Wicca Candle Magick. Gerina Dunwich
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Wicca Candle Magic
Gerina Dunwich
A Citadel Press Book Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
I dedicate this book with loving gratitude to my Mother and Al Jackter for giving me encouragement and spiritual support. I would also like to thank Jessica Black for all of her assistance, and Bob Salomon for helping to make this book possible.
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Introduction: The Magick of Candles
1: Candle Crafting
2: Consecration
3: Symbolism of Candle Colors
4: Candle Magick for Healing
5: Sabbat Candle Rituals
6: Candle Magick
7: Magick for Hearth and Home
8: Voudoun Candle Magick
9: Candle Omens and Superstitions
10: Resources
Index
About the Author
Copyright
The soft, mellow glow of candlelight creates romantic moods, invokes spirits and utilizes the ancient element of Fire, which is known as the sacred element of magickal transformation.
The dancing flame of a candle gives off mystical power and has been used for centuries by Witches and magicians as a tool for setting the proper atmosphere or spellcasting, divination and meditation, banishing darkness, and as a means of communicating with the dead. The symbolism of creating light in darkness also lies behind the use of the candle in rituals of magick.
The candle is also an image of humanity. The wax of the candle corresponds to the physical body; the wick corresponds to the mind, and the flame corresponds to the spirit or soul.
Candles come in all different sizes, shapes and colors, and can be bought in candle shops, gift shops, occult shops and Witchcraft supply mail order catalogues (see Chapter Ten: Resources); however, many Witches and magicians prefer to work magick with their own homemade candles rather than store bought ones for it is believed that hand-crafted candles with pentagrams and/or other magickal symbols and sigils cut into the wax are more magickally powerful than mass-produced ones since they absorb the Witch’s or magician’s own psychic energies. (The ancient craft of candlemaking is discussed in Chapter One.)
Candle colors are very important when it comes to performing magick, for each color emits a special vibration and attracts different spiritual influences. (See Chapter Three for the symbolism of candle colors.)
The shape that the candle is fashioned in also possesses significance in candleburning magick. Black cat-shaped candles are burned in magick spells to increase luck and psychic power. White cat-shaped candles are burned to make wishes come true and to protect pregnant women. Moon-shaped candles (or candles decorated with lunar symbols) are burned to add power to moon-magick and Goddess invocations. Human image candles made in both male and female figures are used to represent the man or woman whom the power of a spell is directed at. Phallic-shaped candles are powerful when used in fertility rites and sex-magick. Mummy-shaped candles, which are difficult to obtain, are burned in spells to acquire power and success and to invoke ancient Egyptian deities. Devil-shaped candles are used in both black and white magick Voodoo spells. Black skull-shaped candles are burned to cast or reverse hexes, and in rituals of separation. White skull-shaped candles are used in healing rituals and seances. Seven-Knob candles, which consist of seven balls of wax strung together with one wick, are burned as daily meditation candles or as wish-magick candles with each segment of the candle burned daily as the wish to be granted is concentrated upon.
Candle-gazing, or fire-scrying, is a form of divination practiced by Witches, Gypsies and seers long before candles first became popular in Europe in the Middle Ages.
To divine using a candle, clear your mind and then gaze into the flame of the candle until you enter a trance-like state in which images, symbols, people or words will begin to appear as part of a psychic communication.
THE GODDESS IS ALIVE
MAGICK IS AFOOT
BLESSED BE!
Witch Candles
To make homemade Witch Candles, you will need the following items which are obtainable at most hobby and craft stores as well as candle shops: candle wicking, wick tins, fireproof candle molds, wire rods, equal parts paraffin and pure beeswax (amounts depending upon how many candles are to be crafted) and a double boiler for melting the wax.
Place the end of a metal core wick (pre-cut to fit the size of the mold and allowing at least one extra inch of wick above the top of the mold) through the star-cut stamped in the center of a wick tin and then bend the tips of the star down to hold the wick in place.
Place the wick tin and wick in a candle mold with the wick centered by a loop in a wire rod placed across the top of the mold. (Candle molds, plain and fancy, are also available in most of the shops that sell crafts and candles. Ordinary household things such as empty waxed milk cartons, plastic bottles, paper towel rolls, paper cups and metal cans make wonderful molds that are inexpensive and disposable.)
Non-disposable candle molds such as muffin cups and fireproof tumblers can be made stick-proof with special candle spray, silicone sprays or non-stick sprays for frying pans. Another (and more old-fashioned) method to prevent candles from sticking to the molds is to grease and then dust the mold with flour or talcum powder.
Cut the paraffin into small pieces with a sharp knife and place them inside the top of the double boiler. (A large tin can placed in a pan of boiling water may be used in place of the double boiler.) Partially fill the bottom part of the boiler with warm water and then place the top part with the cut-up wax inside of it. Add the beeswax to the paraffin and place the double boiler over low heat to melt the wax. (Never attempt to melt the wax directly over fire!)
Scent the melted wax with an aromatic herb oil appropriate for the type of magick spell the candle will be used for. For instance, scent the candle wax with oil of cloves if the candle will be used for divination, exorcism or rituals involving spiritual purification; frankincense oil for love spells, consecration, healing, protection and rituals to banish evil and negativity; lavender oil for love spells; lemon oil for healing rituals and spells involving clairvoyance and prophetic dreams; mint oil for exorcism and healing rituals; musk oil for love spells, sex-magick and fertility rites; patchouly oil for love spells and invocations of elemental powers; pine oil for spells to attract money and success; rose oil for Goddess invocations and spells to increase good luck, courage and love; sandalwood oil for purification rites, healing and protection against evil influences.
To make colored candles, melt a colored wax crayon in the paraffin. (See Chapter Three for the symbolism of candle colors.)
After the melted wax has been scented and colored, remove the double boiler from the heat and slowly pour the wax into the mold(s). Allow it to solidify.
After the wax has cooled, a conical cavity may form on the top surface around the wick. Pour enough melted wax to fill the cavity and provide a level surface to the candle.
Remove the candle from the mold only after the wax has cooled and hardened thoroughly.
Before burning the candle in a magickal ceremony, anoint it with a small amount of oil to put your psychic vibrations into the candle, magnetize it and transform it