Hanukkah arrives in the darkest stretch of the year, when evenings come early and the days feel short. Then, night by night, the menorah fills with light. This Hanukkah guided meditation script is written for meditation teachers, rabbis and Jewish educators, chaplains, therapists, coaches and wellness professionals who want to offer a short, faith-friendly pause around Hanukkah candle lighting. It is built on one simple idea: one slow breath for each candle. Because the number of candles grows each evening, the practice grows with it, so you can use the same script on the first night of Hanukkah candle lighting and come back to it on every one of the eight nights.

You can use this script with families after the candles are lit, with a synagogue or community group, in a classroom, or in a quiet one-to-one session for someone who wants a calmer, more present holiday. It is not meant to replace the traditional Hanukkah candle lighting prayer or blessings; it works best right after them, while the flames are still burning. The script below is written to be read aloud, word for word, directly to your clients. It takes about five to seven minutes, depending on the night and how long you let the silences last.

Let’s get started.

Hanukkah Guided Meditation Script:

Find a comfortable place to sit where you can see the candles. Let your feet rest on the floor and your hands settle in your lap.

If it feels right, let your eyes rest softly on the flames. Or close them, and keep the glow in your mind instead.

Take a slow breath in through your nose. And let it go, gently, through your mouth.

(Pause)

Notice the room around you. The warmth of the light. The quiet that falls after the blessing. Maybe the voices of people you love, or the stillness of being on your own tonight. Whatever is here, it’s welcome.

Let your shoulders drop a little. Let your jaw loosen. There’s nothing to rush toward right now. For these few minutes, your only job is to breathe and to watch the light.

(Pause for several breaths)

Let your attention move slowly down through your body. Soften the space between your eyebrows. Let your face relax. Feel your arms grow a little heavier, your hands warm and still.

Notice your back resting against the chair, or your body supported by the cushion beneath you. Let your belly soften with each breath. Let your legs feel heavy and grounded. You’re held here. You can let the day loosen its grip.

(Pause)

Long ago, the story goes, a small amount of oil was found in the Temple in Jerusalem. It looked like enough for a single day. And yet the lamp kept burning, for eight days, long enough for the light to be renewed. A little was enough. More than enough.

Bring that thought with you now, as you turn toward the candles in front of you.

First, find the shamash, the helper candle, the one that lit all the others. Breathe in slowly as you notice it. And as you breathe out, think of the people and the moments that have helped light your way this year.

(Pause)

Now count the candles burning tonight. For each one, you’ll take one slow, full breath.

Rest your attention on the first candle. Breathe in, and feel your chest and belly rise. Breathe out, and let the breath carry a little tension away with it.

(Pause)

Move to the next candle. Breathe in light. Breathe out heaviness. You don’t have to name what you’re letting go. The breath knows.

(Pause)

Keep going, one candle at a time, one breath for each flame. Take your time. If your mind wanders to tomorrow’s plans or to something that happened today, that’s all right. Just come back to the next flame and the next breath.

(Pause for several breaths, one for each remaining candle)

When you reach the last candle, let your breathing return to its own natural rhythm. Let your gaze, or your inner sight, soften so that all the flames blur together into one warm glow.

Notice how small each flame is, and how much light they make together. Each night of Hanukkah, one more light is added. Darkness doesn’t have to be chased away all at once. It gives way, a little at a time.

(Pause)

Now bring to mind one dark place in your own life right now. It might be a worry, a hard conversation, a tired part of you, or someone you miss at this table. You don’t need to fix it. Just hold it gently, the way you might hold your hands near a candle to warm them.

Imagine a little of this light reaching that place. Not to make it disappear, only to keep it company. Let a quiet thought settle there: even a little light is enough to begin.

(Pause for several breaths)

If you like, choose one small act of light you can offer before tomorrow’s candles. A kind word. A phone call. A moment of patience. A few minutes of rest for yourself. Let it be simple and real.

(Pause)

Take one more deep breath in, gathering the warmth of the room and the glow of the flames. And breathe out slowly, letting it settle into your body.

Feel your feet on the floor again. Feel the weight of your hands. Start to notice the sounds around you, the people nearby, the evening going on.

When you’re ready, open your eyes, or lift your gaze, and look at the menorah once more. The light is still here. You can carry a little of it with you into the rest of this night.

Chag sameach.

Tips for Facilitators

Read slowly and give each candle its own breath. On the first night the counting is short, and by the eighth night it becomes a longer, fuller pause, so plan your timing around the night you’re leading.

With young children, invite them to count the candles out loud together before you begin the breathing.

Keep candle safety in mind, and have people sit at a comfortable distance from the flames, especially in groups.