Step 5 Activity: Votive Candles

Step 5:  Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

December 21st, being the shortest day and longest night of the year, seemed the perfect day to do some candle art with our group.  During our shares, we opened up about our own dark sides and what brings us hope and light when things get the toughest in our recovery.

Multiple sponsors have suggested that I light candles during various points of my step work.  During my 5th step, where I admitted to God "the exact nature of my wrongs," I read my 4th step out loud to a candle. For this reason, candles have held importance to me throughout my recovery.

Supplies needed:

-clear glass votives with candles
-tissue paper
-glue

I was able to purchase the votives at a bulk rate.  I washed the outside of the glass votives before setting up for the group, as I didn't want any potential greasy residue to impeded the glue from adhering to the glass.

We then ripped the tissue paper into small pieces and adhered the pieces with the glue to the glass.  This created something of a stained glass effect.

We also used glitter glue, which you can see at the top edge of the votive on the left.  though once the candle is lit, the glitter only appears in silhouette, so it didn't quite have the effect I was hoping for.  I think the candles are lovely without the glitter glue.  We also had stickers left over from our God Box project, which some people stuck on their votives, as well.  But again, the stickers mostly appear as silhouettes of blocked light when the candle is lit.

Here is how the candles appear when lit.  I definitely feel a much more personal relationship with these votives than with just an ordinary candle.  For me, this personal touch helps to bring me closer to my Higher Power while reading my 5th step.