CANDLE MAGIC 101
Candle magick is one of the simplest forms of magick you can learn. Whether you are a beginner or expert; candles are a must have in your magickal toolbox. They represent the element of fire, which is known for its ability to change everything it comes into contact with. Fire transforms, amplifies, and releases energy to give you the ability to make changes in your life. The act of lighting a candle is a way to send our intention to the universe. The candle ritual itself represents the four elements; the flame is fire, the melting wax is water, smoke is air and the candle is earth.
Before starting, take some time to write out your intention. An example would be “I will be healthier and feel better every day.” The intention you create will be used as much as possible as you are setting up your altar. Repeat it in your head as you make your preparations, dress your candle, cleanse your area, etc. You can also create a little chant, poem, or song about your goal. This can help to increase your intention’s power.
USING COLORS & SELECTING WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK TO PERFORM YOUR RITUAL
Burning a candle is believed to connect the physical world to the spirit world, but there is a lot more you can do to empower your candle magick! First you need to select the color of the candle. Each color will add a specific type of energy to your ritual. So, you will need to pick a color that matches the nature of your spell. This is the basis of color magick. Besides burning a candle, you can use other forms of color to add to the energy, such as an altar cloth, wearing corresponding color clothes, scarves, and any home decorations.
Below is a list of colors and their properties:
White: Protection, serenity, transitions new beginnings and peace. Enhances personal strength and insight.
Black: Protection, Repelling, Banishing, Against Evil, Restoration, Invisibility
Green: Growth, Abundance, Fertility, Luck, helps bring your ideas to life and amplifies prosperity
Blue: Patience, Truth, Guidance, Communication, Healing, Harmony
Yellow: Intellect, Learning, Focus, Memory, enhances networking and social skills, new career opportunities.
Red: Ambition, Lust, Joy, Courage, Energy, Success, love, sex, and passion.
Pink: Romance, Self-Love, Care, Faith, Healing, Nurturing.
Purple: Knowledge, Intuition, Wisdom, and Power. boosts your spiritual enlightenment and creativity.
Orange: Pride, Success, Confidence, Joy, encourages ambition, opportunities
Brown: Stability, Practicality, Earthiness, Family, Material Possessions
Gray: Mediating, Balance, Neutrality & peace
Gold: Wealth, Good Fortune, Longevity, radiance, liveliness
Silver: Intuition, Reflection, Clarity, Awareness, Protection
Copper: Fertility, Career Growth, Wealth, Grounding, Enhancement
The next thing to consider is what day of the week is best to perform your ritual. Colors align with different days of the week. Matching the color and the day will enhance your ritual.
Below is a list of days with their corresponding colors and meanings:
Sunday: gold and orange - Sunday corresponds to the sun. It is a magical day with all sorts of potential for success, wealth, and fame.
Monday: silver, white, and gray – Monday corresponds to the Moon and all its mysterious energies. This day would be used for women’s mysteries, intuition, prophesy, emotions, travel, and fertility.
Tuesday: red, brown, and other autumn shades - Tuesday corresponds to Mars, the planet, and the god of war. This is the day to use if you need to increase your strength, courage and passions to bring out your inner warrior.
Wednesday: yellow and gray – Wednesday corresponds to Mercury, the planet, and the God. Wednesday can be a little wild and would be used if you are going through changes and contradictions. It would also be good for working on communication or exciting events.
Thursday: purple and deep blue - Thursday corresponds to Jupiter, the planet and the Norse God, Thor, whom Thursday was named for. It is used when strength, prosperity, abundance, and good health are desired.
Friday: light blue, green, pink, and copper hues - Friday corresponds to Venus, both the planet and the Goddess. The Norse Goddess Freya gave Friday its name. This is the day for love, birth, fertility, and romance.
Saturday: maroon, dark shades, and black – Saturday corresponds to Saturn the planet and the God of karma and time. Protection, banishing and clearing up negative situations are best done on Saturdays.
You can also combine colors using more than one candle for a more nuanced intention. For example, you could burn a white and purple candle to enlighten yourself and find serenity.
Astrology
For those of you with astrological knowledge you can also incorporate astrological placements to align your spell with the stars. The moon phases can work as well. For a new start you might perform your ritual on a new moon. This is totally optional and depends on your astrological knowledge level.
DRESSING YOUR CANDLE
While most people use taper or votive candles (cylindrical) there are other shapes that also correspond to specific intention that can be used to increase the energy of your spell.
Triangular – Balance
Star – Spirituality
Pyramid – Achievement
Cylindrical – Connection
Angels – Guardian Angel
Animals – Protective Animal
Moon – Sensitivity/Emotion
Cone – Ascension
Square – The four elements united; stability
Dressing a candle basically enchants it and infuses it with your energy. This helps you connect with the universe to achieve your desires. The following are some of the ways to dress your candle.
CARVING YOUR CANDLE
You can carve words and symbols into the candle that will add to your intentions. For example, if you are doing a healing ritual you can carve the name of the person whom you are sending the healing to and other words like healthy hearts. Symbols, runes, or sigils can also be carved into the candle. Any sharp object can be used to carve, such as a nail, steak knife, etc.
