Monthly Archives : July 2015

Perhaps you’ve noticed…we now live in the world of candles with triple digit price tags. While these designer candles look and smell great, it seems slightly insane to take a flame to such a costly item. I was therefore elated when, a few years ago, my dear friend Isabel introduced me to GGCandles. Not only do these candles smell fantastic and last for months, but they also serve a higher purpose. Best of all, they do so for a fraction of the cost of those fancier candles. I spoke with Gilah Guroivtsch, creator of GGCandles, about her creative process and how to pick the perfect candle for you.

TB: You’re not only a skilled esthetician, but also a talented candlemaker. How did your skin care practice inspire you to create candles?

GG: I have been a practicing esthetician for almost two decades. I’m known for my signature facials that I created years ago that incorporate my healing arts into each treatment. All my treatments have always been customized for each individual – for the needs of the skin at that moment. As a single mother of two young girls, at times I found it very difficult to provide for them. This lead me to think out of the box with my business. One day I was in a treatment, and as always, burning a random candle. I was staring at the candlelight and thought, what if I made my own candles? I could start an all natural environmentally friendly line.

Chakra Energy Candles

I remember thinking how great it would be to create a chakra energy candle to support the individual energies of each client I was treating. After many sleepless nights and MANY pounds of soy wax, my candles began to come to life. After 4 years of non-stop work, I have created a collection of healing candles that include The Seven Chakras Series as well as a general line of seasonal and holiday candles. I began to use the candles while working on clients and it did not take long before my clients took a liking to them and started asking how they could buy them.

TB: How do you create the “recipes” for your healing formulas?

GG: My passion is in the healing candles. After many years of studying the seven chakra energies, it was very important to get the right fragrances to support the different energy points. Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses plant materials and aromatic plant oils, including essential oils and other aromatic compounds, for the purpose of altering one’s mood, cognitive, psychological and/or physical wellbeing. We have a multitude of senses. The five traditionally recognized are sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Smell, the olfaction, is the only sense that goes straight to the brain. That’s why, in the most simplest way of explaining the aromatherapy, it has such an instant effect. A well-chosen energy candle can make a huge difference in how my clients are feeling during a treatment – or anywhere else for that matter. The chakra energies are referred to by name, color or number. GGCandles are all clearly labeled for each one.

TB: When choosing a candle, should people be guided by what they think they need or by what scent they are drawn to? For instance, I love the Abundance candle. Is this because I am searching for abundance in life?

GG: Everyday I am asked how to pick the right candle, or asked to pick the one I think is right for a client. I think that usually you are attracted to some fragrances more than others, and that is usually the chakra energy point where you need support. They are all designed for you to easily understand and learn about the chakras. You might not be in the mood for an ancient patchouli, but if your first chakra is in need of support, you might automatically be attracted to it. The Second Chakra Abundance Candle is one of the most popular as we all need support in our creative, emotional fulfillment, riches and balance departments. This support might make a big difference in all these different aspects. When you believe, it all happens. I always recommend choosing the candle that most appeals to you, whatever the name, color or fragrance. Once you learn more about the different energies and healing fragrances, you will know which one is for you.

TB: Any new candles you’re excited about and/or working on?

GG: As the light is shared, I’m inspired to create new candles. I’m happy to say that cold winter months are known to be the high season for candle burning. I am working on a new candle called Selfie that will be out for Valentines Day 2015. It is a candle meant to boost self-esteem and self-love that we so often seem to loose. The fragrances are going to support the different energy points to lift and bring you up.

After many years of hard work, today GGCandles are sold around the world. GGCandles are all natural soy, phthalate free and fragrance oil infused with essential oils. All our candles are white (no dyes), have a cotton wick and are hand poured to assure the highest quality.

To order these fabulous candles for yourself, visit Gilah’s website.

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram: @clairemcmack

If you’re spending time in bustling Tel Aviv and in need of a change of scenery, head two hours up the coast to the northernmost tip of Israel to Rosh Hanikra and the Bahá’í Temple in Akko. I took my family the last time I was there, and it made for an excellent day trip.

First Stop: The Grottoes Of Rosh Hanikra

Rosh Hanikra,  literally translated: “the head of the grottoes,” is a natural geological formation at the northwestern most part of Israel on the border with Lebanon. Cavernous grottoes have formed over thousands of years where the Mediterranean Sea meets white chalk cliffs.

The first thing I was struck by were the magnificent views of the coastline. We boarded a cable car that took us 200 feet down to sea level. (If you’re afraid of heights, cover your eyes. It actually looks much steeper from the top.) Once there, we meandered around the cliffs, making our way to the magnificent blue grottoes that lay below.

If you’re lucky, you might spot a rock badger scurrying through the cliffs, These mountain bunnies can only be found across Africa and parts of the Middle East in rocky terrain. They are elusive but very cute. (And were of significant interest to my nephews.)

Upon entering the cave, the temperature dropped, the floor became slippery, and a 600-foot-long network of caves revealed itself. One artery lead to the right down a few steps to a natural
hole in the cave overlooking the first grotto. It was a spectacle of blues and purples, filled with a tumultuous watery floor drenched in sunlight flooding in from outside the grotto. It is such a beautiful and unexpected sight.

We spent a few hours walking the arteries of the cave, then got back onto the cable car for the ride back where we began at the top of glorious cliffs overlooking the sea. Truly magnificent.

Next Stop: The Bahá’í Garden and Temple in Akko

Forty minutes south of Rosh Hanikra is the port of Akko (also called “Acre”). It has been a marina and fishing port since the 15th century BCE, though its rich history stretches all the way back to the time of the ancient Egyptians. Today Akko is a melting pot of religions — Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and followers of the Bahá’í faith. This is a small town sitting on a little more than 5 miles with a population of 47,000.

Our First Stop Was Lunch

Seafood is, as can be expected, the cuisine to sample. We ate at El Babor on the port, overlooking the sea. In addition to the freshest, local catch in town, we ate an unbelievable spread of Middle Eastern salads and traditional flatbreads, amongst the best I have had. Ask what is fresh, be brave and order a whole fish. This is one of the best lunch spots.

Our last stop was The Bahá’í Gardens. The Bahá’í faith, which emerged in Iran in the early 1840s, is based on the major monotheistic religions of the world and is primarily dedicated to creating a peaceful, more prosperous world through education. The complex, a 2008 addition to added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, consists of a magnificent, formal, symmetrical circular garden with the temple at its center. The garden includes pristine cyprus, sycamore, fig, and olive trees. The best times to visit are Friday to Monday, from 9 a.m. – noon when the temple is open to the public. (Word to the wise: wear sunscreen.)

Sadly, the temple was closed when I went as the entire excursion to Rosh Hanikra was an impromptu decision. Luckily the garden is so expansive that it was a treat on its own.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie