Post by Metaphysical Beginnings on Jul 25, 2013 1:58:27 GMT
Candle Magic
Generally, candle magic aims to perform sympathetic magic using coloured
candles to represent the people and things at which its spells are directed. Each
colour represents a different attribute, influence and emotion. Candles are
anointed with special oils, carved or painted with magical intents, meditated upon
and chanted over.
Three types of candle are commonly used in candle magic – an altar candle (most
magic makers and Wiccans use two altar candles), astral candles and offertory
candles.
Altar candles, sometimes called invocational candles are placed on the left and
right sides of the altar. They are always the first to be lit in any magic making
ritual. In the Wiccan Way, their flames invoke the presence of the Goddess and her
male counterpart, sometimes known as the Horned God. Others who offer their
magic to no particular deity prefer to use colours that correspond to the days of the
week, as follows:
Sunday Gold or yellow Monday Silver, grey or white Tuesday Red Wednesday
Purple Thursday Blue Friday Green Saturday Black or purple
The astral candle is usually positioned between the two altar candles and
represents the person for whose benefit the spell is being cast, whether it be the
spell caster themself or a third party. These candles must only be burned after the
altar candles have been lit. It is important that the colour corresponds to the colour
of the zodiac sign of the person or persons towards whom the spell is directed.
Zodiac colours do vary, the ones above are taken from Practical Candleburning
Rituals by Raymond Buckland which is the system most often used by experienced
spell casters, one of whom advises that practi- tioners in the art of candle magic
should not be too rigid in this. She recommends that the heart should rule the head
and that magic makers should follow their instincts and choose an astral candle
based on their own favourite colours. Or that they select a colour that corresponds
to their mood at the time when preparing for the magic to be made.
Astral candles should never be of a colour that inspires strong negative emotions
within the spell maker as this can influence the outcome of the magic that’s afoot.
Aries White or pink
Taurus Red or yellow
Gemini Red or blue
Cancer Green or brown
Leo Red or green
Virgo Gold or black
Libra Black or blue
Scorpio Brown or black
Sagittarius Gold or red
Capricorn Red or brown
Aquarius Blue or green
Pisces White or green
Some of those who practise candle magic strengthen the astrological connection
by inscribing the candles they use with the appropriate astrological sign.
The offertory candle is also known as the purpose candle. It is normally placed in
front of the astral candle and is the last to be lit during the ritual. It is burned to
represent the purpose for which the spell is being cast. It is essential that the
colour corresponds exactly to the type of magic being made: a pink candle would
be used to draw love, a red one to kindle the fires of passion, a green one for
financial or fertility spells and so on.
Many practitioners of candle magic prefer to work with their own handcrafted
candles but candles bought in shops can be just as effective, and when it comes to
offertory candles there are many different sorts to choose from.
Glass-enclosed novena candles are popular. Once lit, they should be allowed to
burn themselves out. Tradition holds that if a novena candle is extinguished, then
the spell is doomed to failure. Tradition also holds that a spell cast using a novena
candle will yield results within the week.
Seven-knob candles consist of a vertical row of seven round knobs of wax strung
together by a single wick. According to tradition, one knob of the candle is burned
each day for seven consecutive days. These candles are sometimes called wish
candles because as each section is burning, the spell maker concentrates upon
the wish that he or she hopes will be granted. Again, it is inadvisable to extinguish
one of the knobs until it has burned away.
Double-action candles are sometimes known as reversing candles, because they
are mainly used to reverse the effects of ill-natured spells cast in the magic maker’
s direction. Such candles are usually white, red and green, coated with black from
the middle down. Those who use double-action candles believe that as the melting
coloured wax runs down the candle and covers the black half, the black magic that
was made is neutralized.
Triple-action candles are tri-coloured, and are popular in some countries,
particularly in Latin America, banishing evil and restoring harmony to homes that
have been hit by hostility and arguments.
There are several other sorts of candles used, but as their purpose is by and large
to cast spells of a dark or at least darkish nature, we will not discuss them here, or
anywhere else in this book.
A candle used for one type of spell should not be reused for a spell of a different
nature as the remnants of magical and physical energy trapped in the candle’s wax
could possibly interfere with or, even worse, reverse the outcome of the new spell.
In popular practice, different candle colours correspond to different magical intent
and additionally there are different astral colours corresponding to the days of the
week, phases of the moon and the sabbats.
