Basic Candle Magick
Candles have been used as part of religious ceremonies - be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
Hindu, or Buddhist - since the earliest times, principally because they represent the power
of light (knowledge and spiritual illumination) coming out of the darkness (ignorance); the power of the angelic forces and the essence of the Ascended Masters. The ancient initiates
used fire to symbolize the very spark of the divine life-force that is within each and every
one of us; it illumines the darkness of the soul, and leads it forward on its path toward spiritual
en-light-enment. Witches also use candles to represent the element of fire and because candles
create such a peaceful meditative ambience, they help to quiet the mind and to focus thought.
Candle magic is the most simple of rituals to perform. Take a few moments to center yourself before lighting your candle, because this marks the beginning of your ritual and signifies the
call to attendance of the angelic forces. Look into the flame and visualize your wish. Then blow out the candle as you release your wish. The smoke takes it up into the Universe.
Some witches score their candles with runic symbols or special patterns, although this is not essential. It is, however, important to use fresh candles which are not cracked or marked, for each spell. On no account should you re-light ones used for decoration or as night-lights because they hold a different energy vibration from the ritual you are conducting. And the candles used
in magic rituals need to burn down, even if it takes all night to do so. So make sure you always
put your altar and candles in a safe place, where the candles cannot fall over and away from drafts that might blow them out. Once alight, the candle should not be touched. Incidentally, candles should be lit with matches, because they are made from the natural element of wood, rather than with a lighter, which contains petrol pollutant.
Color Codes
Color plays an important role in magic-making, and witches generally have an array of colored
candles to use for different spells:
White
Purity, peace
Red
Sexual energy, strength, courage
Pink
Love, friendship
Blue
Healing, truth, inspiration, higher wisdom
Green
Abundance, fertility, good luck, harmony, money
Yellow
Creative imagination, communication
Purple
Spiritual power, psychic ability
Orange/Gold
Positive thinking, justice
Silver
Channeling, clairvoyance, astral energies
Candle Colors
Color is another important symbol in candle magic. There are volumes of books that detail 'traditional' color values and their symbolic meaning. Nevertheless, the best rule of thumb is whether or not a color has meaning for you. For example, the color green may mean prosperity to you, while it may signify illness to someone else. Below are common candle colors and their traditional symbolic meanings. Use this as a guide to choosing your own candle colors, but always remember that color choice is a personal matter.
Red: Energy, passion, drive, sex, movement
Green: Fertility, healing, money, prosperity
Yellow: Magic, inspiration, knowledge
Blue: Emotions, cycles, dreams, compassion
Purple: Visions, psychic awareness, prophecy
Pink: Love, gentleness, peace, friendship
Brown: Manifestation, material matters
White: Purity, spirit, healing, honesty, truth
Black: Grounding, ending, separating, stopping
Inscribing, Dressing and Blessing
Intensify your candle magic by inscribing magical symbols into the wax. To inscribe, use a white-handled knife or even a pen. Potent mystic symbols come from dream and inner vision. To find your own power symbol, begin by forming a clear mental picture of your desired outcome. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine that you stand before a large cauldron. Look inside the cauldron and you can see its simmering contents. The contents appear to be various symbols bubbling around together.
Touch your hand to the cauldron and an image to your desired outcome will appear. Reach into the cauldron through the image and draw out one magical symbol. Open your eyes and inscribe this symbol onto your candle.
You can also use astrological symbols, pentagrams or whatever feels appropriate, powerful, and symbolic.
Dressing and Blessing
Witches intensify the power of their magic candles by 'dressing' them with essential oils. Essential oils are easy to find at most health food stores. Choosing an oil may not be so easy. Each oil has 'vibrational' or symbolic value. There are many books dedicated to this topic, but it is important for you to choose an oil that you feel best symbolizes your magical purpose. Listed below are some oils and their traditional symbolic values.
Chamomile: Peace, contentment, ease, children
Frankincense: Highest spiritual attainment
Gardenia: Love, emotions, happy home
Hyssop: Cleansing, healing, purification
Lavender: Love, commitment, relationships
Patchouli: Prosperity, money, grounding
Rosemary: Memory, awareness, protection
To dress the candle, dab some essential oil on the tip of a finger, touch the midpoint of the candle, and smear the oil in a clockwise movement upward until you reach the wick. Dab more oil on your finger, touch the midpoint of the candle, and work your way down the base of the candle, again smearing the oil in a clockwise motion.
Blessing
Time to bless your candle with all four elements: air, fire, water and earth. To bless the candle with air, light some incense. Hold the candle over the twisting smoke for a moment. After this, dab some water onto the candle to bless with water. Sprinkle some salt onto the palm of your hand and press this onto the surface to bless it with earth. Finally, to bless with fire, light a separate candle and quickly pass your blessed candle through the flame several times. Hold the candle between the palms of your hands, imagine the outcome of the spell, and then light the magic candle. Your spell has begun.
By Timothy Roderick*
*About the author: Timothy Roderick is the author of the Llewellyn books The Once Unknown Familiar and Dark Moon Mysteries. He holds a Masters degree in clinical psychology. Mr. Roderick is a Wiccan priest and founder of the Earthdance Collective.
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Awesome Candle Magick graphic by Temporal Thor. Thank You!
