Ember Grant - Magical Candle Crafting

About the Author

Ember Grant has been practicing the Craft for over ten years. Since 2003, she has been contributing to Llewellyns Witches Calendar , Llewellyns Spell-A-Day Almanac , and Llewellyns Magical Almana c, and has published articles in PanGaia , newWitch , and Circle Magazine. A poet and photographer as well, Embers work explores nature, spirituality, folklore, and mythology. She lives in Missouri. Visit her online at EmberGrant.com.

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Magical Candle Crafting: Create Your Own Candles for Spells & Rituals 2011 by Ember Grant.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means.

Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the authors copyright and is illegal and punishable by law.

First e-book edition 2011

E-book ISBN: 9780738728254

Cover design by Kevin R. Brown

Cover images: flower petals and spices PhotoDisc; herbs Digital Stock

Interior illustrations by Llewellyn Art Department

Editing by Nicole Edman

Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Llewellyn Publications does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business arrangements between our authors and the public.

Any Internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue or be maintained. Please refer to the publishers website for links to current author websites.

Note: The techniques described in this book involve some elements that may pose safety risks, including stoves, hot water, and heated wax. Please proceed with caution and common sense. If necessary, seek assistance. The publisher is not liable for any harm incurred while engaging in candle making.

Llewellyn Publications

Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

2143 Wooddale Drive

Woodbury, MN 55125

www.llewellyn.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

Contents

How to Make Candles

Making Magic

Candle Spell Ingredients

Timing: When to Create and Use Your Magical Candles

Elemental Candles

Sabbat Candles

Celestial Candles

Spell Candles

Candles for Mood and Well-Being

Decoration and Design

You Are the Magic: Defining Your Personal Practice

: Correspondences

: Basic Circle-Casting Outline

of Terms

Sources and

For Ellen
Without your encouragement, this book would remain unwritten.

Introduction

No facts are to me sacred; none are profane;
I simply experiment, an endless seeker.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Consider everything that was made possible by the discovery of firecooking, warmth, lightand how that discovery has progressed over time to change our lives. Fire is sacred to us, though we most likely take it for granted in the modern world we live in. I invite you to return to honoring a sacred flamethe fire of the home, of life, of spirituality. Candles can be used to celebrate every aspect of our lives and to enrich our world with magic. T hey offer us just enough light to see yet still maintain the mystery of darknessa soft, gentle glow that can be both comforting and powerful.

The goal of this book is to help you create your own candles for magical use, candles infused with your personal energy and intent. In addition, you will learn how to recycle used wax, which is more economical and environmentally friendly than buying new candles. Once youve had some practice with these recipes and spells, youll be able to create your own votive candles and truly personalize your candle magic. I think youll find that the personal touch makes all the difference.

What Is Magic?

Magic is a word that carries a lot of weight and often a lot of excess baggage. Its definition changes throughout time and across cultures, giving it a vast spectrum of meanings. For the purpose of this book, magic is the craft practiced by W iccans, modern W itches, and those following other Neo-Pagan spiritual paths, as well as some New A ge practitioners. A nd even among these people there are undoubtedly many different ideas about what magic is.

One definition of magic is that its a way of focusing the mind to bring about change. For others, its about transcending to another way of seeing and experiencing the world. Magic can also be a way to engage ones imagination with a personal set of beliefs in order to fully experience the extraordinary and beautiful mysteries of life.

So then, you might ask, is magic spiritual? It can be. Many feel that spells are something akin to prayer, although instead of simply asking deity for help, the practitioner is taking a more active role. I believe spells can involve requesting the assistance of both deity without and deity withinthe divine spirits you choose to honor as well as the divine spirit inside you. Y ou are acknowledging your connection with the world around you. A ll nature is sacred and filled with the divine spark of energy, of life. T he energy of the universe is divine, and you are part of that energy. Magic taps into this power. Magic, wishes, spells, and prayers basically work along the same principles. W hen most people pray, theyre asking an outside deity for guidance. W ith magic, you call upon the inner deity as well. W e are all spiritual beings, and we all have power. Believing is the first step. If you think your magic will fail, then it will. Faith is at the root of real magic.

Now, more than ever, people are exploring alternate spiritual paths, combining Eastern and W estern traditions into an eclectic blend of personal preferences. Just look at the New A ge, Metaphysical, and Occult sections of the local bookstore. T wenty years ago, even though those beliefs were present, the materials were not nearly as accessible. A nd the Internet has brought information to seekers as never before. If it all seems more prevalent now, perhaps its because the more we advance technologically, the more we crave some basic, imaginative connection and experience. But remember, dabbling shallowly in a large pool is ultimately not as satisfying as finding depth in a few places. I urge you to explore all those areas that interest you, then take on serious study in the subjects that speak to you most sincerely.

Even though this book has been written with modern W itches, W iccans, and Neo-Pagans in mind, anyone of any spiritual path can create magic. If the word magic doesnt appeal to you, think of it as prayer or positive affirmation. Before reading this book, you may have considered magic the stuff of fairy tales. I hope that after you have had success with the spells included here, youll see magic in a new light.