Post by wren on Dec 30, 2006 20:45:56 GMT -5
I have been given permission to post the following here by Aweful Ron, my favorite witch!
In my opinion,
I do not like the term candle magick. I much would much rather call it candle crafting. The reason I don't like the term candle magick is because my belief on what magick is. I believe magick to be the influence of energies and all things have magick. A sunset has magick, the moon has (great) magick, a child birth has unbelievable magick and a babbling brook has magick. Candles have magick. None of these magicks are focused or directed. When you direct that magick towards a focused goal, it is crafting. I am not going to try to change the (overused) term from candle magick to candle crafting but I believe terms are important and an understanding of mine will help in understanding my intents.
What is candle magick?
Candle magick is witchcraft, using the energies of the caster, the candle, the flame and any spells or rituals used to focus on a directed goal. Candle magick is simple but carries a great deal of influence over the energies.
I've attempted to break down the different factors in candle magic. The simplest form of candle magic is actually very complex in it's effect on energies.
The caster is you. You should be physically and spiritually clean. A relaxing salt bath, while meditating on an internal cleansing before a ritual is a good way of doing both. You need to be rested, calm and understand the basics of directing magick. You should want this to succeed and know that it certainly can, as the strength of your energies are the driving force behind all of the energies to be influenced. Remember, I believe that energies influenced, influence energies. The stronger the driving and added energies, the better the chance of influencing more energies.
Your work area can be small. I use my alter mostly but have been known to keep a candle burning beside me as I work/play at the computer as a reminder to send energies and a ready focal point. I like to use a sage & rosemary smudge and cleanse my work area. You should be free of distraction (shut off the cell) and have given yourself enough alone time for the ritual or meditation, plus a little. You need to be comfortable and happy in the setting. I like a pleasant aroma to my work area so I burn oil. Incense work well. I have a rock tumbler turning all the time and a turtle tank filter running in the background so I don't hear many ambient noises but if there is the chance of interruption from out side, meditation music or "white noise" helps. You need to insure that you are not distracted by your surroundings so make it as clean and uncluttered as it will take for you to relax and a little more.
The caster and the work area concerns are common to all magick.
There is also the question of what energies to influence and how to selectively influence and focus energies. Determine the focus you desire and build from there. The energies you desire to influence, have "frequencies" they work in. Each "frequency" can be selectively influenced. In candle magick the biggest contributor to the focus of the influence besides the desires of the caster is the color of the candle. There are many many many color charts people use. I don't remember where I got the colors I use, with a candle purchase maybe. It works for me and it works well for me. Others may not have the same success as I and may feel called to change colors for themselves. Do as the colors call you to do.
deep red - passion, love, courage
orange - strength, success, joy
yellow - clairvoyance, communications
green - healing, prosperity
blue - meditation, tranquility
purple - spirituality, intuition
white - purity, protection
black - absorb negative energies
pink - emotional love, harmony
apple green - emotional heeling, protection
silver blue deep wisdom, the moon
cherry red - self love, friendship
apricot - gentle strength, joy
lavender - intuition, dignity, spiritual shield
The size and style of candle are determined by the ritual or meditation. I use 2 hr - ½" X 4" party candles mostly because most of what I do is meditation. They do work well in spell crafting. The ritual may be one that repeats for a few days or just for an hour, so adjust size to the ritual. The wax the candle is made of will also determine the burning rate and fire strength. I believe a natural candle gives the best influence and since I believe that way, I'm very sure it does.
Candles are a tool for you. If you clean and take care of your tools, they will take care of you. On the first full moon after my shipment arrives – I live in the mountains, I buy bulk – I dress them in a base oil with a soft cloth. Some people say to dress up from the middle and down from the middle. I don't as it has never effected my workings. Others feel differently and if you do, do it the way you are called. Knowing you did it as it called you to matters when casting. I rub my candles down with base oil, like canolia to protect them and seal the energies. As I do that, I infuse the candle with my energies by visualizing the flow from me to it. I then put them away until I need them.
After picking the color of candle(s) for the ritual or meditation, I anoint the candle with either a base oil again or with an essential oil. I keep lavender for cleansing and dragons blood for protection. Some like to dress the candle with powder or herbs that they feel will help to focus the energies toward the goal. I carve some candles before meditation by writing the desire into it. On a healing meditation, I write the persons name into the candle. While dressing the candle or carving it, I visualize my energy flow into the candle.
Safety warning – This is fire, ok? It burns poo, alright? Cardboard does not make a good candle holder nor does an inverted styrophome cup. Use your head and children do not do this with out supervision of someone who understands that fire burns.
For a basic candle meditation:
Relax get comfortable and light the candle. How you decide to light the candle is your call. If you need a piece of tiki wood lit off of a fire in your fireplace, in third quarter of the hour, then make it that way. I use a bic. Anyway light the candle and meditate on the energies of the flame and the object of the meditation and visualize the two coming together. Then you can direct the energies toward that goal by visualizing the flow from all the energies, from the candle, the carvings, the dressing and the flame, being influenced by you and flowing to its desired end.
