Preparing your Candles for Magick

Those who apply a little in the magical and witchcraft arts know one of the foundations to follow is to try to build as much as possible the elements that are needed for the works.

Even candles are no exception and in this post I will talk about how to prepare them to use them effectively.

Remember that preparing the elements you need for your esoteric magic 'works' are part of the work itself and helps a lot to focus energy and motivation.
Fire is a powerful transformative element and that is why it is used a lot in the making of spells.

Select the candle carefully.

First of all try to understand what you want to achieve and what can be the practice to be able to achieve your goals and consequently also the colour, shape and duration of your candles.
Pay attention and aesthetic taste in choosing them.
If they are to be offered to some spiritual strength, try to make them yourself or take them made only with natural elements such as beeswax
If you don't know the colour to associate with the candle to make your ritual, you can easily take the white ones which have a practically universal use.
Purify and clean
Unless you created the candle yourself, your candle has been in contact with many energies between the time it was created and the time it came to you.
It has at least passed into the hands of those who physically manufactured it, of those who sent it, of those who delivered it to you ...
You understand, therefore, that even if it is 'brand new' it is essential to clean and purify it.
You can physically rinse it using spring or river water or better still using moon water (find how to make it on this blog).
Alternatively, you can 'fumigate' it with incense or herbs to your liking or use bells by ringing them around it

Decorate the candle (carve your candle)

Decorate your candle (using a simple pointed object, just a nail or a toothpick for example) with symbols, seals, names to use in your works of magic.
Grease the candle
Grease the candle as an offering or good omen.
You can simply use olive oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, etc.
There are different methods to do this and this gesture is required by many charms because it has a strong symbolic value.
Mainly if your spell has the purpose of bringing something (money, love, luck ..) you will grease the candle starting from the base towards the wick.
For potted or tea candles, grease your index finger and pass it clockwise around the wick.
If the purpose of your work is to send something away (unwanted person, bad luck, negative forces….) You have to proceed in the opposite way.
Dress your candle with magickal ingredients
To embellish and complete the preparation of your magic candle, you can 'dress it up'.
Find herbs, spices, flowers that have the magical 'attributes' you need.
For example, lavender to promote peace and tranquility, rose petals for matters of love, basil to promote prosperity and abundance….
It is not necessary to select many natural elements, even just one is enough.
Crumble your herbs with your fingers or use a mortar and pestle.
The more the elements are reduced to small pieces the better they will stick to your candle.
Keep an eye on the larger pieces as they could light up and burn when you are using the candle!
The fire element always needs a lot of attention, remember this.