Sandra Mariah Wright - Lighting the Wick: An Intuitive Guide to the Ancient Art and Modern Magic of Candles

Is there something I can do to protect myself and loved ones?

Ive been so stressed lately, and my relationship is falling apart. How do I fix it?

My friend is sick, and Im afraid she has the virus. What can I do to help her?

Whats happening in the world makes me feel so powerless. Is there any kind of spell I can do?

We are professional psychics based in Salem, Massachusetts, and these and many more questions occupy the minds of our clients. Operating three popular occult shops during a pandemic and widespread civil unrest, we connected every day with people who desperately wanted to help, to do something. The concerns our clients shareand the items visitors to our stores continue to purchasehave given us a window into the ways they are hoping to heal, to protect, to secure steady income, and to find peace and happiness again. This book is our chance to reach even more people and give them resources they can work with.

So who are we?

I found my way to Witchcraft at a young age; growing up in the Witch city of Salem made it easier. I was raised Catholic, and my favorite religious experience was midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Holding the white taper candle in the hush of the dark church, singing my heart out as the frankincense swirled around meits no wonder I became a Witch!

I began practicing Witchcraft when I was still in junior high school. Laurie Cabot had a shop on Essex Street in Salem, and I remember purchasing the components for my first spell there. Of course, it had to do with a boy. From that first time placing dried herbs and stones into a brightly colored pouch and lighting a candle inscribed with a heart, I began to believe that not only could I look into the future, I could change it. Unbeknownst to me, I would come to counsel hundreds of people about their relationships in the years ahead.

In March 2020, I found myself anointing and lighting candles every single morning and evening: one for loved ones who had fallen ill with COVID-19, and one to protect people from the virus. One to help people with the financial distress that came along with the virus, and one to help those who were searching for a vaccine. One for those on the front lines: to guard them, support them, and give them the strength to continue to fight the biggest battle of their lives. The folks who knew I was lighting candles for them felt better, and it made me feel better, too. It made me feel a little less powerless against the invisible enemy that was ravaging life as we knew it.

During the shutdown, Leanne and I began hosting a Zoom meeting to start the day, open to anyone who wanted to learn more about the Craft of the Wise. Guided meditations, Tarot and oracle card pulls, and information about crystals and herbs filled our mornings. We each dove deeper into our personal practice and our love of Witchcraft, and we were happy to share it with others of like mind. At a time when we were all isolated out of necessity, we were doing what we have always done best: bringing people together and bringing the magic.