In part three of our series on Candle Magick, learn how to perform candle magick by burning an intention candle.
Table Of Contents
Introduction
In part one, we discussed what candle magick is and how it works. In part two, we looked at the magickal system of correspondences and how to dress your candle to strengthen your energetic intention. Now, we’ll go through the process of lighting and burning your intention candle. In magick, this process is called performing a working.
Lighting Your Candle
“No act of creation is ours alone – ever – we are forever simply the instruments of the universal creative power, some to a greater and some to a lesser degree – but all of us instruments just the same.
Lou Bognon, ‘How To Light A Candle’
At subtle levels we are all constantly being infused with Light in various degrees of vibration: music, colours, words, ideas, solutions, concepts, inventions and intuitions of all kinds.
This is an ongoing universal process, that which allows a composer to write down the music of spheres, an inventor or a scientist to discover ‘things’, writers to ‘invent’ characters, healers to ‘heal’ hopeless cases and so on.
This is the ongoing process of communion with the Light – the continuous access to higher and higher levels of knowledge, wisdom, vibratory fields and frequencies, in short: Light at work.”
When you light your candle, state your intention out loud as you get the wick lit. Spend some time gazing at the flame as the candle burns, focusing on your intention strongly in your mind, visualising your desired outcome. Imagine your outcome as having been successful, and how that makes you feel.
Remember that is the most important part of candle magick, where you are imprinting your energetic message (your intention or prayer) onto the candle.
How Long Should The Candle Burn For
Traditionally, candles in candle magic should be allowed to burn continually until they finish, rather than being put out. You can, in a pinch, extinguish the flame and relight it at another time, it’s just not recommended as it breaks the flow. I would suggest starting again and re-dressing the candle in this case. You do get some candle spells that are set out over several nights – I still prefer using a new candle each night to putting out the same candle and relighting it the next night.
For this reason, intention candles should ideally be small, so that they can burn out within a few hours. The very first time I made an intention candle, I made the error of choosing a large candle, and was stuck there waiting for it to finish burning until well into the wee hours of the morning! Needless to say I never made the same mistake again. With Mystic Candles, my range of colour intention candles specifically for candle magick are the perfect size.
While It Burns
While you don’t have to stay sitting in front of your candle, concentrating on your desired outcome for the entire burn, the longer you do so, the stronger the working.
Do keep an eye on your candle while it is burning. Never leave a burning candle unattended, especially a dressed intention candle! If a breeze picks up from an open window or door, you can move the candle to keep it burning.
Flame Gazing
Some people like to ‘scry’ using the candle’s flame. You can do this by relaxing your eyes while gently gazing at the flame. Focus completely on the flame. Let your eyes become a bit unfocused as you relax them. Continue to gaze at the flame in a relaxed, meditative state. See if any images or thoughts come up during this process. When you are ready, bring yourself back to awareness. Think about anything you experienced during the gazing and use your intuition to interpret what symbolism was there to be understood.
Another form of flame scrying is to pay attention to the behaviour of the flame itself.
- The steadier and stronger the flame, the easier it will be to manifest your desire
- A flickering, weak flame could indicate challenges or resistance ahead. Or changing circumstances or fortunes.
- A candle flame that goes out during a working is generally considered to be a sign that there is a major obstacle in the way, a blockage or roadblock that needs to be identified and resolved before you can move forward. It can also signify a death or ending.
When The Candle Has Finished Burning
Once your intention candle has burnt itself out and the wax has cooled, you can clean up. Some people believe you can look at the pattern of the melted wax and receive a message, as a type of divination. This form of scrying is called ceromancy. We discuss this in the next instalment of Candle Magick – CANDLE WAX READING.
You can pick up the leftover wax and dispose of it. I like to re-draw my symbol/s into the melted wax and bury it under a tree, with the crystal, as a thank you offering. Burying the crystal works well for blessings, distance healing, clearing, and any kind of working where you are sending energy away. Holding onto the crystal works well for any kind of working where you are bringing something in, as you continue to manifest the desired outcome. This works nicely for bringing in money (put the crystal in your wallet) or personal protection (carry it in your pocket as a protective talisman).
If you can’t bury your wax for whatever reason, wrap it in wax paper and dispose of it in the bin.
READ NEXT:
CANDLE MAGICK 4
CANDLE WAX READING
In our fourth and final post of our Candle Magick series, we look at the ancient art of Ceromancy, a type of divination where you read the patterns of melted candle wax.
THE CANDLE MAGICK SERIES:
