C is for Candles

I'm not sure where I stand on Magick yet. It's never been the part of Paganism that calls to me. But there's something almost primal about Candle Magick. Candles are linked to pretty much every religious and spiritual practise I can think of. Not only do they simply exude symbolism, but they are doing some basic (yet still blimmin' awesome) physics ~ converting matter into energy. I think that subconsciously it is this that attracts me.
There are lots of different types of Candle Magick, but as with any spiritual practises I believe that the more you can personalise things the better. Making your own candles is easier than you might think, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment so it's not expensive (hoorah!). The easiest (and less messy) method is to buy sheets of beeswax and roll your own. Kits are available for less than £5 on ebay, and are a great activity to do with children as there's no melted wax to burn little fingers. You can even sprinkle the sheet with herbs before rolling to add extra oomph to your spell.
But you can also make a simple moulded candle very easily by melting down some plain cheap candles (I use Ikea block candles) in an old saucepan. You can colour the wax either using a coloured candle or by adding some children's crayons to the mix. You will need to buy some wicks with sustainers (little metal bases that hold the wick) but again these can be found very cheaply on ebay. Simply melt the candle gently in a pan over a low heat ~ you're not cooking the wax, you just want to liquefy it ~ then pour it into your mould. You can use an old tumbler, a teacup, even a couple of plastic cups (I'd use at least 2 to avoid distortion). Again, you can sprinkle some herbs into the molten wax before you pour to more deeply infuse your spell.
Best of all though, in my humble opinion, is the ice candle. You put so much of yourself into making this candle ~ making the ice, melting the wax, making the candle, burning the candle ~ it is this giving of yourself that I believe infuses the real power of a spell. All you do is fill your mould with ice cubes before pouring the wax in. The ice is melted by the hot wax and leaves behind all kinds of interesting shapes. This kind of candle is especially good for transformation magick.

 

 

If you'd like to try making your own candles but you're a bit nervous, check out this website, where there are lots of easy to follow instructions.