A friend of mine lost her beloved dog. Anyone who has had the privilege of falling in love with an animal will understand the overwhelming sadness that can come with the loss of their friend.

My friend’s dog, Pete, was a scruffy, dark gray curmudgeon who caused her all kinds of grief from his mischief, but he was one of the loves of her life. I knew when the time came for him to pass it was going to be hard.

This friend works with a company that makes handblown glass votive candleholders. Each of these pieces of art comes with a message, and the colors are heavenly.

After Pete died, she placed one of her beautiful votive candles on her windowsill each evening and lit a candle to remember him. She told me it helped her deal with her grief, it enabled her to feel connected to him, even if his physical body was no longer with her.

You can do this for any situation; for grief, for missing a loved one who’s far away, for belief in a dream. Simply choose a candle that feels right, find a quiet place where you can contemplate and make a ritual out of the moments you sit with the candle, meditating on whomever or whatever you’re focused on.