putting out candles?

[fay]

when youve finished with candles do you blow them out or use a candle putter outer or something else? and why? i use a candle putter outer and im sure i used to have a reason but ive forgotten it (terrrible memory :nyah: ). was just wondering what other people did.
blessed be

[WickedBttrfly]

lol you mean a candle snuffer? I use one. Sometimes I forget it though and feel bad. Some books/people tell you not to blow out the flame, cause it's disrespectul or something like that. I can't really remember either. It's too early in the morning... :hrmm:

[fay]

lol, yeah i think thats why i use one too but i was just wondering what other people did and thought.
blessed be

[Gede]

MM~
The reason given generally for the "non-blowing out rule" is that it is literally destroying the life essence and thus disrespectful to Spirit. However a HedgeWitch also told me once that in Britain it was believed that to blow out a candle against a wall was to foolishly divine seeing as the wax had a chance to splutter off and create a pattern, but I didn't really understand why you shouldn't blow out a candle if you could get the chance to see your future, so yeah...

Personally I pinch out the candle's flame with my fingers, but in truth that could also be seen as symbolically destroying the life essence as well, either way the flame has to go out and I guess I just feel more comfortable pinching out the candles. Just one of our many curious little traditions.

Namaste, Gede...

[fay]

i see. the reason i started wondering was because i dont blow out candles but i went on holiday with my family and took a small white candle and some incense with me. i forget my candle suffer though and didnt feel comfortable blowing out the candle so i kept on putting it out with my fingers, but i didnt like that as i kept burning my fingers :awwman:

so that got me to wondering why i dont blow out candles and wondered what other people did/thought.
blessed be

[Seren_]

Blowing out a candle uses one element (air) to dominate another (fire), which might mess with your "elemental balance". Snuffing is supposed to remove the problem (although like Gede said it still seems to be the same thing to me...).

Another way of looking at it is that blowing out your candle, especially one you've used as the focus of a spell, is like "blowing out" the spell itself. It's supposed to negate any work you've done.

[SylverStar]

I blow out my candles. I feel that my breath carries the spell and my will to it's purpose.

[Lunacie]

I blow out my candles. I feel that my breath carries the spell and my will to it's purpose.

I do it the same way for the same reason.

[Tullip Troll]

Candle Snuffer was made as a way to reach un reachable candles and to also make sure you did not spray the melted wax around with your breath.

MheraPai

[BlackHoodedCrow]

Disrespectful? I think "Snuffing" something out is like killing. Blowing out just means you are using something natural, Air and you are sending it out.

BTW I really don't think the Gods care. That's another man made rule I can do without.

D

[Sylvan]

If it's an altar candle, I'll usually use the snuffer I have, because it's handy. It's a small bell that lost its clapper.

Candles around the house for scent and/or ambiance, I just blow out.

[argento_occhi]

i blow mine out. Occasionally i'll snuff them, i do own a snuffer, but generally i'll blow them out. Why? Well, it just seems right. I did have a reason at some point and i'm sure i posted it, but for the life of me i can't remember it. It feels natural. I feel like i'm adding/sending energy out with the extinguished flame. Snuffing doesn't do that for me. I'll only snuff if the candle is difficult to blow out. For me, though, it's easier to blow them out.

bright blessings,
argent

[fay]

hmm, interesting. thanks guys, keep em coming. i think i need to re-evaluate what im gonna do bout this (which sounds rather drastic for candles :nyah: )
blessed be

[SparkleWytch]

Personally I blow out my candles unless it's one of those jar candles then I snuff them out.
I think as some of you do that blowing out the candles used in spellwork sends your energy out into the world.
Really it's a matter of preference and personal belief. When I first started on my path the High Priestess of the coven i was a part of would have a COW if I blew out a candle.
Now the group I work with seems to have the same belief as myself.

[Velvet]

I just pinch out the flame with my fingers.

[Autumn Scarletwolfe]

I've always believed in using a candle snuffer...to me, blowing out a candle is stating that one element (fire) is lesser than another (air.) It does throw off the balance, as another stated. I usually do a banishing pentagram with my candle snuffer over the flame before I actually put it out. (A banishing pentagram is where you trace a pentagram from the lower left corner to the topmost corner, then over to the lower right corner, then up across to the top left corner, then over to the top right corner, then back down again to the lower left corner where you started, and then back to the topmost corner to keep it sealed for good measure. ^^. An invoking pentagram is the exact opposite, starting at the topmost point and going down to the lower left, then up across to the top right, then over to the topmost left, down to the lower right, then up again to the topmost point and then to the lower left to keep it secure and sealed. I know it sounds like a mouthfull, but it is so much easier to do in person then explain...i hope it helped someone!)

[ancestral_lee]

ah yes... i remember the whole 'dont blow a candle out thing' i wouldnt worry too much about elemental balance, after all a flame burns up air to burn along with burning up 'earth' solid stuff too. perhaps the best way would be to drop water onot it as this would then include all the elements?

do whatever you feel is 'proper' for YOU, not what someone else tells you.