CANDLE MAKING

If you do not make your own candles, you can purchase them from normal retail outlets, though most arts and crafts stores will have many candles of more artistic designs and unusual shapes, such as roses, crucifixes, figures, embossed candles, etc., many of which you can utilize for your purpose. The most important consideration is undoubtedly color, as will be shown later, though the most useful color of all may prove to be white. As a later section will show, you can even color white candles to suit your requirements. There was a time when I would have strongly advised you against using candles of animal fat. Though the admonition still holds good, it is not necessary today as most candles are made of paraffin wax, vegetable oils, or beeswax. You can, therefore, buy from those generally available with confidence.

The actual size is a matter of personal choice, though in general a five- or seven-inch candle is the most practical for candle work. The candles used are divided into three main groups:

Altar Candles

Altar Candles (A/Cs) are the candles placed at the rear of the altar. Two candles are usually used and this is my personal preference, but you can use a single candle if you wish, placed at the rear of your altar in the centre. Altar Candles should always be white. Buy the tallest and most beautiful you can afford. If you can obtain and afford them, use beeswax candles, as they represent the deity or God (whatever your religion or religious philosophy) and the spiritual kingdom, which is the realm you are trying to contact and forge a link with, the Altar Candles serving as your 'bridge' with that kingdom. Occasionally you may find it said that Altar Candles are not really necessary and can be omitted, but their removal breaks the pattern of three, Altar Candles, Zodiac Candles, and Offertory Candles, the ubiquitous but sacred 'trinity' of most religions, and thus reduces it to a pattern of two and 'duality.' On the earth plane, duality is frequently the cause of many of our conflicts and troubles and is often the reason for the ritual in the first place. The Altar Candles should literally dominate the altar even when the candles are burning low. They are, more often than not, the first to be lit and the last to be extinguished for 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.'

Zodiac Candles

The Zodiac Candles (Z/Cs), sometimes called Astral Candles, nearly always represent the people involved in the ritual according to their birth sign (which is why I prefer the term Zodiac Candle to Astral) — consult the Tables at the end of the book for this. Zodiac Candles are used to represent the petitioner, the person or persons for whom you may be performing the ritual, people you may wish to influence, or those people who are helping, obstructing, or 'crossing' the situation for which the ritual is being performed. If you do not know that person's birth sign, use a white or yellow candle; alternatively you can use an exhausted ballpoint pen to scratch the person's name in the wax of the candle.

The white candle, regarded as neutral, is an obvious choice for an unknown person or factor. The yellow alternative sometimes perplexes students, yet the reason is relatively simple. Yellow represents the planet Mercury (a greatly misunderstood planet), and the Archangel Raphael, the 'Messenger of the Gods.' He pervades all planes and, having everyone's 'ear,' relays messages or information to where it should go if you are in any doubt. In his positive aspect, he is neutral and his force acts like 'quicksilver' (a 'shape-changer'), which is his metal. He is thus well suited to this purpose and is usually deemed helpful.

Offertory Candles

Finally, we come to the Offertory Candles (O/Cs), which represent the active principle in any situation — the forces at work, for good or ill, that you are trying to manipulate one way or the other. This is shown in the choice of color and in the positions of these candles on the altar. If they are between the petitioner and the petitioned, they may be obstructing the petitioner. If they are between the petitioner and an evil, obstructive force or person, they may well be defending him, as will be shown later. These two latter sets of candles, the Zodiac and Offertory Candles, work on the front section of the altar in front of the Altar Candles, which, for the most part, remain stationary at the rear. The form of the ritual dictates the positions and movement of these candles, which will also be explained later.

Candle Making

Early schools of occultism were adamant that the magician/occultist should try to make everything he was going to use, and there was sound reasoning for this, for by making everything yourself you are giving of your time, and your time is your life. Further, in creating these artifacts, it is necessary to concentrate, in all the stages of their manufacture, on the purpose behind their use. Your equipment becomes 'impregnated' or 'charged' with your personal vibrations or thought forms, which, after anointment or consecration to the force or power behind their intended use, remain personal both to that force or power and to you. Traditionally, this is why these items were not publically displayed or permitted to be touched or used by anyone else. Often they were hidden away in a safe place to prevent anyone else from handling them even inadvertently and thus contaminating them or even destroying their power.

