The very first spell that you cast was most likely the annual wish that you conjured upon your birthday candles.
– Veronica Varlow, enchantedlivingmagazine.com
A small flame, embodied in a wick, slowly fed by a flammable (but not too flammable) material. This simple, humble form of controlling fire has found its place in spiritual rituals the world over. It is easy to see why – from the controlled flame slowly combusting the material, and sending it up to the heavens, there are several aspects of the humble candle to love and use.
There’s a couple of common threads in the various spiritual uses of candles. Firstly, that the light from the candle represents something spiritually “greater”. Secondly, the smoke gently rising away from the candle can be seen/used as a way for your thoughts, prayers, intentions etc. to be carried up and away for you.
Me personally, I’ve always been enthralled with candles. Even without a particular spell or ritual in mind, having a candle burning every moment I can brings me a simple, unwavering joy.
Spiritual Candle Usage
Since very early on in Christianity, candles have been used to represent the light of Christ. As such, they’re in use as a mainstay on altars, and also are used as part of particular religious events.
Judaism has the nine-branched candelabrum, the Hanukkah menorah, in use during the holiday of Hanukkah. Candles are also often used before the holidays of Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot.
In various religions and spiritual beliefs, the lighting of a candle can be used as a sign of respect. It’s not uncommon to see people lighting candles in respect and remembrance towards someone who has recently passed away. Likewise for ancestors who you may never have met personally, a candle can be used to meet and talk with them spiritually.
In Wicca, candles can be coloured to represent many things. Most frequently, coloured candles are used for representing the cardinal directions – yellow for Air in the East, red for Fire in the North (at least, for us in the Southern Hemisphere given its direction towards the Sun), blue for Water in the West, and green for Earth in the South. A white or purple candle is also frequently used to represent Spirit, placed in the center of the other candles.
This idea of using colour for representing certain magic intentions is often referred to as “Colour Magick”, and is not only used for use around a magic circle. For example, a spell of healing may make use of a light-blue candle, a brown candle may be used for grounding, or an orange candle may be utilised for ambition and enthusiasm. (If you’re quite interested in this manner of using candles, a simple internet search for Candle Colour Magick will get you well on your way.)
Colour Magick is not the only way to make use of a candle though. As mentioned at the start of this article, candles are also frequently used as a vehicle for carrying your intentions out into the wider world. One method for this is to write your intention on a small piece of paper, and burn it with the candle. Another method is to simply focus on the candle while concentrating on your intention.
Ideas for your own use
If you’d like to start using candles in your own rituals, great. As above, there are already some well-defined starting points depending on your own particular spiritual beliefs.
However, if you’re a more enterprising sort of individual who enjoys creating your own rituals, it’s very easy to integrate a good candle or two into what you’re doing. The most obvious starting points come from looking to current uses for inspiration.
A candle can always find its way to a central part in a ritual involving sending your intentions out into the wider world – let its rising smoke or heat carry it for you.
Likewise, the light being emitted from a simple, physical body, can easily be used in rituals involving deeper meanings, hope, or finding your way.
Get creative with this – a candle could be performing double-duty in some rituals. For example, a ritual based around discovering your inner divinity, and gaining strength to share it with the world could very easily be represented through the lighting of a simple candle, and ruminating on its warmth, light, and wisps of smoke dispersing into the environment without hesitation.
One idea I see quite persistently is that if you’re using a candle as an integral part of spellwork, it’s ideal to let it burn itself out completely. This makes sense to me – after all, if you’re partway through a job for someone, I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate being snuffed out partway through your work for them by that same person. This is important to keep in mind though – a bigger candle may or may not give greater results depending on the spell, but if you don’t think you can be concentrating on your spell, your intentions, and that multi-day candle the whole time you’re awake and it’s still burning, it might be wiser to step the candle size down a notch and burn it through, rather than using a bigger candle and having to snuff it out.
A candle flame is a little life. Treat it as such, work with it in respect, and I have no doubt you’ll find it works hard with you too.
This article is one of the many that was released as part of our 2020 Spring Equinox Newsletter. Find out how to access the full newsletter here.
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