Ear Candle Therapy at Mountainyoga™
History of Ear Candling
In ancient times the process was described as "coning". Cone shaped instruments made from pottery clay were used. The glazed pottery cones had a double helix carved inside to create a downward spiral energy flow of the smoke and heated air. This would carry the burning herbs down into the ear canal. The action is a counter clockwise flow caused by the vacuum action of the cone. The smoke and the heat cleansed the ear canal and pulled the debris out by vacuum as the air was burned out the ear canal.
This process was used in China, India, Tibet, Egypt, the Mayan, Aztec and American Indian Cultures. History dates it back to Atlantis and Lemuria. Cleansing cones or candles are an ancient, universal form of therapy used by nations all around the globe. Some form of wax or some burnable substance was used as the carrier in the cones. Some Indian tribes simply blow herbal smoke down into the ear canal through a cone shaped object, many times it was wrapped up newspaper.
Many cultures considered coning a spiritual practice for clearing the mind and senses. They claimed it cleared the mind and body so you could meditate and open up your sensitivity.
In current times many cultures such as the South American Mexican Indians and some American Indian tribes are using ear coning. Materials vary from pottery cones to rolled up newspaper soaked in wax.
In the present time, due to health regulations we have to use disposable candles. Cones or candles are made from strips of unbleached cotton or linen dipped in paraffin and/or beeswax and herbs. The spiral roll built into the candles during production creates the same effect as the pottery cones. In some cultures they have mixed herbs into the wax or placed herbs in the cone during the burning process.
The way it works
The spiral of the cone causes the smoke to be pulled down in to the ear canal. This causes the ear canal to warm up and loosen the wax and any other material. As it heats it up, the candle causes a suction by creating a vacuum in the ear canal. Air is drawn up from the Eustachian tube into the middle ear then through the porous membrane out into the outer ear. The heat and the vacuum draw out the wax and other materials from the ear canal into the base of the candle. As it burns down you will hear a lot of cracking and hissing which is the process of removing the wax etc. The warmth feels soothing and relaxing during the process. Ear Oil placed in the ear after candling with cotton to cover will protect from further infections from bacteria, yeast's etc.