The basic materials are as follows:

Paraffin Wax

Waxes have varying degrees of melting and working temperatures. The most useful and frequently used has a melting point of 133° – 136° F (56° – 58° C).

Stearin

This is a general name for three glycerids, formed by a combination of stearic acid and glycerine, applied chiefly to tristerin, which is the chief constituent of tallow. It is a non-toxic, non-corrosive, white, flaky substance. Stearin makes the candles opaque and the percentage (a ratio of ten percent added to the wax) usually causes the mixture to shrink a little, thus allowing the candle to be extracted from the mold more easily. Wax can be purchased with the stearin already added in the correct proportions. It should be added to, and mixed in, dissolved candle dyes before the dye is added to the wax. This helps by giving better dispersion in the wax.

Wicks (Various Sizes)

The correct choice of wick is most important and must be the right type and size for the candle according to its height and girth. If the wick is too small, it will be swamped by an excess of molten wax and may go out. Too large a wick will have insufficient fuel, and if it does not go out, may burn with a very smoky flame. Often a wick slightly smaller than required is used so that the candle will burn with a hollow centre. This can be very effective in square candles, as symbols can be put on the sides, which is most impressive as the candle burns down. This type of candle makes a very potent 'magical night-light' during hours of darkness, or in times of stress and perplexity. Making sure the wick, trimmed to about a quarter of an inch, is central in the candle is most important. Keep the wick trimmed while burning and the burning area clean. You can make your own wicks of bleached and stranded cotton soaked in boracic acid. They are, however, probably best purchased from a supplier, because you will have the benefit of advice as to the most suitable type and size of wick for your purpose.

Thermometer

A good thermometer is most important, so avoid buying cheap ones. It should have a range of up to 400° F (204° C). Do not use a medical or room thermometer as these will simply shatter. Never attempt to pick off wax from the glass, but melt it first in hot water and wipe clean.

Wax Dyes

Add a very small amount of dye to the wax at first. Remember that you can always add dye more easily than take it away. Too much dye and the candle will not be translucent. Candle dyes will stain everything in sight, especially the hands, so take great care.

Perfumes

These are oil-soluble perfumes, not spirit. Use them very sparingly until you find the strength you like. This is a matter of personal choice and cannot be specified by anyone else.

Beeswax Sheets

This is usually bought in sheets, which are made pliable by using them in a warm room. Wrapped (by rolling) around a wick of appropriate size to the candle, some 'shaping' is possible. Even unlit, these candles will gently perfume the air.

Utensils

Various pans may be used according to needs. A double- boiler is very useful. If you heat your wax over an open flame, use an asbestos mat for safety at all times.

Molds

There are many excellent molds on the market, available from arts and crafts stores specializing in candle supplies and materials. Improvisation, however, should be your keynote. The improvisation that can be utilized in candle molds is endless. Clay, tin-foil, pots, kitchen containers, and many other ordinary things should now be looked upon as potential molds before they are thrown away. The mold must be leakproof, and obviously you must be able to separate the mold from the candle. You will find that many items can be carefully cut in half (especially plastic containers) and rejoined with strong adhesive tape to make them leakproof. The mold can then be taken apart to get the candle out when set, and any 'join marks' on the candle taken away with a sharp knife, or a warm blade.

Wicks can be inserted afterwards. Insert a skewer or long needle while the wax is still soft, pulling the wick through the candle, and then top off with hot wax to secure. Alternatively, a hand drill can be used when the candle has set. Use a thin drill, which will have to be longer than the candle, unless you drill from both ends so as to meet in the middle. Insert your wick as before and fill up the hole with wax.

Dips

The oldest method of making candles is dipping. This has several advantages for the beginner, since neither pouring techniques nor molds are required here. Decide on the length of your candle and cut your wick accordingly, with some to spare. Use a container for the melted wax longer than the proposed candle. Tie the piece of cut wick to a stick as a handle and dip in the wax, which should have been heated to 180° – 185° F (82° – 85° C), then remove it and after about thirty seconds (by which time it should be set) repeat the whole thing. Repeat this until you have the thickness of candle you require. With a receptacle of adequate size and sufficient wax, you can hang several wicks on your stick and make several candles at the same time.

