Carving and Dressing Candles
As a candle is a tool, it is preferable to consecrate it as such. You can do
a simple little ritual of your own or within your particular tradition of
the craft. The purpose is to charge the candle with power, and charge and
seal the magical tool with your will. If you are going to "dress" the candle
with corresponding oils, you can consecrate, dress, charge and carve your
candle all within the same steps. It's not simply enough to mindlessly say
the words; you need to really focus on your goal mentally. Intent is always
of utmost importance. If you are a solitary practitioner, feel free to
individualize the consecration and dressing phase of charging your candles.
If like me, you have a dish of salt, water, and smoldering incense on the
altar at all times, you can use these elements to cleanse the candle and
charge it.
One important word about carving on candles, some sources suggest that you
can heat the tip of your Athene to carve the wax. I disagree, and would
suggest sharp small easy to handle pushpin tacks, or a long nail are better
choices for this than a beloved ritual tool! It is easier to carve if you
heat the tool you are using in a flame, but be careful of burns!
For anointing, the proper way to dress a candle is to start at the middle
(center) and rub the oil towards the wick, then to start at the middle and
rub the oil down towards the base.
My only contention with this well known
method of candle "dressing" is to first of THINK of the energy. In most
cases, this is indeed the correct way to dress a candle. Most of us are
intending to send energy OUT like a beacon to someone in need of a healing,
banishing, or attraction to someone or something who is yet unknown to us.
However, in my own practice with money candles, my intent is to draw more of
that energy IN. When I mentally visualize what I want to do with a candle, I
have at times switched the process around and started at the wick, drawing
the oil to the middle of the candle and then going to the bottom and
anointing from the bottom to the middle.
While this is my own particular
practice and my own particular style, I believe it's important to know
mentally what you are hoping to accomplish with the will and intent...do you
want that energy sent out, or do you want to bring something in? It's a
logical question, and quite often when candle magic I have energy drawing
in on one set of candles and energy going out with another set of candles.
For me, it's a system of balance. I usually oil the candle all around the
sides with either the "OUT" or the "IN" method of candle anointing.
Timing
Much has been made of the astrological influences of candle magic and
spell work. Ideally, I personally consider the moon phase to be the most
important.
NEW MOON - If the goal you desire is one of a new beginning or a "start",
the best time to do this is during a New Moon (this is when the moon is dark
in the sky) While many do not like to work with a New Moon, I have come to
discover it's one of my favorite times to work. This is the time I can to
tie up loose ends, smudge the house, seal and protect. This is also a great
moon to work with when you need to retreat a little bit and revive yourself.
As it is the moon of "hidden knowledge" this would be an opportune time to
try to ferret out information that you feel you need to know. Although the
darkness in the sky is startling during a new moon, it is often associated
with dormancy. We know the moon is still there, even though her reflection
may be hidden. I prefer to think often of some of the darker sides of the
Goddess or the darker Goddesses themselves.
WAXING MOON: While the moon is slowly filling in from a crescent on it's way
to full is the best time for work that "increases". I find this an excellent
time to do financial, job, attraction or anything else that needs
increasing" in volume or intensity.
FULL MOON: The full beauty of a full moon night is enough to make you gasp.
Ideally, this is the time for things to come to full fruition, especially if
you have been working on candle craft goal to coincide from the waxing moon
into the full moon. I like to think that the Goddess can hear you better on
a full moon, but seriously, whether culminating an "increase" to end on the
full moon, or starting a "decrease" to begin on the full moon to decline on
the course of a waning moon, the full moon has an advantage because it seems
like our invocations and focus are all in high gear.
WANING MOON: When the moon is slowly crescenting bit by bit into the new
moon, this is an excellent time to work on banishing or getting things out
of your life that you need let go of and leave behind. Again, if it's taking
you longer to let go of things or get rid of situations in your life that
have outlived their usefulness, you can always gear your candle working to
culminate on the New Moon.
