Tea lights were originally used during the traditional Japanese tea ceremony for decoration and to keep the tea warm. They were encased in a special holder designed to keep the melted wax in place. The tea light has an amazing ability to produce heat and light and above all, create an lovely eclectic ambience.
The Japanese tea ceremony developed as a "transformative practice", and began to evolve its own aesthetic, in particular that of "sabis" and "wabis" principles. "Wabi" represents the inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives. Its original meaning indicated quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste "characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry" and "emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials." "Sabi," on the other hand, represents the outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant "worn," "weathered," or "decayed."
Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honoured as a healthy reminder to cherish our unpolished selves, here and now, just as we are - the first step to "satori" or enlightenment.