Tools of the Trade: Candles

Candles are one of my favorite and I think easiest of the tools there is. I mean…come on…it’s a candle. With everything I know caution needs to be used and it’s all based on intent. I had a friend ask me for some advice on a money spell this week and immediately I said a green candle…but I did tell her that white will substitute for any of the colors if needed. Now witch or not I have always had candles around my house/apartment/room. I love candles. I always have.

There are a few different schools of thought as far as extinguishing them. Some say that you shouldn’t “blow” a candle out because it offends the spirits. That you should use a snuffer. Others think it’s fine to just blow a candle out. It’s really a personal preference. Sometimes I blow them out…sometimes I don’t…depends on how the room “feels” at the moment.

One thing I’m learning as with everything else is it’s all in your intent. Another thing I learned is black candles don’t exactly mean bad spells. I’ve used black candles to cast a spell to suck the negativity out of the house. (And with my ex husband. OMG was there negativity in that house. I don’t think a witch jar could even help with that much negativity.)

Some Color symbolisms and associations:

White: Spiritual truth and strength; breaking of curses; meditation; household purification.

Yellow: Persuasion; confidence and charm; aid to memory and studying; Virgo; Gemini.

Green: Healing; money and prosperity; luck; fertility; Sagittarius.

Pink: Love and friendship; entertaining; morality; overcoming evil; Cancer.

Red: Sexuality; strength, physical health and vigor; passion; protection; Scorpio; Aires.

Orange: Courage; solving legal problems; concentration; encouragement; Taurus.

Blue: Psychic and spiritual awareness; peace; prophet dreams; protection during sleep; Aquarius; Virgo.

Purple: Ambition; reversing a curse; speeding healing during illness; extra power; Pisces; Libra.

Brown: Protecting pets; solving household problems; attracting help in financial crisis; Capricorn.

Gold: Intuition; protection; Leo.

Gray: Stalemate; neutrality; cancellation.

Black: Evil; loss; sadness; discord, banishing, banishing negativity

When using candle magick in healing, try to apply similar principles as used in color healing. Used a colored candle that has the curatives traits which meet the needs of the illness. During and after the practice always visualized the afflicted person as completely healed.