Your focal point should be the flame and you should let the flame direct you.
Thanks, Ron!
In my opinion,
I do not like the term candle magick. I much would much rather call it candle crafting. The reason I don't like the term candle magick is because my belief on what magick is. I believe magick to be the influence of energies and all things have magick. A sunset has magick, the moon has (great) magick, a child birth has unbelievable magick and a babbling brook has magick. Candles have magick. None of these magicks are focused or directed. When you direct that magick towards a focused goal, it is crafting. I am not going to try to change the (overused) term from candle magick to candle crafting but I believe terms are important and an understanding of mine will help in understanding my intents.
What is candle magick?
Candle magick is witchcraft, using the energies of the caster, the candle, the flame and any spells or rituals used to focus on a directed goal. Candle magick is simple but carries a great deal of influence over the energies.
I've attempted to break down the different factors in candle magic. The simplest form of candle magic is actually very complex in it's effect on energies.
The caster is you. You should be physically and spiritually clean. A relaxing salt bath, while meditating on an internal cleansing before a ritual is a good way of doing both. You need to be rested, calm and understand the basics of directing magick. You should want this to succeed and know that it certainly can, as the strength of your energies are the driving force behind all of the energies to be influenced. Remember, I believe that energies influenced, influence energies. The stronger the driving and added energies, the better the chance of influencing more energies.
Your work area can be small. I use my alter mostly but have been known to keep a candle burning beside me as I work/play at the computer as a reminder to send energies and a ready focal point. I like to use a sage & rosemary smudge and cleanse my work area. You should be free of distraction (shut off the cell) and have given yourself enough alone time for the ritual or meditation, plus a little. You need to be comfortable and happy in the setting. I like a pleasant aroma to my work area so I burn oil. Incense work well. I have a rock tumbler turning all the time and a turtle tank filter running in the background so I don't hear many ambient noises but if there is the chance of interruption from out side, meditation music or "white noise" helps. You need to insure that you are not distracted by your surroundings so make it as clean and uncluttered as it will take for you to relax and a little more.
The caster and the work area concerns are common to all magick.
There is also the question of what energies to influence and how to selectively influence and focus energies. Determine the focus you desire and build from there. The energies you desire to influence, have "frequencies" they work in. Each "frequency" can be selectively influenced. In candle magick the biggest contributor to the focus of the influence besides the desires of the caster is the color of the candle. There are many many many color charts people use. I don't remember where I got the colors I use, with a candle purchase maybe. It works for me and it works well for me. Others may not have the same success as I and may feel called to change colors for themselves. Do as the colors call you to do.
deep red - passion, love, courage
orange - strength, success, joy
yellow - clairvoyance, communications
green - healing, prosperity
blue - meditation, tranquility
purple - spirituality, intuition
white - purity, protection
black - absorb negative energies
pink - emotional love, harmony
apple green - emotional heeling, protection
silver blue deep wisdom, the moon
cherry red - self love, friendship
apricot - gentle strength, joy
lavender - intuition, dignity, spiritual shield
The size and style of candle are determined by the ritual or meditation. I use 2 hr - ½" X 4" party candles mostly because most of what I do is meditation. They do work well in spell crafting. The ritual may be one that repeats for a few days or just for an hour, so adjust size to the ritual. The wax the candle is made of will also determine the burning rate and fire strength. I believe a natural candle gives the best influence and since I believe that way, I'm very sure it does.
Candles are a tool for you. If you clean and take care of your tools, they will take care of you. On the first full moon after my shipment arrives – I live in the mountains, I buy bulk – I dress them in a base oil with a soft cloth. Some people say to dress up from the middle and down from the middle. I don't as it has never effected my workings. Others feel differently and if you do, do it the way you are called. Knowing you did it as it called you to matters when casting. I rub my candles down with base oil, like canolia to protect them and seal the energies. As I do that, I infuse the candle with my energies by visualizing the flow from me to it. I then put them away until I need them.
After picking the color of candle(s) for the ritual or meditation, I anoint the candle with either a base oil again or with an essential oil. I keep lavender for cleansing and dragons blood for protection. Some like to dress the candle with powder or herbs that they feel will help to focus the energies toward the goal. I carve some candles before meditation by writing the desire into it. On a healing meditation, I write the persons name into the candle. While dressing the candle or carving it, I visualize my energy flow into the candle.
Safety warning – This is fire, ok? It burns poo, alright? Cardboard does not make a good candle holder nor does an inverted styrophome cup. Use your head and children do not do this with out supervision of someone who understands that fire burns.
For a basic candle meditation:
Relax get comfortable and light the candle. How you decide to light the candle is your call. If you need a piece of tiki wood lit off of a fire in your fireplace, in third quarter of the hour, then make it that way. I use a bic. Anyway light the candle and meditate on the energies of the flame and the object of the meditation and visualize the two coming together. Then you can direct the energies toward that goal by visualizing the flow from all the energies, from the candle, the carvings, the dressing and the flame, being influenced by you and flowing to its desired end.
Your focal point should be the flame and you should let the flame direct you.
Thanks, Ron!