can be kept to a minimum by keeping the wick trimmed and the flame out of drafts.

Not all pillars look the same. By the same token, not all pillar candles have the same characteristics. Many pillar candles are round, like the typical pillar. Still some pillar candles have four equal sides, like the sides of a square. There are even a few pillar candles that have been given an oval shape.

The makers of pillar candles respect the needs of all candle lovers. While many pillar candles are scented, one can also find unscented pillar candles. These are made for those people who love candlelight, but who are sensitive to a strong fragrance. Some candle lovers refuse to purchase a product that contains any type of animal fat. Candle makers therefore created soy pillar candles. Those candles contain only plant-derived materials.

The typical picture of a pillar candle does not mandate the nature of those candles. Pillar candles do not have to have smooth sides. Some pillar candles have textured or beaded sides. Some pillar candles are created by candle makers with very special candle molds.

Some pillar candles have fluted sides. The long grooves in the candle run up and down. Other pillar candles have groves that form layers around a pillar of paraffin. That pillar then looks like an accordion, an accordion with one end on the table and a second end pointing at the ceiling.

The top of a pillar candle does not always point to a ceiling. The top of the giant column candle frequently points to the open sky. That seemingly oversized pillar candle is usually used outdoors.

Some pillar candles could serve as effective teaching tools. A teacher doing a unit on the rain forest environment might want to show her students some “Ancient Ruins.” That is the name given to pillar candles that contain remnants of rain forest artifacts.

A teacher could certainly draw the students’ attention by showing them a candle with more than one wick. One can find multi-wick candles among the online selection of pillar candles. Those multi-wick candles can create an interesting lighting effect at a wedding reception.

A layered pillar candle can also add intrigue to a reception or to any setting. Each layer of that pillared candle contains a different scent; each layer emits a different fragrance. Thus the prevailing scent in the room changes while the candlelit event is still in progress.

Copyright 2005 Scentsible Aromatherapy

The first candle charts guided the businesses transactions of a simple Japanese rice farmer. Soon after the year of 1850, a man named Homma wanted to develop a better way to keep track of his rice sales. He also wanted to have a graphic way of illustrating the amount of rice he still needed to sell.

He developed the first candle charts. The long candlesticks on certain charts let him know that he had sold lots of rice. Any short candlesticks on the same chart told him that, during a certain period, he had made only limited rice sales.

Homma might have used two or more charts—one chart to graph rice sales, and one to graph the supply of unsold rice. Today, candle charts put together information on sales and acquisitions. That is done by using colored and white candles.

Today candle charts have become popular among those who buy and sell stocks. Stock traders have now developed 4 types of candle charts. One type of chart shows the market high, low, open and close for a defined period, usually one day. The other charts graph transactions that take place on the market floor.

One chart, for example, graphs the number of trades completed. Once a set number of trades are reached, a new “candle” is placed on the chart. The same criterion governs the use of candle charts to define the number of contracts traded. A third chart shows where the trading price falls in relation to a set range. The range is defined by a “candle.”

The charts used by stock traders are often called candlestick charts. A “candlestick” seems to protrude from the top and bottom of each chart “candle.” Those candlestick charts are the focus of most online literature about candle charts.

Why should candle charts be of interest to someone who has chosen to read about stress, or aromatherapy? Candle charts provide any nonprofit group with an excellent way to illustrate to members the state of the group’s finances. Candle charts can help a nonprofit group to reach its financial goal.

Nonprofit groups need to use slightly modified candle charts. They do not need to have a candlestick at both ends of each candle. An effective candle chart can have a single “wick” at the top of each fully-drawn “candle.”

The treasurer who wants to use a candle chart must define his or her goal. What amount of money does the group need to gather from its fund raising drive, or collect from contributors? That total can then be broken down, and used to create a monthly or weekly goal.

The treasurer places a line on a graph at the spot where the monthly or weekly goal is located. The treasurer explains to the group members that he or she would like to see a “candle” each month or week. That “candle” would show an accumulation of money equal to the goal amount.
Now the treasurer must understand that the lighting of a candle is seen as a happy event. The treasurer then tells the group members that he or she will “light” any candle that represents attainment of the monthly or weekly goal amount.

The treasurer does not really have to light any candles, but the treasurer should draw a burning flame at the top of a candle that reaches up to the goal amount. If a treasurer wants to add a bit of drama to his or her presentation, then actual candle lighting might well take place.
Use of candle charts has proven to be an effective way to encourage group participation in fund raising. Contributors feel rewarded by the appearance of a “flaming” candle.