One of the nicest folk-customs still practiced in many countries, and
especially by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to
place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at
sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning
until sunrise. Make sure that such candles are well seated against tipping
and guarded from nearby curtains, etc. What a cheery sight it is on this
cold, bleak and dreary night to see house after house with candle-lit
windows! And, of course, if you are your Coven's chandler, or if you just
happen to like making candles, Candlemas Day is the day for doing it. Some
Covens hold candle-making parties and try to make and bless all the candles
they'll be using for the whole year on this day.

All and all, this is certainly one of the prettiest holidays celebrated in
the Pagan seasonal calendar. And since it is so tied to candles, here is
various information on candles and candle magic.

One of the simplest of magical arts which comes under the heading of natural
magic is candle burning. It is simple because it employs little ritual and
few ceremonial artifacts. The theatrical props of candle magic can be
purchased at any department store and its rituals can be practiced in any
sitting room or bedroom.

Most of us have performed our first act of candle magic by the time we are
two years old. Blowing out the tiny candles on our first birthday cake and
making a wish is pure magic. This childhood custom is based on the three
magical principals of concentration, will power and visualization. In simple
terms, the child who wants his wish to come true has to concentrate
(blow out the candles), visualize the end result (make a wish) and hope that
it will come true (will power).

The size and shape of the candles you use is unimportant, although highly
decorative, extra large, or unusually shaped candles will not be suitable as
these may create distractions when the magician wants to concentrate on the
important work in hand. Most magicians prefer to use candles of standard or
uniform size if possible. Those which are sold in different colors for
domestic use are ideal.

The candles you use got any type of magical use should be virgin, that is
unused. Under no circumstances use a candle which has already adorned a
dinner table or been used as a bedroom candle or night-light. There is a
very good occult reason for not using anything but virgin materials in
magic. Vibrations picked up by secondhand materials or equipment may disturb
your workings and negate their effectiveness.

Some magicians who are artistically inclined prefer to make their own
candles for ritual and magical use. This is a very practical exercise
because not only does it impregnate the candle with your own personal
vibrations, but the mere act of making your own candle is magically potent.
Specialist shops sell candle wax and moulds together with wicks, perfumes,
and other equipment.

The hot wax is heated until liquid and then poured into the mould through
which a suitably sized wick has already been threaded. The wax is then left
to cool and once is this has occurred the mould is removed, leaving a
perfectly formed candle. Special oil-soluble dyes and perfumes can be added
to the wax before the cooling process is complete to provide suitable colors
and scents for a particular magical ritual. Craft shops which sell candle
making supplies can also provide do-it-yourself books explaining the
technicalities of the art to the beginner.

Once you have purchased or made your ritual candle it has to be oiled or
'dressed' before burning. The purpose of dressing the candle is to establish
a psychic link between it and the magician through a primal sensory
experience. By physically touching the candle during the dressing procedure,
you are charging it with our own personal vibrations and also concentrating
the desire of your magical act into the wax. The candle is becoming an
extension of the magician's mental power and life energy.

When you dress a candle for magical use, imagine that it is a psychic magnet
with a North and a South pole. Rub the oil into the candle beginning at the
top or North end and work downwards to the half-way point. Always brush in
the same direction downwards. This process is then repeated by beginning at
the bottom or south end and working up to the middle.

The best type of oils to use for dressing candles are natural ones which can
be obtained quite easily. Some occult suppliers will provide candle magic
oils with exotic names. If the magician does not want to use these, he can
select suitable oils or perfumes from his own sources. The oils soluble
perfumes sold by craft shops for inclusion in candles can be recommended.

The candles you use can be colored in accordance with the following magical
uses: white - spirituality and peace. red - health, energy, strength,
courage, sexual potency. pink - love, affection and romance. yellow -
intellectualism, imagination, memory and creativity green - fertility,
abundance, good luck and harmony blue -inspiration, occult wisdom,
protection and devotion purple - Material wealth, higher psychic ability,
spiritual power and idealism silver - clairvoyance, inspiration, astral
energy and intuition orange - ambition, career matters and the law

If you wanted to use candle magic for healing, you would select a red candle
to burn. To pass an exam, burn a yellow candle, to gain esoteric knowledge
burn a blue candle or for material gain, burn a purple one. It is obvious
these colors relate to the signs of the zodiac and the planetary forces.

The simples form of candle magic is to write down the objective of your
ritual on a virgin piece of paper. You can use color paper which matches the
candle. Write your petition on the paper using a magical alphabet, such as
Theban, enochian, malachain, etc. As you write down what you want to
accomplish through candle magic -- a new job, healing for a friend, a change
of residence, a new love affair, etc. -- visualize your ream coming true.
Visualize the circumstances under which you might be offered a new job,
imagine your employer telling you that your salary has been increased or
conjure up a vision of your perfect love partner.

When you have completed writing down your petition, carefully fold up the
paper in a deliberately slow fashion. Place the end of the folded paper in
the candle flame and set light to it. As you do this concentrate once more
on what you want from life.

When you have completed your ritual, allow the candle to have completely
burned away. You do not need to stay with the candle after the ritual, but
make sure that is is safe and that red-hot wax will not cause damage or
fire. Never re-use a candle which has been lit in any magical ritual. It
should only be used in that ritual and then allowed to burn away or be
disposed of afterwards.

If you are conducting a magical ritual which involves two people
(e.g. an absent healing for a person some distance away) then the second
person can be symbolically represented during the ritual by another candle.
All you need to do is find out the subject's birth date and burn the
appropriate candle for that zodiacal sign. These are as follows:

ARIES - red
TAURUS - green
GEMINI - yellow
CANCER - silver
LEO - orange
VIRGO - yellow
LIBRA - pink
SCORPIO - red
SAGITTARIUS - purple
CAPRICORN - black
AQUARIUS - all colors
PISCES - mauve