Candle Lighting Ceremony

The idea of a Candle Lighting Ceremony in which you light a candle in memory of a lost loved one is a very common practice.

It has a very spiritual feel to it and need not be expensive or formal. To many, the flame of a candle represents the spirit. It can also represent life's continuation even beyond death.

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."

(Saint Francis of Assisi)

You can use any type of candle, or even a small tealight. Some people just switch on an extra lamp.

I personally use church candles, which are the larger thicker style ivory candles, as they last a long time and can be reused many times.

Remember to never leave a burning candle unattended. : )

Many people light a candle on the day of the week that their pet's death occurred, or you could light a candle on the date your pet passed once a month.

The idea is simply to light the candle and spend time thinking about your pet and feeling close to them.

The loss of a pet can make you feel very lonely and isolated and many people find that they want to feel a part of something bigger than just themselves, and to feel a part of a larger healing and understanding community.

It is for this reason that the website Petloss.com runs a weekly Candle Lighting Ceremony in a chat room on their website.

Whilst there are other sites that hold similar ceremonies, the website Petloss.com is the original and the best, and has been holding such a ceremony since 1993.

If you would like to know more about their Candle Ceremony, you can see a copy of the ceremony reading itself by clicking here.

The site also offers an online list of pets which they honour in the weekly ceremony.

If you have suffered the loss of a pet you can add their name to the Bridgelist and they also offer a Special Needs List for pets who are ill or with special physical needs.

I really can't recommend the Petloss.com site enough for their Candle Lighting Ceremony.

Please bear in mind I receive no benefit from recommending this site, I am simply recommending this site as a pet owner who has suffered the loss of a pet many times myself, and have found the Candle Lighting Ceremony on this site to be very supportive.

If you do decide to join in with the ceremony on Petloss.com, I hope it will bring you as much comfort as it has me.