ANOINTING YOUR CANDLE
Anointing a candle will amplify your spell. Select an oil that corresponds with your intention. Gently rub the candle with oil avoiding the wick. Rub the candle from top to bottom to draw things to you or from bottom to top to send things away. While rubbing the candle focus on your intention or do some chanting, that will enhance your goal. Remember oils are flammable so don’t overdo it.
You can dress your candle with herbs by lightly dusting them on the base of your candle, away from the wick. Pick herbs that correspond with your intention. Small crystals can be added at the top of the candle. Most crystals can withstand the heat. An example would be using a rosehip oil, rose petals and rose quartz for a love intention
CASTING YOUR SPELL (AFFIRMATION OR PRAYER)
First you must cleanse your sacred space, using sage, palo santo or your personal cleansing ritual.
Set up your altar. Place your dressed candle in the center. Be creative and add anything else that corresponds with your intentions: photos, large crystals, personal objects, etc. If you are asking assistance from a deity, you may add a small statue, picture, etc. Don’t forget you can add background music, incense, and anything else to increase your energy.
Write out a short intention on a piece of paper and put it by the candle but away from the wick. Some believe if you are removing something from your life that you could burn the paper at the end of your ritual. Optional
Finally make sure you are comfortable and visualize your goal, repeat your intention or chant, then light the candle and send the energy out to the universe.
Focus on the candle’s aura (the light right outside the flame) and visualize it getting bigger and bigger until it fills the room. Then imagine it expanding beyond the room into the universe, beaming out and sending a signal to bring your intention to you. Hold this vision in your mind as long as you can. When you feel your energy waning or you start getting distracted, blow out the candle and you’re done. It should be mentioned that some believe you should never blow out a candle. They use a snuffer.
WATCH THE FLAME
Carromancy is how a person interprets the answer from the spiritual world by reading the flame and wax of the candle. The candle represents the person making the request, the wick is the conscience and the flame is spirit You can read the candle you can interpret the spirit world’s response to your request.
Pyromancy involves reading the divination signs for candles and flames. As your candle burns, pay close attention to the way the flame moves during your ritual, because that can have meaning too. For instance:
A blue flame: Spiritual Strength A spirit is close by!
A red flame: Powerful energy but not a spirit, your request was made in a favorable period
A yellow flame: Powerful energy but not a spirit, Joy and happiness are in sight.
A wavering flame: Changes or transformations will happen
A bright wick tip: Portends good events and successful achievements
A weak flame: Your faith needs to be stronger
A low flame: Portends a delay
A bending candle: You need more balance
A flame that raises and lowers: Things or people will be distributed over a wide area.
A tall, strong flame: The spell will work wonders!
If a candle takes time to light or fails to light, there is too much negative energy
A flickering flame: This could mean the imminent arrival of spirits (!) or that strong feelings are at play around this spell.
A sputtering or popping flame: This could indicate tension, conflict, or opposing forces working against your manifestation right now. You might want to wait and try again another time.
A candle burning quickly can mean your intention is likely to be granted but may not last
A candle burning slow & steady can- mean your intention will be granted but it it’s too slow there may be an obstacle in the way
The candle or glass holder breaks is a good sign to stop what you are doing.
Capromancy is a divination practice that reads soot and smoke meanings:
Glass candle typically get some black soot around the top when burning. if the top of the glass is very dark and you didn’t place many extra ingredients on the top it can mean there are obstacles to your spell.
If the black soot goes all the way down the jar there might be something working against you and you may need to do additional work.
If the black soot is only on one side of the glass, there is a block from the element on that side.
If there is white soot some believe that means the spirits are supporting your
intention
If you dressed your candle with lot of herbs or oils you may see a lot of black smoke, particularly at the beginning. If not it can mean that you may be blocked.
If the smoke is white that is taken as a sign that your intention has been received and will be granted.
Lots of smoke may be a sign that the spirits are trying to communicate with you.
Ceromancy is a divination practice that reads wax meanings.
If the candle doesn’t burn all the way down it may mean that you have things you need to work on before completing your working.
If you have a clean burn and no wax left your spell should be successful. It is coming.
When a candle burns on all sides but one it may mean that the particular element is blocking your spell. You may need to determine what kind of obstacle is blocking you. Emotional/Water/West, Physical/Earth/North, Communication/East/Air or Will-based/Fire/South
If the middle of the candle is all that burns it can mean your intention wasn’t strong enough
If wax remains after burning see if you can see any shapes or signs in it.
If the wax burns clockwise it means your intention is on its way
If the wax burns counterclockwise it is only a good sign if you are doing an uncrossing or banishing.
Note -Candle magick can be adapted to be used by any religion. Whether you’re Catholic, Buddhist or Pagan, you can adapt this ritual accordingly. There is no one right way. Learn all you can and adapt your ritual as needed.
Remember this is your ritual. Follow those steps that you are comfortable with and don’t be afraid to make changes.