In candle magic, candles are often dressed or anointed with oil. Not only does this
help to ensure that the candle burns safely by drawing on an oil with appropriate
strengths, the spells cast are endowed with that strength.
Usually drops of the chosen essential oil are mixed with a base oil – olive, almond
and apricot are all popular. The reason why pure essential oil is not used to bless
a candle with its powers (apart from the expense) is that they are so potent that if
they come into direct contact with the skin, they can cause allergic reactions. The
only exception to this rule is lavender, which is so gentle that it can be safely
rubbed directly onto the skin. And lavender’s well-known insect repellent
properties make it ideal for spell casters who prefer to weave their magic outdoors!
A popular mixture for general use is to add five drops of sandalwood essential oil,
three drops of frankincense essential oil and one drop of orange to two ounces of
almond oil and then mix thoroughly.
A more potent general-use essential oil mix is to add five drops of cinnamon and
three drops of frankincense essential oils to two ounces of almond oil.
As with most things magic, it is essential that before anointing a candle it is
suitably consecrated and the focus of positive thoughts. Whoever is going to use it
should contemplate for a moment or two the intention of the spell to be cast, before
rubbing a few drops of the chosen oil between the palms of the hand and grasping
the centre of the candle with both hands. If the intention of the spell is to draw
something in, the oil is rubbed on to the candle from the middle back towards the
body. If the spell is intended to send something out, the oil is rubbed from the
centre away from the body. When half the candle has been anointed, it is turned
around – away from the body if the spell is sending something, towards it if the
spell is drawing something in.
As the candle is anointed a suitable invocation is usually spoken aloud –
something along the lines of:
Charge this candle strong and fast, To send the magic I will cast.
And may this oil add its power,
As the flame burns by the hour.
But the choice of words is a personal one. And some magic weavers prefer to say
the words to themselves rather than chant them aloud. As with so many things
concerning spell making, there are few hard and fast rules.
Candles may also be loaded with oil. To do this, a cavity is cut into the base of the
candle and the chosen oil drizzled into it. The cavity is plugged with the wax that
was hewn from the candle (wax from another candle would adversely affect the
magic) which is melted down and poured over the oil-filled hole. When the candle
burns down to the chamber, the oil adds its potency to the magic being made.
After the spell to be cast has been chosen, the required number of candles of the
appropriate colour (and holders in which to burn them) and the bottle containing
the anointing oil should be put on the altar and suitably consecrated if this has not
already been done. In selecting the spell, the day of the week when it is best to
cast a spell for the chosen purpose, the ascendant astrological sign and the other
factors that can influence a spell should all be borne in mind.
The time of day is also important when considering the planetary influences
involved. Midnight, seven in the morning, two in the afternoon and nine in the
evening, are the hours believed by many to be the hours when the influence of the
ruling planet is at its strongest. There are many magic makers who will not cast
their spells at any other times, so convinced are they of the potency that the
planets add to their magic.
Many magic makers find that it helps to have the words of the spell to be cast
written out and put on their altar along with a photograph or an item belonging to
the person to whom the spell is being directed.
After opening rituals have been performed and the candles, holders and oil have
been consecrated, it is the time to anoint the candles and cast the spell. It is best
to try to ensure that there will be no interruptions, so the telephone answering
machine will have been switched on and family members asked to make as little
noise as possible during the half hour or so it takes to cast the spell.
Once the spell has been started, it should be continued right through to the end
without interruption, which would weaken the power of the magic. This is why
vizualization can be such a boon: with the mind totally focused on the magic being
made, any outside interruptions will not interfere with the concentration necessary
to weave a spell.
Some spells have to be performed over a series of days if they are to be really
effective. If this is the case, it is best to cast the spell at the same time each day.
Normally the same words are spoken, but there are some spells that require
different words to be spoken as the days progress.
There may be times when a candle is blown out accidentally when the spell is
being cast, and here opinion divides. Some take it as a sign that the magic is not
working and should be abandoned to be tried again at another appropriate time or
day. Others carry on regardless, believing either that the required amount of
energy has already been released by that candle or that the spell is complete. If it
happens on the last day of an ongoing spell, any other candles being used are
allowed to burn down and the spell brought to an end in the prescribed way. One
thing that those who differ do agree on is that the offending candle should never be
relit.
