empresslove
How does it work?
Hi,
Are you talking about using candles for love spells/love magic?
There is a thread about candle magic here.
Many of the posts mention scrying, but if you read through it, I think you
will find some of the information you're looking for.
And there is another thread here. It is about using candles for healing purposes, but
you could use the same principles for love magic.
Candles are actually very common in all ways of life for magic and spiritual blessings. This is even one major item not 'banned' and widely used by the Catholic church. Candles are also very common in every home and as I read once before, the 'first' magic most likely ever practiced by all human beings!
After all, from your first birthday on, you have a candle on your cake to celebrate and make a wish, and you--with help from your loved ones--blow the candle(s) out!
I believe most Churches, and know for sure that the Catholic Church, begins it ceremonies by lighting candles on their altar.
It is also a good house blessing, to gift the new home owners/renters a single white candle to light in their home for a blessing of warmth and happiness for the family there. Candles were also lit in the windows to announce good news and to ensure the safe return of a family member who wasn't at home.
Candles have been used since Colonial times to light the way for people to home/security and as a message to weary travelers that they were welcome within that home.
They are used for many things--love issues, health issues, blessings, etc.
Here is a great site re: the true history of candle magic and it gives recipes and all for spells to use with candles.
http://paganpath.com/study/library/formulary
you can also google for specific colors that are used for specific reasons in candle magic. Sometimes the color of the candle is very important for a specific spell.
I have some books on candle magic, but I rarely perform candle magic anymore. Just never think of it tbh. Just be careful with the burning of a candle, and never leave a burning candle if you are not close by, obviously!
eta: OOPS! Didn't exactly answer your question, did I? I think the intentions you state as you light the candle is important and the flame is the carrier of your intention to the Universe/God/Goddess.
My family for generations have always burned a new bayberry candle to its end on Dec. 24, to ensure a happy Christmas and again on Dec. 31 to ensure a good new year to the family. You would have to have a new candle and burn it out completely to be sure to receive the blessings. However, it would have to be burned so that it starts on the days I mentioned and then burns out the following day. So, we'd light the candle on the 24s and it would still be burning into the 25th and again on the 31st and into Jan. 01. Otherwise the blessing won't work. So, mom would always put the burning candle in the bathtub, with a small amount of water in the tub to put out the flame IF the candle was to fall over. I remember one time, it did fall over, and she forgot to put water into the tub. We had a beautiful trail of bayberry wax going all the way down the drain! My father was so angry about it, however, mom picked at the wax and was able to bring the whole piece back up through the drain w/o breaking it.
First blessing to the household that year!