How can lighting a candle help?

Lighting a candle can serve as a powerful symbolic gesture that facilitates a shift in perspective and creates a conducive environment for introspection or meaningful conversations. Jack Kornfield illustrates this by describing two scenarios where lighting a candle had a profound effect: one with young people who had lost friends to violence, and another with top executives at a company. In both instances, the simple act of lighting a candle and allowing silence transcended normal interactions, creating a space for serious reflection and connection. This ritual, according to Kornfield, acts as a universal language that can transform the way people relate to each other and to the challenges they face 1.