Before the rains came, the earth was fire. This molten planet burned fiercely for millions of years, a fire that created continents and that still pulses below our feet. It bubbles up in volcanoes, whose red hues paint the sky with flames. Fire created our planet, and it is to fire that we turn our souls. We stare at flames, draw strength from them, and lose ourselves in their flicker.

It’s no wonder that candles draw our attention, and are used to create a mood – mysterious, romantic, sometimes foreboding, always sensual. Candles can always make any gathering special, even if – especially if – it is just for two. Here are some of the best ways to use ecologically-friendly candles to enhance any mood.

Around the bathtub

This works even if it is just you. A ring of candles in an otherwise-darkened bathroom helps you slip into a full tub, enjoying the elemental strengths of fire and water, combining to soothe away the stresses of the day. These are the two strongest forces on our planet, and their eternity reminds you that the daily concerns don’t matter.

As a walkway leading through the house

Imagine your partner walking into the house after a long day, and seeing a path made of candles, casting the rest of the house – with its bills, and malfunctioning fridge, and queue of movies on the DVR that you don’t really want to watch but to which you feel strangely obligated – cast into darkness, somewhere beyond the reach of this romantic walkway. Everything that was painful and nagging has disappeared into shadows. The only illumination is toward you.

In the bedroom

There is nothing more mysterious than the chemistry of human affection and sensuality, and no interplay of light and darkness more mysterious than that of a candle, casting elongated and dangerous shadows onto the walls, moving with their own leonie grace, forming shapes and patterns as ephemeral as the moment and as constant as time.

At an outdoor table

Time to cool down and go outside for a bottle of wine and a nice dinner. Too many lights can kill the mood around a table, bringing too much light and a dull hum, not to mention attracting every insect in the area. A candle, though, keeps you suitably darkened, and lets the thrill of being outside, in the darkened night, come alive. Put it in a jar to block the wind, and your night is set.

As an outer ring to a fire pit

This works if you are camping or on the beach. Everyone loves to sit around a fire. But what if the fire also sits around you? Put enough candles in jars, and make an outer ring, so that there is fire, you, fire, and then night. It is somewhat scary (though safe, if you aren’t reckless), and nothing quickens the blood more than even the hint of danger. Fire, which made us human, can make every night one to remember.

At EkoMiko, we’re thrilled to offer ecologically-friendly, sensual candles. Remember, we don’t just stay on this planet – this is where we live. Let’s keep both of us fully and truly alive.

Shopekomiko shows the world that saving the environment can be fun, sassy, and sexy. Become an EkoHero or EkoHeroine every time you visit shopekomiko.