As the days shorten and the air grows crisp, I feel the gentle pull to slow down. The light shifts this time of year, softening into something golden and low, and it seems to ask something of us. To pause. To gather. To tend to the small rituals that keep us grounded.

The irony, of course, is that I’m writing this in the middle of my busiest season. Fall farmers markets, workshops, and holiday events fill the calendar, and the days blur together in a rhythm of melting, pouring, trimming, and packing. This weekend though, I scheduled a pause. I gave myself a few days off, knowing that rest is just as essential as production.

During the week, I started construction on a few improvements in my workshop, which naturally brought production to a halt. In the past, that might have sent me spiraling into worry. But this year feels different. Thanks to the small but mighty team that supports me, we’re ahead of schedule for the holidays. I can step back, breathe, and trust the process. There’s a calm in me right now that feels earned.

Moments like this remind me why the philosophy behind Slow Burn matters so much. It’s not about perfection or constant motion. It’s about connection - to yourself, your work, your community, and the season you’re in. Life will always bring interruptions and surprises, but we get to decide how to meet them. We can react from fear and scarcity, or we can respond with intention and grace. We are the directors of our lives, always holding the choice to either dwell on what’s not going to plan or live fully within what is.

Lighting a candle helps me return to that truth. It’s a quiet act of care that turns an ordinary moment into something sacred. Whether it’s during dinner with family, at my workbench, or in the stillness of early morning, that small flame reminds me to come back to myself.

For me, candle season is a season of return. After a summer spent outside and on the move, autumn and winter invite me back into the studio and into rhythm. Pouring wax, trimming wicks, and preparing for market weekends becomes a meditation of its own. The work is physical, yes, but it also slows my mind. The simple act of creating light is enough.

This winter, you’ll find Slow Burn at a variety of holiday markets throughout the Twin Cities, along with a few special workshops where we’ll gather to dip tapers and reconnect through the warmth of shared creation. You’ll also see the return of yoga offerings in the new year, beginning with a four-week Yin Yoga series designed to invite rest and reflection.

As the season deepens, I hope you find ways to create your own moments of stillness. Light a candle before a meal. Take a few deep breaths as you watch the flame flicker. Let its warmth remind you that even as the days grow shorter, the light within you remains.

However you choose to welcome the season, may it be with warmth, intention, and a little golden light.

Slow down with us this season.
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