Comments on: When Performing A Spell Involving Candles Or Candle Magic?

By: Keltasia

Keltasia — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:02:31 +0000

usually let it burn down… double check the ritual though… (if you’re using your own then try both…)

By: Tamara

Tamara — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:15:02 +0000

That depends on the spell.

By: astarkee

astarkee — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:46:26 +0000

Do not leave a candle burning unattended, it’s dangerous, you can burn your house down.
If you snuff the candle out, use your fingers.

By: harperta

harperta — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:08:01 +0000

I always try to let it burn for as long as possible, but sometimes I have to end up snuffing them out.

By: Delish

Delish — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:35:55 +0000

Depends on what you are doing. If a several day spell, you snuff it out after a specific time each day until the spell is completed. If a ‘one time’ deal, you let it burn down by itself.

By: tomato soup

tomato soup — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:50:27 +0000

It always depends upon the ritual. You have to fully believe in what you are doing and if you ritualize the snuffing of the candle, then it should be ok

By: KdS

KdS — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:24:36 +0000

Generally the candle is burned all the way down.
There are times, however, when this is not safe and snuffing out and relighting at a later time is required.
The important thing to remember is that magic is about intention. It is often less important to follow a prescribed spell to the letter and more important to direct your energy wisely and to set your intention strongly.

By: Al M

Al M — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:13:14 +0000

As I was taught, if it is a multi-day ritual then the candle is snuffed between burnings and relit the next day, and so on until the final day at which point it’s left to burn itself out. Also, if using a so-called Master Candle such as a candle to represent yourself or God or something — basically, a candle that’s apt to be useful as part of all or most spells — then that is often snuffed between uses and reused as needed.
However, I’ve only ever heard of one spell where the candle is not eventually supposed to be allowed to burn down to the base — that being a spell to kill someone, in which the candle is put out prematurely to represent the person’s life being cut short. If you’re casting that spell or another spell where such symbolism is appropriate you could snuff the candle and dispose of it, but for everything else, whether it’s burned in one go or snuffed and relit over the course of several days, it eventually should be allowed to burn all the way down.

By: R o M e O

R o M e O — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:57:14 +0000

Tomato Soup and Delish are right: the main point in magick or spell-casting is intent. What you actually do and say is secondary, really, and only a reflection of what’s going on in the non-physical world (whether you believe that to be on the “astral planes” or in the universe within your head).
An analogy: a cook who follows the instructions in a cookbook to the letter usually produces something edible, but good cooks understand the principles of food preparation and don’t need to look at someone else’s instructions in order to produce a delicious meal. Similarly, following someone else’s instructions to cast a spell might produce some sort of result if you truly believe in it, but you should be aiming to understand the principles so that you can develop your own ritual which will be much more meaningful to you — and thus much more powerful — than anything you read in a book.
If you’re using a candle in a ritual which involves something ending, it would make a lot of sense to incorporate the snuffing out as part of the ritual. If, on the other hand, you’re using a candle to symbolise something that you’re bringing into manifestation and want to continue, then it would make more sense to let it burn until it fades away in it’s own time.
Obviously, you should always make sure that candles or any other naked flames are used in a way that’s totally safe, but there are safe ways of letting a candle burn until it goes out of it’s own accord.