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Carving and Dressing Candles
As a candle is a tool, it is preferable to consecrate it as such. You can do a simple little ritual of your own or within your particular tradition of the craft. The purpose is to charge the candle with power, and charge and seal the magical tool with your will. If you are going to "dress" the candle with corresponding oils, you can consecrate, dress, charge and carve your candle all within the same steps. It's not simply enough to mindlessly say the words; you need to really focus on your goal mentally. Intent is always of utmost importance. If you are a solitary practitioner, feel free to individualize the consecration and dressing phase of charging your candles. If like me, you have a dish of salt, water, and smoldering incense on the altar at all times, you can use these elements to cleanse the candle and charge it.
One important word about carving on candles, some sources suggest that you can heat the tip of your athame to carve the wax. I disagree, and would suggest sharp small easy to handle pushpin tacks, or a long nail are better choices for this than a beloved ritual tool! It is easier to carve if you heat the tool you are using in a flame, but be careful of burns!
For anointing, the proper way to dress a candle is to start at the middle (center) and rub the oil towards the wick, then to start at the middle and rub the oil down towards the base. My only contention with this well known method of candle "dressing" is to first of THINK of the energy. In most cases, this is indeed the correct way to dress a candle. Most of us are intending to send energy OUT like a beacon to someone in need of a healing, banishing, or attraction to someone or something who is yet unknown to us. However, in my own practice with money candles, my intent is to draw more of that energy IN. When I mentally visualize what I want to do with a candle, I have at times switched the process around and started at the wick, drawing the oil to the middle of the candle and then going to the bottom and anointing from the bottom to the middle. While this is my own particular practice and my own particular style, I believe it's important to know mentally what you are hoping to accomplish with the will and intent...do you want that energy sent out, or do you want to bring something in? It's a logical question, and quite often when candle magick I have energy drawing in on one set of candles and energy going out with another set of candles. For me, it's a system of balance. I usually oil the candle all around the sides with either the "OUT" or the "IN" method of candle anointing.
Timing
Much has been made of the astrological influences of candle magick and spellwork. Ideally, I personally consider the moon phase to be the most important.
NEW MOON - If the goal you desire is one of a new beginning or a "start", the best time to do this is during a New Moon (this is when the moon is dark in the sky) While many do not like to work with a New Moon, I have come to discover it's one of my favorite times to work. This is the time I can to tie up loose ends, smudge the house, seal and protect. This is also a great moon to work with when you need to retreat a little bit and revive yourself. As it is the moon of "hidden knowledge" this would be an opportune time to try to ferret out information that you feel you need to know. Although the darkness in the sky is startling during a new moon, it is often associated with dormancy. We know the moon is still there, even though her reflection may be hidden. I prefer to think often of some of the darker sides of the Goddess or the darker Goddesses themselves.
WAXING MOON: While the moon is slowly filling in from a crescent on it's way to full is the best time for work that "increases". I find this an excellent time to do financial, job, attraction or anything else that needs "increasing" in volume or intensity.
FULL MOON: The full beauty of a full moon night is enough to make you gasp. Ideally, this is the time for things to come to full fruition, especially if you have been working on candle craft goal to coincide from the waxing moon into the full moon. I like to think that the Goddess can hear you better on a full moon, but seriously, whether culminating an "increase" to end on the full moon, or starting a "decrease" to begin on the full moon to decline on the course of a waning moon, the full moon has an advantage because it seems like our invocations and focus are all in high gear.
WANING MOON: When the moon is slowly crescenting bit by bit into the new moon, this is an excellent time to work on banishings or getting things out of your life that you need let go of and leave behind. Again, if it's taking you longer to let go of things or get rid of situations in your life that have outlived their usefulness, you can always gear your candle working to culminate on the New Moon.
Often, a situation might arise which must be dealt with immediately, and cannot wait until the appropriate lunar phase. Listen to your guy instinct, and act when you must. Of course, there are always "ideal" times to light a candle. In fact, if we were to get really obsessive about perfect timing, we could consider the appropriate positioning of astrological elements, days, hours, months, and corresponding archangels to help us along. Let's face it, it's struggle enough to keep track of corresponding colors and oils to meet with our end goals!
Naturally one should rely on one's own instincts as to which color of a candle would work the best purpose for a healing, or a sabbat. We can sometimes associate what is best for "fertility" or "money" simply by visualizing the green of a field or cash and associating that with the color of a candle. There are ancient ties with candles and scientific methods too. Within the color spectrum there are seven primary wavelengths or vibrations. Ceremonial Magicians have even ascribed colors to the Kabbalah. Without overwhelming yourself on technicalities of color, you can always make exceptions or go with what feels best. If you have a friend who's going through a tough time and pale blue does NOT feel like the right color to use, why not send healing energy with an orange candle to give her the zing and zest (and not to mention the strength) to handle whatever she may be dealing with?
One of my favorite candles to make is one that I call "Justice". The inspiration for that candle came from watching a woman judge on television. I loved her no nonsense approach to the riff raff that came before her bench. Wouldn't it be great, I thought, if I could create a candle that would push justice along? It was my way of focusing on letting the gods sort out whatever cluster of mess was coming across my path. Funny thing about that candle is that I was willing to own up to my own actions and take on the self responsibility for my part in the mess, but in real life, just because "you" may be paying attention, doesn't mean other people are. There was no color correspondence in anything I ever came across for "Justice" , but in my visualization the color black seemed most approachable. It was comparable to a judicial robe, and I also felt strongly that it banished negativity and protected. So black candles became my own very own "Justice" candles.
The most important point in selecting a colored candle is to find one that relates to your own path, your own tradition and most importantly, to your "will" and "intent."
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