It is also not unusual for a candle to flicker or flare during a spell weaving session.
This is often taken as a sign that any entities that have been summoned are
manifesting themselves and are lending their powers to the magic being made.
If a candle used to represent a person is burning particularly strongly, this is often
taken as a sign that they are dominating the situation, displaying higher than
normal energy levels or have strong feelings about the reason for which the spell
is being cast.
A weak flame implies that there is strong opposition to the manifes- tation of the
intent of the spell and that the spell will have to be repeated at a later, suitable
day. Or it may mean that the person represented by the candle is in a submissive
position in their situation, perhaps succumbing to the illness the spell is attempting
to banish, or that they are weakening emotionally.
When the spell is complete and it is an ongoing one, everything may be left on the
altar in place for the next day. The candles should never be blown out as this is
dismissive of the element of fire that is usually summoned at the opening of a
ritual. It should also be borne in mind that while the same candle may be reused
as part of an ongoing spell, it should never be reused for another one. Once
consecrated for a particular purpose, a candle’s energies can only be directed
towards that intent. Even if there is a spell that has to be woven urgently,
something that is not advisable but very occasionally essential, and the only
candle of the right colour is one that has already been used for another purpose,
the temptation to use it again must be resisted. Use a white candle instead. Made
up of the seven colours of the spectrum, white can stand in for any of them,
although the magic will probably be a little weaker than if the proper colour was
used.
One of the most common uses of candle magic is to cast healing spells. Once
again colour plays a vital part. For general health and healing, light blue or green
candles should be used. But if the problem is more specific then there is a suitable
colour to use. For problems concerned with sexual function, a red candle is called
for. If fertility problems are being addressed, then a green one should be used.
Violet colored candles should be used to help those with psychological difficulties,
and yellow ones for those afflicted with respiratory illnesses. Digestive conditions
are best addressed with pink candles, while if there are problems with the nervous
system, an orange candle should be lit. White candles help those who are
experiencing trouble with bones or teeth, and blue ones work well for urinary tract
conditions. Muscular pains and weakness are best helped by purple candles.
If you would like to know about specific colors of candles and the healing
properties they have, please let me know. I'm happy to tell you more. Possibly in
the future further guides will be posted.
Generally, candle magic aims to perform sympathetic magic using coloured
candles to represent the people and things at which its spells are directed. Each
colour represents a different attribute, influence and emotion. Candles are
anointed with special oils, carved or painted with magical intents, meditated upon
and chanted over.
Three types of candle are commonly used in candle magic – an altar candle (most
magic makers and Wiccans use two altar candles), astral candles and offertory
candles.
Altar candles, sometimes called invocational candles are placed on the left and
right sides of the altar. They are always the first to be lit in any magic making
ritual. In the Wiccan Way, their flames invoke the presence of the Goddess and her
male counterpart, sometimes known as the Horned God. Others who offer their
magic to no particular deity prefer to use colours that correspond to the days of the
week, as follows:
Sunday Gold or yellow Monday Silver, grey or white Tuesday Red Wednesday
Purple Thursday Blue Friday Green Saturday Black or purple
The astral candle is usually positioned between the two altar candles and
represents the person for whose benefit the spell is being cast, whether it be the
spell caster themself or a third party. These candles must only be burned after the
altar candles have been lit. It is important that the colour corresponds to the colour
of the zodiac sign of the person or persons towards whom the spell is directed.
Zodiac colours do vary, the ones above are taken from Practical Candleburning
Rituals by Raymond Buckland which is the system most often used by experienced
spell casters, one of whom advises that practi- tioners in the art of candle magic
should not be too rigid in this. She recommends that the heart should rule the head
and that magic makers should follow their instincts and choose an astral candle
based on their own favourite colours. Or that they select a colour that corresponds
to their mood at the time when preparing for the magic to be made.
Astral candles should never be of a colour that inspires strong negative emotions
within the spell maker as this can influence the outcome of the magic that’s afoot.
Aries White or pink
Taurus Red or yellow
Gemini Red or blue
Cancer Green or brown
Leo Red or green
Virgo Gold or black
Libra Black or blue
Scorpio Brown or black
Sagittarius Gold or red
Capricorn Red or brown
Aquarius Blue or green
Pisces White or green
Some of those who practise candle magic strengthen the astrological connection
by inscribing the candles they use with the appropriate astrological sign.
