Travel Log 7-18: Candle Magic

I've been pretty obsessed lately with candles.
     Making them, what people do with them, the different kinds. And how they apply to spirituality.
     The majority of religions have candles in some part of their ritual, from Judaism and Christianity all the way to Hinduism and Buddhism. This one feature is almost universal. Of course for quite some time until Mr. Edison came along fire was the only source of light so finding candles in every building wasn't that big of a statement. But this is one practical piece of decoration that has held on.
     There are a lot of psychological ties to a candle that lend themselves to a religious setting. The lone light against the darkness. The safety of the wild forces of nature being contained and harnessed for human use. Control and observance allowing nature and humanity to work together. Lots of them. We have probably all done our very first wish cast with a candle on a birthday cake.
     I can honestly say that I couldn't imagine working without them. They allow me focus and comfort. Scented candles help to set a mood and stimulate my senses and aid my purpose. There are just so many ways to use them I've found that they are just as personal as any other bit of my path. They are in and of themselves not religious objects, yet they are easily turned to that purpose with little to no preparation. You don't need to go to a special shop you can even pick them up at walmart or the grocery store. They are just wonderful little objects.
     So I decided to share with you guys 3 different ways that candles can be used for spell work, including my own personal favorite that I do almost every night before I go to bed!

  Type #1:
From : About.Com: Paganism/Wicca's Candle Magic 101 by Patti Wigington

After you've selected a candle, you'll want to oil it or dress it before burning. This is a method by which you'll establish a psychic link between you and the candle itself. In other words, you're charging the candle with your own energy and personal vibrations, and projecting your intent into the wax before you burn it. To dress a candle, you'll need a natural oil -- many practitioners like grapeseed because it has no smell. Another option is to use special candle magic oils from one of the Wiccan supply stores. Begin at the top of the candle, and rub the oil downward to the middle. Then, begin at the base of the candle and rub the oil up towards the middle, ending where the first coating of oil left off. In some traditions of Wicca, the anointing is done just the opposite way -- start in the middle and work your way towards the two ends.
If your working calls for herbs to be used as well, roll the oiled candle in the powdered herbs until it is coated all the way around.
The most basic form of candle magic uses a piece of colored paper that matches the intent of your candle. Decide what your goal is, and write it on the piece of paper -- just for an example, let's say we're going to do a money working. Write down your intent -- something like I will become financially prosperous. In some traditions, you would write your intent in a magical alphabet, such as Theban or Enochian. Because this is a money-oriented working, we would select either a gold or green piece of paper, and a candle of the same color. As you write down your goal, visualize yourself achieving that goal. Think about the different ways in which your goal might manifest -- could you be getting a raise at work? Perhaps someone who owed you money will arrive out of the blue to repay their debt.
Once you've written down your goal, fold the paper, concentrating on your intent the whole time. Some people like to say a small incantation as they do this -- if you're one of those people, this is a good place to do it. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. You can use something as simple as:
Extra money come my way,
I could use a little cash today.
Extra money come to me,
As I will, so it shall be. Place one corned of the folded paper into the candle's flame and allow it to catch fire. Hold the paper as long as possible (without burning your fingers) and then place it in a fire-safe bowl or cauldron to burn the rest of the way on its own. Allow the candle to burn out completely. When the candle has burned out completely, dispose of it, rather than saving it to use again for another working. Usually there's not much left of a candle except a stub of wax, and you can either bury it outdoors or dispose of it in whatever manner you choose.

Type # 2:
From: EHow (amazing what you find on goolge, lol)

1. Step 1
   Know that color correspondences are an important part of candle magic in witchcraft. Certain colors are believed to affect the vibrational frequency of the atmosphere. More importantly, the deliberate use of certain colors in candle magic serves to affix the intent behind your ritual firmly in your own mind, making it easier to focus on the outcome.
   
2. Step 2
   Learn basic colors used in candle magic. White, which conveys purity and peace, is the universal color and is also a substitute for other colors, if necessary. Blue is commonly used for healing, green for prosperity, pink for love, red for strength and black for banishing (i.e., an illness).
   
3. Step 3
   Understand that candle magic also calls upon the four elements, an important aspect of all witchcraft. Unlit, a candle represents Earth. When lit, however, the candle visually represents Fire, while the wax becomes liquid (Water) and gives off smoke (Air).
   
4. Step 4
   Prepare your candle by choosing the appropriate color and consecrating it. This is usually done by lightly anointing the candle with an essential oil (with properties associated with your intent). If you wish, you may also inscribe the candle with runic symbols relating to your desired outcome.
   
5. Step 5
   Light the candle and stare into the flame. While doing so, visualize the situation or outcome that you desire. Hold this visualization for several minutes, then imagine the color of the candle filling the entire room or space you're working in.
   
6. Step 6
   Release the visualization slowly and then ground and center yourself with a few cleansing breaths. Ideally, you should let the candle burn itself out. However, if this is not possible, it's perfectly okay to blow out the flame with a mental or verbal "thank you" to the elements.
   
   
   Type #3:
   From: This is my personal nightly ritual before bedtime.
   
   I pick a jar candle with a scent that calls to my mood and go out into my back yard and sit near the edge of the pool and let the wind pass around me, listening to the windchimes. I try and empty out my mind as much as I can.
   I light the candle and set the top to the side then take a moment to inhale the scent as the wax warms and begins to melt. Then I stare into the flame and watch it dance. I turn all of my attention into that little dancing flame and pour everything that won't willingly leave my mind into it. I watch it for as long as I need to until I feel my spirit is a light as it can possibly be.
   Then I take another whiff of the scent and tilt the jar to let the wax run out of the well that has been formed. I tilt it to all the corners making a 5 sided star out of the run off.
   Then I take a deep breath and put the lid back on the jar, snuffing the fire, and rise to go back inside.
   
   

I hope you all enjoyed my little foray into my obsession, lol!