Making your own candles gives you control over the scents, color and other additions you would like, so that they can align with your intentions.
You will need:
Thick cotton string for the wick
Wooden skewer
Candle wax (Beeswax and soy wax are best)
Wax crayon (optional, for color)
Essential oils
Botanicals and gemstones (optional)
Candle mould, glass jar or tin
Thermometer
Tie the wick to the skewer and hang it from the top of the mould or container.
Heat the wax and crayon in a double boiler, stir very gently if you need to.
Once melted, allow the wax to cool to:
Parafin wax: 88°C / 190°F
Beeswax: 74°C / 170°F
Soy wax: 55°C / 130 °F
Once the wax has cooled you can mix in your essential oils - certain essential oils evaporate when heated so won’t work in candles.
Lavender, anise, peppermint, yang ylang, patchouli, cedarwood, clary sage, lemongrass and cinnamon are all good choices.
Add your botanicals to the mould. For jars you can arrange them around the sides, or add them in layers between the wax.
Pour the wax into the container. It will shrink when it cools, so top up with more wax until it is full.
Dried botanicals cause these candles to burn brighter and smoke at times, so always use them in a fireproof container in a well-ventilated area, and don’t leave them unattended.
If you don’t have a candle mould you can make one using a tube of stiff paper and a large washer:
Pull the wick through the washer and knot and glue it at the bottom.
Roll the stiff paper into a tube and tape it together.
Glue the roll to the washer with a glue gun, and reinforce with masking tape.
Set it in a bowl of sand to keep it upright
Pour a small amount of wax first to ensure there are no leaks before pouring the rest.
Candle Magic
Candle magic is one of the simplest and most effective ways to focus your intent and empower yourself to make changes in your life.
Candle magic makes use of correspondences such as color and herbs, charged by the power of the candle flame, to energize your intent and bring about the shifts in your unconscious mind and the energies around you which will allow you to manifest what you seek.
The first step is to get clear on your intent. Make it as focused and direct as you can, using positive wording and avoiding ambiguity. Then choose a candle in a relevant color.
To get you started, here is some basic color symbolism:
White: new beginnings, clarity, purification. Can also be charged for any intent.
Red: power, passion, initiative, courage, strength
Orange: confidence, independence, creativity
Yellow: learning and study, communication, intelligence
Green: love, relationships, abundance including money
Blue: peace, harmony, career
Violet or indigo: spiritual practice, psychic awareness, wisdom
Pink: reconciliation, self love, friendship, healing
Brown: home, work, practical matters
Black: removing negativity, banishing, releasing
Other factors to consider when choosing your candle are size and shape – do you want something that will burn down and release your magic quickly, or a slower burn which will help you with longer term magic? The more “layers” you can add to your magic, the more effective it will be. As well as your chosen color, you can carve your candle with words or symbols linked to your intent.
You can also anoint the candle with oil or herbs. If you are using essential oils, dilute them first in a carrier oil or you can use herbal infused oils. To anoint your candle, simply rub in a little oil in a spiral motion. If your intent is to attract something to you, starting at the centre and working your way up to the top, then from the centre to the bottom works best. If you want to banish or release an energy, start at the top and work to the centre, then from the bottom into the centre. And if all that's too complicated, then working from the top to the bottom is just fine! As you gently rub in your oil, focus on your intent and visualize it filling your candle.
If you want to add herbs to your candle, make sure that they are finely ground and then either sprinkle them on or roll your candle in them (or create your own home made ritual candles).
Before lighting your candle, make sure that you have a holder to keep it safe and that the area is free of anything flammable (including long hair or loose clothes!). As you light your candle, focus again on your intent. Allow your candle to burn, focusing on your intent by meditating or simply daydreaming about it. Allow the candle to burn right down to release the full force of your magic.
Never leave a burning candle unattended, so if you can't do this in one sitting, you can burn down a little each day, perhaps in alignment with the phases of the moon, until the candle is gone and the magic is complete.