so you want to light a candle with purpose π―οΈ
okay let's talk about candle work because it's genuinely one of the most accessible entry points into witchcraft and also one of the most misunderstood. people either treat it like decoration or they overcomplicate it into something that requires a seventeen-step certification. neither is it.
here's the deal: **candle magic works on sympathetic principles** β the idea that like affects like, and that physical actions done with deliberate intent create a channel for that intent to move outward. the flame is transformation energy. it *literally* converts one state of matter into another. you're not doing a trick. you're doing a metaphor made physical, and metaphors have power when you mean them.
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**π―οΈ the extremely unglamorous materials list**
- one candle (we'll talk color in a sec)
- something to light it with
- a fireproof surface (a plate, a holder, a jar lid β i've used a saucer from a mug, zero shame)
- optional: something to carve with (a toothpick, a bobby pin, a literal nail)
- optional: oil to dress it (olive oil works. i know. i know. it works.)
- optional: herbs
that's it. that's the whole supply list. you do not need the fancy stuff to start.
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**π¨ color as correspondence β the short version**
color correspondences aren't rules handed down from on high, they're a *shared symbolic language* that a lot of practitioners use because it helps the brain get into the right headspace. if a color means something different to you personally, lean into YOUR meaning. but here's the common shorthand:
- **white** β all-purpose, clarity, new beginnings, "i don't have the right color" (yes, white covers everything)
- **black** β protection, banishing, uncrossing, absorbing negative energy (NOT evil, please retire that take)
- **red** β passion, vitality, courage, action
- **pink** β self-love, friendship, gentle healing, warmth
- **green** β abundance, growth, healing, money work
- **blue** β calm, communication, truth, peace
- **yellow/gold** β confidence, intellect, success, solar energy
- **purple** β intuition, psychic work, spiritual connection
- **orange** β creativity, motivation, change
**apartment/closet substitution:** birthday candles are VALID. tea lights are VALID. a white candle you colored with a marker works fine β the intent is in YOU, not the object.
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**β° timing β does it actually matter?**
short answer: it helps, it's not mandatory.
here's the logic. moon phases are another layer of sympathetic correspondence:
- **waxing moon** (new β full): use for drawing things IN β growth, abundance, new starts
- **full moon**: peak energy, amplification, anything you want to really charge up
- **waning moon** (full β new): use for releasing, banishing, letting go
- **new moon**: deep rest, shadow work, planting seeds that are still secret
day of the week also carries planetary energy if you want to go that deep (monday=moon, tuesday=mars, wednesday=mercury, thursday=jupiter, friday=venus, saturday=saturn, sunday=sun) but honestly? **the best time is when you have privacy and focus.** that beats any calendar alignment.
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**π how to actually do the thing**
1. **cleanse your space** β open a window, burn some rosemary, clap your hands in the corners, put on music that shifts the energy. whatever gets you out of "tuesday afternoon" brain and into "i'm doing something intentional" brain.
2. **hold your candle and set your intent** β not a wish, not a hope. a *clear statement*. "i am calling in opportunities to grow my creative work." "i am releasing the anxiety that keeps me from speaking up." be specific. vague input = vague output.
3. **carve if you want** β a word, a symbol, your name, a sigil. this is you writing your intent into the object.
4. **dress it with oil if you want** β rub oil onto the candle (for drawing things in: base to tip; for pushing things away: tip to base). as you do this, you're basically charging the candle like a battery with your intent.
5. **add herbs if you want** β roll a lightly oiled candle in dried herbs, or sprinkle them on the plate around the base. lavender for calm, rosemary for protection and clarity, basil for abundance, cinnamon for speed and success.
6. **light it with intention** β say something. out loud if you can, in your head if you must. something like: *"as this flame burns, [intent] comes to pass."*
7. **let it burn** β ideally in one sitting. if you have to extinguish it, use a candle snuffer or your fingers (yes, really β gently, quickly), not breath. breath disperses the energy. re-light it when you can continue.
8. **close it out** β when it's done burning, thank the energy you called in. ground yourself (eat something, touch the floor, shake it out). you're not a wi-fi router, you can't just leave the signal open.
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**ποΈ disposal β the step nobody talks about**
how you dispose of remains matters because you're symbolically completing the working.
- **for drawing-in workings:** keep the remnants (wax, herbs) in a small pouch or bury them on your property to keep the energy close
- **for releasing/banishing workings:** take the remnants OFF your property β trash at a crossroads, bury away from your home, toss in moving water (biodegradable materials only pls, we love the earth)
- **for healing or protection:** bury near your door or windowsill
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**π the apartment-safe version of all of this**
- use tea lights in a glass holder on a plate on your stove (ventilation + fireproof surface)
- do your work, then run the exhaust fan
- if you can't burn anything: a LED candle with your intent written on paper underneath it is a valid workaround. the light is still transformation, the intent is still real
- if your building has no outdoor space: a sealed jar with the remnants is fine until you can take it somewhere
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**π a note on love spells and consent**
fuhnke is explicitly not going there with you. love spells targeting a specific person without their knowledge are coercive magic β you're attempting to override their will. we don't do that here.
what we WILL support: self-love work, opening yourself to love, healing after a relationship ends, releasing attachment. all of that is yours to do. targeting another person's choices is not.
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**β got questions?** drop them in the replies. no dumb questions. this is a no-gatekeeping zone and the only requirement for doing this correctly is genuine intent and not burning your house down.
you've got this π―οΈβ¨
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