Often, a situation might arise which must be dealt with immediately, and
cannot wait until the appropriate lunar phase. Listen to your guy instinct,
and act when you must. Of course, there are always "ideal" times to light a
candle. In fact, if we were to get really obsessive about perfect timing, we
could consider the appropriate positioning of astrological elements, days,
hours, months, and corresponding archangels to help us along. Let's face it,
it's struggle enough to keep track of corresponding colors and oils to meet
with our end goals!
Naturally one should rely on one's own instincts as to which color of a
candle would work the best purpose for a healing, or a Sabbath. We can
sometimes associate what is best for "fertility" or "money" simply by
visualizing the green of a field or cash and associating that with the color
of a candle. There are ancient ties with candles and scientific methods too.
Within the color spectrum there are seven primary wavelengths or vibrations.
Ceremonial Magicians have even ascribed colors to the Kabbalah. Without
overwhelming yourself on technicalities of color, you can always make
exceptions or go with what feels best. If you have a friend who's going
through a tough time and pale blue does NOT feel like the right color to use
why not send healing energy with an orange candle to give her the zing and
zest (and not to mention the strength) to handle whatever she may be dealing
with?
One of my favorite candles to make is one that I call "Justice". The
inspiration for that candle came from watching a woman judge on television.
I loved her no nonsense approach to the riff raff that came before her bench
Wouldn't it be great, I thought, if I could create a candle that would push
justice along? It was my way of focusing on letting the gods sort out
whatever cluster of mess was coming across my path. Funny thing about that
candle is that I was willing to own up to my own actions and take on the
self responsibility for my part in the mess, but in real life, just because
you" may be paying attention, doesn't mean other people are. There was no
color correspondence in anything I ever came across for "Justice" , but in
my visualization the color black seemed most approachable. It was comparable
to a judicial robe, and I also felt strongly that it banished negativity and
protected. So black candles became my own very own "Justice" candles.
The most important point in selecting a colored candle is to find one that
relates to your own path, your own tradition and most importantly, to your
will" and "intent."
Color Correspondences
WHITE: purity, innocence, cleansing, centering, truth, psychic ability,
spirituality, protection, power of divinity, healing, Planet: Moon, Zodiac
sign: Cancer. May also be used as an all purpose corresponding color.
Associated to the South and with the element of Air
BLACK: meditation, uncrossing, protection, banishing of negativity, endings,
death, binding, ridding self of bad habits, Planet: Saturn, Element: Earth,
Zodiac: Scorpio. Samhain Associated to the North and with the element of
Earth
RED: South, fire, blood, passion, will power, sex, energy, health,
protection or defensive needs. Zodiac: Aries (Golden Dawn), Leo, Scorpio.
Planet: Mars Associated to the East with the element of Fire
RED-ORANGE: Taurus
ORANGE: encouragement, adaptability, stimulation, attraction, friendship,
organization, career success, Zodiac: Leo, Gemini Planet: Mercury. Samhain
ORANGE-YELLOW: Cancer
YELLOW: east, air, intelligence, imagination, mind power, creativity,
confidence, success, action, attraction, concentration, communications.
Zodiac: Leo, Planet: Mercury
GREEN: north, earth, fertility, luck, abundance, success, money, health,
healing. Zodiac: Pisces, Taurus. Planet: Venus. Associated to the West with
the element of Water
BLUE-DARK: west, water, loyalty, wisdom, devotion, deep emotional ties,
occult power, protection. Zodiac: Pisces
BLUE-LIGHT or PALE: Tranquility, patience, peace, health. Planet: Venus
PURPLE: psychic ability, protection, power, wisdom, honors, clarity,
spirituality, Planetary: Jupiter, Moon, Mercury
BROWN: earth, stability, home, work, friendships.
GRAY: neutralize negative forces and influences
GOLD: sun, the God, riches, good luck, Leo
SILVER: lunar/moon, the Goddess, psychic abilities PINK: honor, love, beauty