Dip-Coated Candles

You can coat white candles with colored wax, a method which can prove economical. I use two methods to coat white candles with color. The first is the usual 'dip-coating' method; the second I refer to as 'drip-coating.' Let us take a look at the dip coating method first. This, as the name implies, consists of dipping white candles in colored wax in the manner described above. The preparation is, however, a little different. On hot water, float a layer of molten wax of the color you require (temperatures as given above). Make this colored layer between two and three inches thick, but not less than two inches. You will need a container that will take the length of the candle plus the depth of the colored wax, and enough space to take both the displaced hot water and colored wax when the candle is being dipped. The candle is dipped in the same manner as above, but this time, as it is pulled out, it becomes coated with a layer of the floating, colored wax. As with the previous method, you repeat the dipping until you acquire the depth of color you want. Keeping the temperature correct is most essential, and poor results will show you when this is not so. If it is too hot you will pick up little or none of the colored wax; if too cool, the colored coating will peel or flake.

Drip-Coated Candles

I must confess that I devised and experimented with this method purely as an economy measure. One colored candle will drip-coat about twelve white candles, depending on the depth of color required. With this method, as you will see later, you have one advantage in that you can place several colors on the same candle if you wish. You will soon get the knack of putting the wax in the right place. Let us say that you wanted to make a 'Money Candle.' This is made up with a white candle as a base, with the color purple, of the planet Jupiter (for money), and yellow, which is one of the colors of the Sun (representing gold: sovereigns, etc.). To this you can add green (symbolizing Venus in Taurus for 'growth'). For stability in an affair of the heart, marriage, or a partnership, you could start by placing the dark green of the planet Saturn (positive aspect) to give stability, wisdom, and a firm foundation, and add the rose-pink of Venus in Libra representing marriage, partnership, sociability, love, and companionship, so that the Libran 'scales' (of the natural seventh house) are balanced and stable. Endless possibilities lie in simply combining the information found throughout this book.

As the name implies, this method consists of dripping colored wax onto a white candle. Start by laying several layers of newspapers on the table. You can hold your white candle by its wick, resting the base on the paper. Light a candle (or any small ends — any color) in a holder or ashtray to light your colored ones from, especially if you intend to use several colors. Drip the molten wax from the colored candle onto the white. The angle at which you hold the white candle determines whether the colored wax sets into short or long runs. Any run or interesting shape can be set by gently blowing on it. You can put a quick foundation layer of color on by turning the white candle as you drip on the color, any spaces left being filled in as the candle turns. Keep doing this until you cover the white candle to the depth of color required. This method furnishes candles of interesting textures, and no two will be exactly alike. If you want to cover the entire candle with color right up to the wick, you can 'set' it quickly by putting it in the refrigerator for a while; then hold the base and drip the colored wax around the white remaining at the wick. Often I leave the curved part of the candle, around the wick, white. Burning first, this represents the Deity, like your Altar Candles, and the positive White Force you are invoking. Let me give another example. I call this an 'Angelic' or 'Planetary Candle' as it is coated with seven bands of color, one for each day of the week and the angel that rules it.

First divide your candle into seven equal sections. The order of the colors is (from the wick to the base): Sunday/orange/Sun; Monday/white/Moon; Tuesday/red/Mars; Wednesday/yellow/Mercury; Thursday/purple/Jupiter; Friday/rose-pink or blue/Venus; Saturday/dark green/Saturn. This order assumes that you want to start on Sunday; otherwise, simply start with the appropriate day at the top. Practice has taught me that it is simpler to start from the bottom of the candle and work upwards, so that you fill in the bottom band first with dark green, then the next with rose-pink or blue; and so on until the wick is reached, with orange for the Sun. Although the 'base candle' is white, you should still drip white wax into the appropriate band for the Moon/white/Monday, to maintain a consistent texture. You will not find it difficult to drip the wax into place, and if any wax occasionally runs over the next color do not worry. To remove any offending runs (should you wish to), simply let the candle set, nick the offending run with your nail at the point where the color joins and lift it off. You light this candle each day.

In the above example you would start on Sunday, burn only the appropriate section for that day, and extinguish it properly when the candle has burnt down to the next color. Invoke the appropriate angel, which is best done in the correct planetary or angelic hour, and request his protection and blessing for that day. If you cannot manage the correct planetary hour, do it as one of the first acts for that day when it is convenient, before starting the business of the day. This further example serves to show the reasoning behind this method of 'drip coating,' and you should have no trouble in devising your own candles for other specialized uses.