Fire has always been an object of fascination for humans. We use is as a spiritual tool, a weapon, and warmth. Fire operates in many areas of our lives, not just the physical. The candle represents our taming of the wild flame and turning it to our own needs. Candle magick is one of the simplest of the magickal arts because it requires little ceremony and few artifacts. It can be done almost anywhere, even in public. In fact, most of us have already practiced one form of candle magick: blowing out our birthday candles!
Here are some things to keep in mind while doing candle magick:
1. The color of the candle and its vibration is activated, released and amplified when it is lit. As the candle burns, the color releases into the surrounding areas and affects those in this area.
2. The kind of work needed determines the color of the candle. (A list of common correspondences is below).
3. Cleanse your candle, just as you clean and bless other magickal tools before you use them. Simply say a little prayer over the candle before you light it. This cleanses the candle of negativity and strengthens the potency so that it works more effectively.
4. Once you have used a candle for a specific purpose, keep it for this purpose, and keep it separate. Allow it to build up the vibration that you are using it for, avoiding conflicting vibrations.
5. Any candle will be effective. For longer, more sustained effects, church candles can be quite effective. They can burn for a long time.
6. Do not leave a candle unattended. Burn them in the proper containers.
6. Do not use candles to interfere with the free will of another.
7. Putting out the candle should be the last thing after the magickal event has been done. When extinguishing the candle, visualize that the breath is 'pushing' the desire out into the Universe. Some people say that you should not blow the candle out, if you agree, then get a piece of tin foil or cone to put out the flame.
8. Candle size means little -- use what is practical (or appropriate!)
9. If you have the time and privacy, your candles should be 'dressed' magically -- either with an oil of appropriate magickal qualities, or dry. In either case, imagine it is a psychic magnet with both the North and South poles, rub the candle from top to middle and then bottom to middle, 'drawing' the energies in to the candle. In doing so, you are charging it with your own personal energies and imprinting the desire into the wax itself.
A general list of common candle colors, and what they mean:
White:
A balance of all colors; Spiritual enlightenment, cleansing, clairvoyance, healing, truth seeking; Rituals involving lunar energy. May be substituted for any color candle.
Yellow:
Activity, Creativity, unity; brings power of concentration and imagination to a ritual; use in rituals where you wish to gain another persons confidence or persuade someone, or in rituals that require solar energy.
Gold:
Fosters understanding and attracts the powers of cosmic influences; beneficial in rituals intended to bring about fast luck or money, or in rituals needing solar energy.
Pink:
Promotes romance, friendship; standard color for rituals to draw affections; a color of femininity, honor, service, brings friendly, lively conversation to the dinner table.
Red:
Health, passion, love, fertility, strength, courage, will power; increases magnetism in rituals; draws Aries and Scorpio energy.
Silver:
Removes negativity and encourages stability; helps develop psychic abilities; attracts the influence of the Mother Goddess.
Purple:
Power, success, idealism, psychic manifestations; ideals for rituals to secure ambitions, independence, financial rewards, or to make contact with the spiritual other world; increases Neptune energy.
Magenta:
Combination of red and violet that oscillates on a high frequency; energizes rituals where immediate action and high levels of power or spiritual healing are required.
Brown:
Earthly, balanced color; for rituals of material increase; eliminates indecisiveness; improves powers of concentration, study, telepathy; increases financial success; locates objects that have been lost.
Indigo:
Color of inertia; stops situations or people; use in rituals that require a deep meditational state; or in rituals that demand Saturn energy.
Royal Blue:
Promotes laughter and joviality; color or loyalty; use to attract Jupiter energy, or whenever an influence needs to be increased.
Light Blue:
Spiritual color; helpful in devotional or inspirational meditations; brings peace and tranquility to the home; radiates Aquarius energy; employ where a situation must be synthesized.
Blue:
Primary spiritual color; for rituals to obtain wisdom, harmony, inner light, or peace; confers truth and guidance.
Emerald Green:
Important component in Venusian rituals; attracts love, social delights, and fertility.
Dark Green:
Color of ambition, greed, and jealousy; counteracts these influences in a ritual.
Green:
Promotes prosperity, fertility, success; stimulates rituals for good luck, money, harmony, and rejuvenation.
Gray:
Neutral color useful when pondering complex issues during meditation; in magic, this color often sparks confusion; it also negates or neutralizes a negative influence.
Black:
Opens up the deeper levels of the unconscious; use in rituals to induce a deep meditational state, or to banish evil or negativity as in uncrossing rituals; attracts Saturn energy.
As always, use what feels right to you rather than what someone says is appropriate. If you have different associations, then go with YOUR feelings.
Here are some more pages on Candle Magick:
How to Charge Items for Ritual Use by Meredith Edwards-Cornwall
Inner and Outer Works, Correspondences
How to Make Your Own Candles:
Hand-Dipped
Sand
Homemade
A Basic Candle Spell
