Candles are one of the most popular spiritual tools in use by people of all spiritual traditions.
As long as there has been prayer, candles have been the spark that carries our messages to the divine spirit above.
Candle burning dates back to over 5000 years ago, with the ancient Egyptian being recognized as the first people to use wicked candles.
Candles are a symbol of light & hope; they take our prayers & intentions and can turn them into realizations. Fire itself is a vibrant medium which adds to & enhances the energy of a spell or ritual.
In our next few blogs, we will go over the different types of candles, how they can be used & the properties of different colors & sizes.
Candles come in all sizes & shapes. When doing spiritual workings, they type of candle you would use depends on the type of work being done; general prayer can be done with a plain white candle where a love spell would use red, pink or figure candles.
The first step to take is to figure out what exactly are you trying to accomplish. Once a goal is established, the 2nd step is to get the supplies & candle you will be using.
Commonly used types of Candles
Tea Lights
Typically used with oil burners. These are small, round candles that come in many different colors & styles. These are a favorite to use because they are economical & easy to find.
Chime Candles
This is the size favored by most practitioners of Wicca & pagan traditions. They are small in diameter; typical size is ¼ inch & chime candles usually measure 4- 6 inches high.
“Penny” Candles
½ inch in diameter & usually 4 inches in height, this is the size commonly used in most spiritual rituals. Also known as household candles.
7 Day Candles
These are usually encased in glass, measuring 8 ½ inches high & 2 inches wide. These are one of the most popular style of candles for spiritual workings where you want the candle to burn more than a day or two subsequently. These come in solid colors & also with writing or labels on the glass.
Pull Out Candle
Another popular candle known for its alleged strength in spiritual workings. Pull Out candles are twice the size of 7 Day candles & are in a removable glass container. Pull Out Candles can be taken out of their glass container; people will write or inscribe symbols & words on these candles to help strengthen their work or prayer.
Figure Candles
These are candles that are made in a specific shape. They can be in shapes such as stars, knobs, crosses, people or animals. Figure candles are great for love & money spells.
Some other styles or sizes of candles are Pillar, Tapers & Floating Candles.
Pillar candles are similar to Pull out candles but are meant to stand alone or do not come with a glass container like Pull Outs. They come in a variety of colors, shapes & sizes.
Tapers are long candles that are wider at the bottom and come to a narrower point at the top.These are typically seen in candelabras, churches etc. Good for someone who wants to use a candle that will burn down in one day and is in between a penny candle & 7 Day Candle in size.
Floating Candles are made to float in water or liquid. They also come in different shapes & sizes, with flowers being one of the most popular shapes.Great to use for water & balancing spells.
Another type of “candle” are Floating Wicks, known as Mechitas in Hispanic cultures. This is a candle wick that is made to float in an oil lamp or shallow dish.There are many brands & types of floating wicks, but all are the same in principal.
So now knowing the basic types of candles, now the question is which candle to use. That depends on the few things, but one item to keep in mind is duration. For example, for a busy working person, a 7-day candle might not work the best.
7 day candles ideally should remain lit for the duration of the 7 days. In this particular case, the smaller Penny candles or even tea lights might be a better choice. These candles are convenient & quick to use. They can be lit when someone gets home from work and it will go out in a couple of hours.
If you have a very specific request in mind, perhaps a knob candle or pull out candle might be best. Knob candles are candles that are shaped into segments. One segment is burned every day until the candle is finished. A pull out candle can be marked into segments, burning only one segment a day until the candle is finished.
Visit us next week as we continue to explore the magical realm of candles!
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