YAKSA

Where the Light Begins

I was born in the arms of the Himalayas, on the wide open land of the Tibetan plateau. There, the wind is strong and the sky is clear. Butter lamps are part of everyday life. People light them not for light, but for meaning.

A lamp for someone on a long journey,

A lamp for a loved one in illness,

And a lamp for themselves, to guide the way inside their own heart.

 

As a child, I watched my grandmother by the soft glow of the lamp. She never said much, but her hands were always gentle. She taught me that even the smallest light can bring comfort and hope.

 

When I went to university, I worked several jobs while studying. I saved every penny with the dream of studying abroad. But just before I was about to leave, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Without thinking too much, I gave all my savings to help pay for her care. Not because she asked me to, but because she was the warmest light in my life. I stayed by her side until the very end.

 

After she passed away, I went silent for a long time. That winter, I often lit a butter lamp at home. The room felt empty, but the flame stayed. Its scent brought a quiet peace.

 

One day, I melted some old butter and oils together and made a small candle. When the soft scent filled the air, a warm memory came back. I saw myself again, a little girl with braids, sitting by my grandmother’s side. That was the first time I truly felt what healing means. It is not about fixing what is broken. It is about finding a soft presence that stays with you through the hard times.

 

I started to wonder if I could create a kind of modern butter lamp. Something that holds memories and carries warmth.

 

I returned to Tibet and met with local women from herding communities. They work hard and live with kindness, But it was difficult for them to turn the beeswax they collected into a stable income. So we began to create together. We used beeswax from the highlands, plant oils, and pure essential oils. The candles we made could light a space and melt into massage oil for the skin. They bring calm to the body and kindness to the heart.

 

Later, I brought these handmade candles to the UK. Many people had never seen candles that could be used on the skin. Even more, they were moved to learn the story behind them — a connection between mountain women and people far away, tied by care.

 

That was the beginning of YAKSA.

“Yak” means yak in Tibetan, a symbol of strength and resilience.

“Sa” means land, the sacred place we come from.

 

Each YAKSA candle is a modern butter lamp.

It lights up a space and brings warmth to people’s lives. It is not only a skincare product or a moment of ritual. It is a connection between the mountains and the city, between strangers who share the same longing.

 

YAKSA is not just a candle brand.

We are building a healing network that feels like a soft beehive. A space where no one feels alone, and where every person who once needed light can also become light for someone else.

 

My grandmother once told me,

“You are not lighting a flame.

You are keeping hope alive.”

 

This is my gift.

From the mountains. From my hands.

From one woman to another.