Privacy Policy

This is a quiet space, and your presence here is treated with care. This policy explains what information is collected when you visit Bending the Light, how it is used, and how it is protected. It is written to be clear and honest.

What information is collected

Email address and name. When you subscribe to The Candle Letter or create an account, you provide your email address and, optionally, your name. This is used only to send you what you asked for and to give you access to your spaces.

Payment information. When you purchase an offering or join The Quiet Circle, your payment is processed by Stripe. We do not see or store your card number, CVV, or billing details. Stripe handles this securely on our behalf. You can review Stripe's privacy policy for details.

Cookies and local storage. This site uses a session cookie to keep you signed in if you have an account. It also uses your browser's local storage to remember small things — like whether you have visited before, or which mood you last sat with — so the experience can greet you gently when you return. This information stays in your browser and is not sent to any server.

Saved preferences. If you are signed in, items you save to My Light (reflections, audio, mood entries) are stored in our database so they are there when you return.

Analytics. If analytics are active, we use a privacy-respecting analytics service to understand how the site is used in general terms — which pages are visited, how long people stay. This does not track you personally, does not use cookies for tracking, and does not share data with advertisers.

How this information is used

Your email address is used to send you The Candle Letter if you subscribe, to confirm purchases, and to communicate with you if you reach out through the contact page. It is not sold, rented, or shared with anyone for marketing purposes.

Your purchase history is used to give you access to the offerings and spaces you have chosen. Your saved items and preferences are used to make the experience feel like yours.

General analytics data, if collected, is used to understand which parts of the site are meaningful to visitors, so the experience can be improved thoughtfully over time.

Where your information is stored

Your information is stored on secure servers. Audio files and uploaded content are stored using cloud storage services with encryption. The database is hosted on a managed platform with standard security protections. We take reasonable measures to protect your information, though no system is perfectly secure.

Third-party services

This site uses a small number of trusted services to function:

Stripe processes all payments securely. Your financial information is handled entirely by Stripe.

Email provider is used to deliver The Candle Letter and transactional emails (purchase confirmations, welcome messages).

Hosting and storage services provide the infrastructure that keeps the site running and your content accessible.

Analytics, if active, uses a privacy-respecting service that does not track individuals or share data with third parties.

Your choices and rights

Unsubscribe. Every email from The Candle Letter includes a way to unsubscribe. You can also reply to any email and ask to be removed. Your request will be honored promptly.

Delete your data. If you would like your account and associated data removed, you can contact us and we will take care of it.

Access your data. If you would like to know what information is stored about you, you can contact us and we will provide it.

How to reach us

If you have any questions about this policy, or if you would like to make a request about your data, you can reach us through the contact page.