Everything Under the Moon

I need to make an altar an I don't have the special candles an such what do I do

Candles

How about we start with clearing up a common misconception?
There is no need for special, specific, ultra-super-magickal tools.
There is no need for tools.
But the use of something just a bit special and different from the mundane, such as tools and ritual garb, are sometimes helpful in transitioning from our mundane lives to the mindset necessary to ritual work.
Our tools are only magickal if we allow them to be.

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You can buy or make any one of these and burn them, but unless you've got the will and intent, they're just wax.

Magick Candle Ritual

• Grab a candle. Any candle will do. Any. Candle. Really. It does not matter. Grab a nice big pillar candle if you've got one. Grab a little birthday candle if that's all you have.

• Get a hold of some oil. Any oil will do. Some people have oil that's been empowered and/or infused with herbs specifically for empowering other ritual tools. It's nice, but not necessary. If you've got a bottle of plain old olive oil, you're good to go.

• Find a nice quite spot to work. Oil can be messy, so you may wish to cover your work area.

• Dress the candle by dipping your fingertips in the oil and gently rubbing the oil onto your candle.

• • Method one: Rub the candle from top to bottom to draw things to you. Rub from bottom to top to push things away from you.

• • Method two: This is similar to method one, but a little more involved. To draw things to you, first rub the oil from the top of the candle to the middle. Then rub from the bottom of the candle toward the middle. To push things away, do the opposite: start from the middle and rub the oil up toward the top, then starting from the middle again, rub the oil toward the bottom.

• As you rub the oil onto your candle, focus on what you will be using the candle for.

• Place the candle in a sturdy holder. Light it while focusing on your goal.

• Meditate on the outcome. For any type of visualization, see things as though they have already come true. For example, if your goal is to get a new car, visualize yourself behind the wheel and taking it for a spin to your favorite destination.

Congratulations! You've just turned an ordinary candle into vehicle through which you can obtain your desires.

Candles can be obtained anywhere. Look for them at your local grocery store, department store, online magick supply shops, and even Ebay and Amazon. They come in a variety of shapes sizes and colors.

Alternatives

• Make your own. I've got a tutorial thread here.

• "Fake" candles. These candles are cheap, often cheaper then their real counterparts. They are battery operated and lit from withing by LED lights. You can find some that are sold with remotes that allow you to change the candle's color. Some have a steady glow, while others flicker to simulate the real deal.

• Pictures. Photographs and magazine clippings can easily be substituted for anything you might not have. You can place the picture on your altar and meditate on it for a few minutes every day. You can also anoint it with oil, dressing it as you would a real candle, and then burn it safely in a fire proof container such as a cauldron.

• There are other elemental representations that you can use instead of candles. How about:

• • Incense

• • Charred wood

• • Coal

• • Soot

• • Hot peppers

• • Matches or a Lighter

• • Lizards

• • String Instruments/Music

Source: http://magicusersresource.tumblr.com/po ... sentations

Here are links to other threads that might interest you:
Candle Magick
Candles 101
Using Candles in Magick

Here is a list of books about candle burning:
"Practical Candleburning Rituals" Raymond Buckland
"Candle Burning Magic" Anna Riva
"Candle Magic" Pagan Magic
"Candle Power" Cassandra Eason
*Note: These are just the books that I own copies of. I haven't read them yet, but I do recommend starting with Buckland.

Happy candles burning! I hope you'll share photos of your altar when you've gotten it set up.

Echo, this is such a wonderful introductory thread about candles. Would you mind terribly if I moved it into the FAQ forum? I'd also like to link to it in the Witchcraft 101 Table of Contents.

Yeah Echo. Can Xiao do that?

Snow

Sure. I'd like that very much.