The offertory candle is also known as the purpose candle. It is normally placed in
front of the astral candle and is the last to be lit during the ritual. It is burned to
represent the purpose for which the spell is being cast. It is essential that the
colour corresponds exactly to the type of magic being made: a pink candle would
be used to draw love, a red one to kindle the fires of passion, a green one for
financial or fertility spells and so on.
Many practitioners of candle magic prefer to work with their own handcrafted
candles but candles bought in shops can be just as effective, and when it comes to
offertory candles there are many different sorts to choose from.
Glass-enclosed novena candles are popular. Once lit, they should be allowed to
burn themselves out. Tradition holds that if a novena candle is extinguished, then
the spell is doomed to failure. Tradition also holds that a spell cast using a novena
candle will yield results within the week.
Seven-knob candles consist of a vertical row of seven round knobs of wax strung
together by a single wick. According to tradition, one knob of the candle is burned
each day for seven consecutive days. These candles are sometimes called wish
candles because as each section is burning, the spell maker concentrates upon
the wish that he or she hopes will be granted. Again, it is inadvisable to extinguish
one of the knobs until it has burned away.
Double-action candles are sometimes known as reversing candles, because they
are mainly used to reverse the effects of ill-natured spells cast in the magic maker’
s direction. Such candles are usually white, red and green, coated with black from
the middle down. Those who use double-action candles believe that as the melting
coloured wax runs down the candle and covers the black half, the black magic that
was made is neutralized.
Triple-action candles are tri-coloured, and are popular in some countries,
particularly in Latin America, banishing evil and restoring harmony to homes that
have been hit by hostility and arguments.
There are several other sorts of candles used, but as their purpose is by and large
to cast spells of a dark or at least darkish nature, we will not discuss them here, or
anywhere else in this book.
A candle used for one type of spell should not be reused for a spell of a different
nature as the remnants of magical and physical energy trapped in the candle’s wax
could possibly interfere with or, even worse, reverse the outcome of the new spell.
In popular practice, different candle colours correspond to different magical intent
and additionally there are different astral colours corresponding to the days of the
week, phases of the moon and the sabbats.
In candle magic, candles are often dressed or anointed with oil. Not only does this
help to ensure that the candle burns safely by drawing on an oil with appropriate
strengths, the spells cast are endowed with that strength.
Usually drops of the chosen essential oil are mixed with a base oil – olive, almond
and apricot are all popular. The reason why pure essential oil is not used to bless
a candle with its powers (apart from the expense) is that they are so potent that if
they come into direct contact with the skin, they can cause allergic reactions. The
only exception to this rule is lavender, which is so gentle that it can be safely
rubbed directly onto the skin. And lavender’s well-known insect repellent
properties make it ideal for spell casters who prefer to weave their magic outdoors!
A popular mixture for general use is to add five drops of sandalwood essential oil,
three drops of frankincense essential oil and one drop of orange to two ounces of
almond oil and then mix thoroughly.
A more potent general-use essential oil mix is to add five drops of cinnamon and
three drops of frankincense essential oils to two ounces of almond oil.
As with most things magic, it is essential that before anointing a candle it is
suitably consecrated and the focus of positive thoughts. Whoever is going to use it
should contemplate for a moment or two the intention of the spell to be cast, before
rubbing a few drops of the chosen oil between the palms of the hand and grasping
the centre of the candle with both hands. If the intention of the spell is to draw
something in, the oil is rubbed on to the candle from the middle back towards the
body. If the spell is intended to send something out, the oil is rubbed from the
centre away from the body. When half the candle has been anointed, it is turned
around – away from the body if the spell is sending something, towards it if the
spell is drawing something in.
As the candle is anointed a suitable invocation is usually spoken aloud –
something along the lines of:
Charge this candle strong and fast, To send the magic I will cast.
And may this oil add its power,
As the flame burns by the hour.
But the choice of words is a personal one. And some magic weavers prefer to say
the words to themselves rather than chant them aloud. As with so many things
concerning spell making, there are few hard and fast rules.
Candles may also be loaded with oil. To do this, a cavity is cut into the base of the
candle and the chosen oil drizzled into it. The cavity is plugged with the wax that
was hewn from the candle (wax from another candle would adversely affect the
magic) which is melted down and poured over the oil-filled hole. When the candle
burns down to the chamber, the oil adds its potency to the magic being made.
