3rd Ritual BEL Candle Refills

How would your life look differently if you set just a little bit of your day aside to practice simple rituals of mindfulness? That’s a question Jenn Tardif decided to answer when she started her company. The brand 3rd Ritual, shaped by Taoist, yoga, and design philosophies, aims to create mindful objects and botanical blends that help add a little more intention to your day to day.

3rd Ritual’s craft “strives to cultivate a more connected and mystical way of life through research, innovation and practice.” The BEL candle embodies innovation — a core tenet to 3rd Ritual’s brand. From botanical blends to reminders to stop doom-scrolling, their philosophy is uncomplicated — simple rituals can inspire sacred experiences.

Her first product was a soothing botanical body lotion created in her kitchen when she was pregnant with her first child. Most recently, 3rd Ritual has launched the BEL candle — a hand-dipped taper candle with solid brass pins. As the candle melts, the pins slowly drop and “ping” to signal the end of your meditation. I love how I’m able to place the pins at different levels every day, essentially setting a custom analog timer for my mediation practice. The BEL candle features a solid brass candle holder, handmade in India using traditional casting techniques that are over 400 years old. Alongside the brass holder, there are three hand-dipped coconut candles each infused with essential oils of lavender, sage, and palo santo. 3rd Ritual blends artisanal tradition with a modern approach, rooted in thousands of years of yogi tradition.

Trataka is a traditional meditation technique that utilizes the sense of sight to still the mind. While you can practice Trataka by looking at a dot on the wall or a star in the sky, it’s most traditionally done by gazing at a candle flame. Trataka means “gaze” in Sanskrit and the 15th century manual Hatha Yoga Pradipika defines the ritual as “looking intently with an unwavering gaze at a small point until tears are shed.” 

The central point of focus is supposed to enhance one’s ability to dissolve distraction and cultivate clarity over time. The BEL candle was designed with this ancient practice in mind — once the candle melts and the pin drops, slowly invite yourself back to the present moment. Practicing Trataka will encourage you to focus your gaze on something besides your usual screens.

3rd Ritual offers a modern approach to practicing these ancient meditation techniques. And while the brand pulls from thousand year old ideas, they were founded on just 3 basic principles.

1. Simple rituals inspire sacred experiences.
2. When you move half as fast, you notice twice as much.
3. Mindfulness is a lifelong practice.

I felt drawn to this brand on a level far deeper than the aesthetic packaging. The brand ethos feels like a clear reminder of what we all need so deeply right now. Self-care, routine, and ritual are words that get tossed around these days. The difference between routine and ritual lies in the intention – are you focused on why you are doing what you are doing? Yes, the BEL candle looks great on display, but even more than that, it’s a physical reminder to invite sacred rituals into your everyday self care routine. Tardiff likes to reframe self care as radical self-compassion. And couldn’t we all use more of that?