candles

[The_Dark _One]

what dose each color of a candle mean.(like Black=? Wight=? and so on)

[Myst]

Depends on who you're talking to. Whichever colour seems appropriate for your intent is always best.

Some suggestions - http://www.willowraven.com/bos/corre/colours.php

[The_Dark _One]

thank you very much that is what i was looking for.

[Rick]

On a very practical level... whatever color I have on hand is the color I'm gonna use for whatever working I'm doing at the time (although I try to keep an adequate supply of 'my most-used colored candles' on hand, sometimes HoneyGirl or The Child will burn 'em just to burn a candle... ).

[sherry]

I always start out with white candles not sure why just the way I was taught!! I light the color of choice off of it and go from there!!

Watch buying colored candles from department type stores many are not true color and are only painted!!
If you turn to the bottom of the candle you can use your fingernail and scrape it to see if it is a painted candle without destroying the candle. (and have to buy it if caught!!!!)

Those type are good for Dinner lighting but I want to be sure to get the pure colors if I am using them for a specific purpose.
Usually I have a set goal in mind and would hate to have a OOOOOOPPPPPPs!

[Danustouch]

Just thought you might like to read this article about candles in magick. Although colored candles are useful tools to unlock our subconcious will, they weren't ALWAYS available :) Now..I'm not proposing that in light of this article, people SHOULDN'T use Candle magick. I'm just saying that if you don't have a color available...it's QUITE allright to use another color :)
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http://www.paganpath.com/truecandle.html

True History of Candle use in Magic

Colored candles can be excellent magical tools, however, candle magic in its current form is a relatively modern addition to Witchcraft spellweaving.

Colored candles as we know them today have only been common for the past 30 years. Prior to this, most candles available were of the utilitarian white variety. The dyes used to color wax must be oil soluble and are therefore only available from limited sources:

1) Plant based colorants were rare until recently, and were only capable of coloring wax to the warmer hues of the spectrum. (Red, orange & yellow) They generally cannot create green, blue or purple. This, at least shows us that no Witches in the middle ages were using purple candles to increase their psychic perceptions or blue ones to highten the spiritual and protective energies of their homes.

2) Pigment dyes were another limited source of colorant. They are extremely finely ground minerals, so finely ground that it was not possible with the technology that preceeded the early 19th century to utilize them as colorants. For example: Although copper carbonate was available, the ability to grind it finely enough to remain suspended in wax as a (blue-green) colorant was impossible before the early 1800's.

3) Aniline dyes were obviously not available until quite recently. Derived from coal and oil, they have only been available since the late 19th century.

Before the 16th century, candles were made of animal fat (tallow) or sometimes 'lamps' containing oil with a fibre of some sort as a wick. They often smoked, sputtered and smelled. Only the elite (which it is unlikely the village Witch was generally a part of) could afford the more rare and costly beeswax candles. (Harvesting beeswax sacrifices a great deal of honey production, therefore it is unlikely that they 'made their own') Stearin, the chemical compound that most modern candles are made of was originally produced in the early 19th century, and candles in general have only become widely available since the 1960's.

So what is all this getting to you ask? What is the point? Well, if you pick up a book that claims Egyptians used lapis blue colored tapered candles to contact spirits and the Celts used silver and gold votive candles to represent the Goddess and God, put it down. Books filled with this type of misinformation are out there! They may contain original and creative ideas for the use of candles and colors, but if they claim that these are "ancient" or even "traditional" Witchcraft techniques, they are most likely fakes.

For further information about the history of candles, see the following sites: The White Dragon (Article entitled "She's having a go at the candles now!" By Rowan -Originally published at Lughnasa 1995) and Candle History

[Lavender]

Some more bits & pieces about candles...

Mullein leaves used to be called "hag taper" because witches used it in their workings. Also, the Greeks & Romans used to use mullein stalks dipped in tallow to make torches & lamp wicks. I wouldn't be surprised if the fibre found in those oil lamps were mullein leaves.

[Danustouch]

Wow...interesting.

Hey.... a friend of mine is pregnant. And she used to work in a candle shop. She told me that one of the reasons she quit, was that there is Lead in Most Wicking. Is this true???? Is there lead in some candles???????

[Lavender]

Yes, I've heard that too. I know you can buy lead-free candle wicks. I don't know about commerically made candles, though. I love using beeswax candles that I made myself. They're just simple little box shaped candles made from pure unbleached beeswax. For magical uses, I usually anoint them with the appropriate oils. I do have coloured candles that I use sometimes but prefer the beeswax ones. They don't smoke & burns cleanly. Also, because they came from living beings, I feel there is a magic in the beeswax that lends itself to your work.

[loopy]

I have a question-- I've always heard and believed that the power isn't in the tools-- in this case, candles-- but in the Witch themself. And colors are really just symbols used to stimulate the left half of the brain, right? So, does it honestly matter what a candle is made of? If you charge it, and believe its power to be true, does it make a difference if you have a beeswax candle or a chemical one... ?

[Myst]

Ok, here's my take on it.

Wild likes the beeswax ones better because she thinks they're more magickal. Since she thinks that it's true, especially for her, they are. Her intent makes the truth, not to mention I can see why she thinks that and prefers them - they come from another of Goddess' creatures who we are kin with (sort of like buying your favourite candle from a friend who made them instead of the store, you might think the one from the friend is more special), and they aren't as polluting...

Colours? Colours are mindkeys for you, I believe that's true as well. The power *IS* in you, but just like most tools, the candle can help you focus it and focus on your intent. So if *YOU* think a green candle is for prosperity, using it in a prosperity spell will work GREAT for you. If *I* think a gold candle is better for prosperity, the gold candle would work for me whereas the green might not. This is why people say you should write your own spells - your mindkeys are personal and you should access them instead of using someone else's. Using YOUR mindkey instead of mine will help you focus better.

So if Wild thinks a beeswax candle will work better for her, it will. If you think a regular green candle will work better for you, it will.

SoooOOOo, if you believe it's power will work no matter if it's regular or beeswax, it will!

[Lavender]

*Clap! Clap!*

Very well said, Willow.

That's exactly why beeswax candles work for me. I've heard people say so many times that they can't do this or that because they don't have the right chalice or atheme or whatever. It's really what YOU put into the workings. I BELIEVE they are magical therefore they ARE magical. This works same for any other tools you use.

[Myst]

The power of intent is more important then the shiniest, spiffiest tool. :)

I'm glad I worded it properly :)

[Kyrnnid Tyhn]

those are good points, Willow Raven. i agree completely.
and i also believe each individual decides what colors are for what purpose. experiment and see what is best for you. or you may not even want to incorporate colors. up to you.