After the spell to be cast has been chosen, the required number of candles of the
appropriate colour (and holders in which to burn them) and the bottle containing
the anointing oil should be put on the altar and suitably consecrated if this has not
already been done. In selecting the spell, the day of the week when it is best to
cast a spell for the chosen purpose, the ascendant astrological sign and the other
factors that can influence a spell should all be borne in mind.
The time of day is also important when considering the planetary influences
involved. Midnight, seven in the morning, two in the afternoon and nine in the
evening, are the hours believed by many to be the hours when the influence of the
ruling planet is at its strongest. There are many magic makers who will not cast
their spells at any other times, so convinced are they of the potency that the
planets add to their magic.
Many magic makers find that it helps to have the words of the spell to be cast
written out and put on their altar along with a photograph or an item belonging to
the person to whom the spell is being directed.
After opening rituals have been performed and the candles, holders and oil have
been consecrated, it is the time to anoint the candles and cast the spell. It is best
to try to ensure that there will be no interruptions, so the telephone answering
machine will have been switched on and family members asked to make as little
noise as possible during the half hour or so it takes to cast the spell.
Once the spell has been started, it should be continued right through to the end
without interruption, which would weaken the power of the magic. This is why
vizualization can be such a boon: with the mind totally focused on the magic being
made, any outside interruptions will not interfere with the concentration necessary
to weave a spell.
Some spells have to be performed over a series of days if they are to be really
effective. If this is the case, it is best to cast the spell at the same time each day.
Normally the same words are spoken, but there are some spells that require
different words to be spoken as the days progress.
There may be times when a candle is blown out accidentally when the spell is
being cast, and here opinion divides. Some take it as a sign that the magic is not
working and should be abandoned to be tried again at another appropriate time or
day. Others carry on regardless, believing either that the required amount of
energy has already been released by that candle or that the spell is complete. If it
happens on the last day of an ongoing spell, any other candles being used are
allowed to burn down and the spell brought to an end in the prescribed way. One
thing that those who differ do agree on is that the offending candle should never be
relit.
It is also not unusual for a candle to flicker or flare during a spell weaving session.
This is often taken as a sign that any entities that have been summoned are
manifesting themselves and are lending their powers to the magic being made.
If a candle used to represent a person is burning particularly strongly, this is often
taken as a sign that they are dominating the situation, displaying higher than
normal energy levels or have strong feelings about the reason for which the spell
is being cast.
A weak flame implies that there is strong opposition to the manifes- tation of the
intent of the spell and that the spell will have to be repeated at a later, suitable
day. Or it may mean that the person represented by the candle is in a submissive
position in their situation, perhaps succumbing to the illness the spell is attempting
to banish, or that they are weakening emotionally.
When the spell is complete and it is an ongoing one, everything may be left on the
altar in place for the next day. The candles should never be blown out as this is
dismissive of the element of fire that is usually summoned at the opening of a
ritual. It should also be borne in mind that while the same candle may be reused
as part of an ongoing spell, it should never be reused for another one. Once
consecrated for a particular purpose, a candle’s energies can only be directed
towards that intent. Even if there is a spell that has to be woven urgently,
something that is not advisable but very occasionally essential, and the only
candle of the right colour is one that has already been used for another purpose,
the temptation to use it again must be resisted. Use a white candle instead. Made
up of the seven colours of the spectrum, white can stand in for any of them,
although the magic will probably be a little weaker than if the proper colour was
used.
One of the most common uses of candle magic is to cast healing spells. Once
again colour plays a vital part. For general health and healing, light blue or green
candles should be used. But if the problem is more specific then there is a suitable
colour to use. For problems concerned with sexual function, a red candle is called
for. If fertility problems are being addressed, then a green one should be used.
Violet colored candles should be used to help those with psychological difficulties,
and yellow ones for those afflicted with respiratory illnesses. Digestive conditions
are best addressed with pink candles, while if there are problems with the nervous
system, an orange candle should be lit. White candles help those who are
experiencing trouble with bones or teeth, and blue ones work well for urinary tract
conditions. Muscular pains and weakness are best helped by purple candles.
If you would like to know about specific colors of candles and the healing
properties they have, please let me know. I'm happy to tell you more. Possibly in
the future further guides will be posted.