A BURNING CANDLE IS MORE THAN JUST A SOURCE OF LIGHT
By Monk Tom
A BURNING CANDLE SYMBOLIZES LIFE. And even a candle eventually comes to an end. But what about our soul—does it ever come to an end? When I was 17 years old, my grandfather passed away. He had lived very modestly, and after his death, his apartment was cleared out. During the cleanup, I found a half-burnt, beautifully decorated candle. My father told me it was his baptismal candle. I was allowed to keep it, and I always stored it in a safe place. “20 years later”, in my penthouse apartment that also served as my office and Gallery studio I was waiting for a my few artistic friends to have picnic ... It was a Saturday evening in late summer. As I was getting ready for the picnic, I heard the church bells ringing. It was exactly 6 p.m. I opened the window and listened to the bells while gazing over the rooftops of a Swiss town. Later that night, when I returned home after the picnic, I found a message on my answering machine. It was from my sister, informing me that our father had passed away at 6 p.m. I packed the baptismal candle, quickly went to my mother’s and sister’s apartment where they were waiting for me with dead body of father in a bed. My father was an Artist (father picture), a lovely painter and we lost him. I took my father’s baptismal candle and lit it next to his bed. I stayed with him as long as the candle burned, bidding him farewell on his journey without us. All the memories I had shared with my father came flooding back, and in silence, I thanked him and, for the first time, told him that I loved him—something I had never said during his lifetime. Today in my loving memory of my Father Soul I say again “ I love for ever and thank you for being such good Father”
Through this experience, the meaning of a burning candle has deepened for me. For me, a burning candle now symbolizes life. The wax of the candle is the body (Yin), the flame is the fire of life, the spirit (Yang), and the wick is the connection—it is the soul (Qi). Without the wick, there is no flame. I am reminded of this trinity every time I light a candle. As I reflected on life and death after my father's passing,
I came across this poem by Goethe. It mirrors my own thoughts and helps me grasp the eternal cycle of life and death.
Song of the Spirits Over the Waters Johann Wolfgang Goethe
The human soul
Is like water:
From heaven it comes,
To heaven it rises,
And back again
To earth it must fall,
Forever changing.
"In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the water element is closely connected to the kidneys, which are considered the seat of life energy. To better understand Goethe’s poem and its deeper meaning, I created a meditation video that explains the water cycle and its healing effects." Link to Video
This journey has taught me that death is not an end but part of an eternal cycle. Through Traditional Chinese Medicine and Taoism, I have found answers that continue to guide me to this day. On this website, I want to share my knowledge and open new perspectives for you, dear reader—perhaps you too will find answers to your questions here.
