I am a great lover of candles and often use them around my home. There is rarely an evening that goes without candlelight, even if it's just a couple of tealights in my bathroom. Being a Fire element, candles invoke the energy of purification and inspiration, warming the energy up and releasing stress.

Photo: © Grace Yang

After experimenting with many different candles, I recently made the decision not to use paraffin candles indoors. As with everything, it is not only the looks, but the energy of any given object, and there are important things to know about candles before making an intelligent choice about using them in your home.

Some research stated that the soot from a paraffin candle contains many of the same toxins that are produced by burning diesel fuel. Do your own research and go for best candles you can afford; burning a high quality candle in your bedroom for at least 15 min before going to sleep can considerably shift the energy and contribute to a much better sleep.