Candle Magick
First, a little history:
The first candles were believed to be made from the fat of animals and date back to around the Fourth Century B.C. in Egypt. In Latin, the word candle means "torch" or "to make bright." In the 1200's, the first dipped tapers appeared and in the 1400's, candle molds came along. In Paganism, there are several different candle oriented festivals. They are Candlemas, Valentine's Day, the Festival of Vesta, Beltane, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, and Halloween. Some of the Goddesses associated with candles are Bastet, Brigit, Hestia, and Vesta. Some of the Gods associated with candles are Thab-Iha and Me-Iha.
Candle Magick Ethics:
Ethics plays a major part in any practice of magick. Magick, which is the manipulation of natural energies to bring about a change in your life or someone else's, can backlash at one if things are not carefully thought out. For example, when attempting to cast any sort of spell, one must take into consideration who and what will be effected. Once this is clear, and no one is to be harmed, the spellcaster must approach those involved and ask for permission. Without the consent of the people involved, free will is being tampered with. Free will is the number one topic of concern when casting. "Ever mind the rule of three, what you send out, comes back to thee." This is an important aspect of any craft or magick you intend to cast. "Harm none, do what ye will". Going against one's free will is a form of harm, no matter how or what the intentions are. Even if they are the best intentions, such as healing magick, it is still without their knowledge and therefore harmful magick.
IMPORTANT: When casting spells for love or money--Intent makes up 99 percent of the spell and it's outcome. When doing spells for love, NEVER cast with someone in mind. If you intend to do love magick, ask for love to come into your life. Ask for the ability to love yourself, for no one will ever love you if you don't love yourself first. When doing spells for money, NEVER be vague, ie "I want $25,000!" A loved one might die and leave you that $25,000. You have lost a loved one, but you are $25,000 richer. Be specific.
Now that you know that:
Your first thing to do is to decide what kind of spell you would like to do. You want to make sure that you have the right wording for your goal that will be meaningful to you (Yes!!! You can write your own spell!!). After you have found the correct spell, you have to decide how long your candle will burn. There are many ways to do this. You can decide your candle will burn down to a certain marked point and at that point the energy will be released. You can decide that the candle will burn until it is gone. You can also burn the candle for a certain number of hours or to a certain point, snuff it, and then reuse it at the next appropriate time. There is no limit on how you could do this. Just do whatever you feel is better for your workings.
One of the most important things in candle magick is choosing the correct color. You want to choose a color that closely corresponds with your intent, whether it is magick, ritual, or divination. If you can't find a candle in the appropriate color, always remember that white can be used. You should also anoint your candle with an oil that corresponds to your goal as well (like patchouli for a money spell). In order to anoint your candle, you just dab some oil on your finger tips and move your fingers in the appropriate fashion. IF you would like to bring things into your life you can anoint a candle by starting at the top and pulling the oil down to the very bottom of the candle or you could start at both ends with your fingers and bring them into each other in the middle. If you want to get rid of something in your life, you would start anointing at the bottom of the candle and pull your fingers to the top or your could start at the center of the candle and pull your fingers to each end. The direction of movement shows the candle what kind of energy is needed. It is up to you which method you would like to use, since none of them are incorrect.
The next important thing is deciding the time that you will do your spell. During the Dark Moon, you could use a spell for banishing, sleep, turning negativity, and meditation. During the Waxing Moon, you could use a spell for new beginnings, changes, growth, and transformation. During the Full Moon, you could use a spell for maturity, wisdom, insight, fertility, dream work, magickal mysteries, and power. During the Waning Moon, you could use a spell for decrease, releasing, and letting go of the past.
Now that you know the spell you want to do, you can now pick the appropriate color and oil. Once you have your supplies, you can then decide if there is something you would like to carve on the candle that is appropriate to your working. Carving a candle is a way to physically charge it with your intent and with your personal energy. You can carve your candle with runes, regular words, or even a picture, anything that means something to you that pertains to your goal. To carve a candle, you could use a toothpick or even an exacto knife. It pretty much comes down to whatever you have handy that will carve the candle. Carving on your candle can also mark an end of burning point, as mentioned above. Once your candle has burned to the end point, the energy you put into it is released.
For the spell itself, you also have many options. You need to make sure that you are in a nice, quiet, and comfy place that you will not be disturbed in. To get started, you should first light your incense (if you're using it) and the light your candle. Sit by the candle and think about your spell and what you would like the outcome to be. Watch the candle burn and visualize the outcome of the spell. As you watch the flame, you could visualize your problems melting away if it is appropriate. For some spells, you can write your wish down on paper to be burned. If you did this, now (after some meditation on the outcome) would be the time to burn the paper you wrote your goal on (Make sure you burn it in a fire safe container!!!). Burning the paper is a way to release the energy of the spell. If you did not write your wish down, you can visualize your wish being carried to the Ancient Ones by the flame of the candle and the smoke it releases.
Once you are done, you can snuff the candle. Remember to never blow out a candle because it is considered offensive. If you are not reusing your candle, you can bury it in the Earth or throw it away in the trash. If you are not going to reuse the candle, it should be thrown away or buried. The energy you programmed into the candle will be for this purpose, not another one. It is never recommended to try to reprogram a used candle for another spell so that the energies do not mix.
And now for a spell:
This is a spell for karmic fortune. This is a great spell that you can perform every day to increase the flow of luck, money, or other necessities in your life. Take a large glass bowl (like those for fish) and stand a simple white candle in the bottom of it. Every morning when you leave the house, or every night when you get home, light the candle and drop some coins in with a wish. When the bowl is completely filled, give this money to a friend in need or a charity, then replace the candle and start again. The good gesture will return to you threefold.
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