I was talking with a friend earlier, and I remembered what it was like a while ago, when I was beginning to work in a more witchy way and I wanted to know all the stuff.  Back then I thought I could get it right, that there was a recipe or formula to follow and that I needed instructions.

I didn’t.

But it helps to have someone show you how.  This is a “how to” guide for candle spells.

The first thing to say is that you are no stranger to candle magic.  We are plugging into this energy when we make a wish and blow out birthday candles.  You’ve got this.

“Magic” is a bit like art.  Actually, magic is art.  It’s a creative expression of your intention, worked out in thought, word and action.  It is a concrete expression of a wish.  And the action of making it, the work of crafting, is the domino-push to that wish becoming reality.

Candle spells are one of my favourite ways to work simple, everyday magic.

Firstly a health warning.  You can buy beautiful, beeswax candles, source hand-blended magical oils, purchase moon-blessed herbs and find ornate athames on Etsy.

All of these things are lovely to work with.

But they aren’t where the magic is.  To borrow from a well-known song; it ain’t what you use, it’s the way that you use it.

Right now, I imagine, in your house, is everything you need to work a little candle magic.

Here I will make a suggestion for a **possible** framework for a specific kind of spell.  BUT (see, it’s a big but; stop sniggering at the back there) none of the “stuff” is essential.  Intention, your desire, your wish, is everything.

So let’s imagine this scenario.  A client comes to see me.  She is experiencing frequent headaches and anxiety.  She would like to work some candle magic to complement (note: complement… this work IS NEVER A SUBSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL CARE) the treatment she is receiving from her G.P.

• First of all we sit down and talk.  I find out that she is anxious due to work-related stress and the headaches are a result of her lack of sleep.
• I choose a green candle, as this colour is good when working with health.
• Next I choose lavender oil for its calming properties and frankincense oil for protection.  I drop a few drops of oil onto the candle and make sure its well covered.
• After this I take a sharp tool (a bent paperclip works best) and scratch her initials into the wax.  You can also use a sigil or other relevant symbol (e.g. for a money spell a pound/ dollar sign).
• Next I secure the candle onto a dish or holder.  I choose bloodstone, amethyst and green calcite to place on the dish, all for healing, calming and sleep support.
• I take some feverfew and sprinkle it on the dish around the candle (for the headaches), some lavender (for the anxiety and sleep issues) and some galangal to speed things along. I could also have mixed these in with my oil and used them to dress the candle but it can be hard to make them “stick”.
• I take a piece of green paper.  On this I write (I like using gold pen but that’s just me being sparkly, a blue Bic is also fine) the client’s name and date of birth and my  intention. You can make the intention rhyme, or you can just write it out.  Make it very clear what you want to happen e.g. I want (insert name)’s headaches to go, her anxiety to be eased and her to sleep well.  Place this under the dish.  I like to read it out loud three times too, just so the universe/ goddess/ divine knows for sure 🙂
• Now I light the candle and watch it burn down.  And so it is.

It is good form with any kind of spell work to ask first.  When I was in the church I would always ask before I prayed for someone, it avoids the risk of interfering with their free will (of course, there will always be exceptions, but that’s not today’s post).

For a basic candle spell you will need:

• A candle
• Matches
• A bent paperclip
• Paper and a  pen

You might want to choose some basil or olive oil or cinnamon from your cupboards if you have them.  See how you feel, listen to the nudges and prompts from your spirit, your intuition, for what you  need…

Now. Go make some magic, if you’d like to come and share your pictures and explorations on the Facebook page.