Cleansing & Consecrating
This is a very important step and should not be omitted. Cleansing removes all the negative energies that the candle has picked up along the way. As with all supplies you want your candles to to be as free of psychic debris as possible. Emerse the candle in sea salt, leave it for as long as you feel it needs to be clean…I usually roll it around in the salt for at least 20 minutes but I would rather leave it for longer. Next you can either consecrate it with words asking the Lord and Lady to bless it and empower it for your intentor you can charge it by the moons rays and ask The Lord and Lady to bless it.
I cleanse and consecrate this candle in the name of the Lord and the Lady. May it burn with strength in the service of the light.
Dressing Candles
Once you have purchased or made your ritual candle it has to be oiled or “dressed” before burning. The purpose of dressing the candle is to establish a psychic link between it and the magician through a primal sensory experience. By physically touching the candle during the dressing procedure, you are charging it with our own personal vibrations and also concentrating the desire of your magickal act into the wax. The candle is becoming an extension of the witch’s mental power and life energy
Then you dress a candle for magickal use, imagine that it is a psychic magnet with a North and a South pole. Rub the oil into the candle beginning at the top or North end and work down-wards to the half-way point. Always brush in the same direction down-wards. This process is then repeated by beginning at the bottom or south end and working up to the middle.
The best type of oils to use for dressing candles are natural ones which can be obtained quite easily. Some occult suppliers will provide candle magic oils with exotic names. If the magician does not want to use these, they can select suitable oils or perfumes from their own sources. The oil soluble perfumes sold by craft shops for inclusion in candles can be used.
Dressing the candle with oil is as important as any other step. Use whatever oil you prefer or what a specific spell asks you to use. What is important is the direction you dress the candle. To bring something to you, rub oil on the candle in a downward motion from the top to the middle and then from the bottom to the middle.
To send something away from you…you rub the oil from the middle of the candle out to the ends. Never make a back and forth motion as this defeats the purpose. Dab the remaining oil from your fingers onto your third eye and on your breast bone.
Inscribing
If you inscribe a candle you should use your Bolline or you could use an unused blessed cocktail stick. The same principle as dressing the candle is used…
To draw something to you, write from the top to the middle, and then from the bottom to the middle.
To repel things, write from the middle to the ends.
You could inscribe it with the name of the person you are trying to help, planetary symbols, runes and other words of power or diety names.
The candle is now ready to be used in spell work.
If you are not going to use this candle straight away wrap it in wax paper or a plastic sealed bag so it does not become contaminated once again.
The use of differently coloured candles symbolizes the nature of intent and ultimately the outcome of a particular spell. Coloured candles are therefore used to pinpoint our focus on a particular deity or planetary association. We need to understand the colour properties and other associations of candles to make magick work.
