The Dragonfy's Knoll: Expressions by T'ani-Lai

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T'ani-L'ai
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 4:31 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Louisiana

The Dragonfy's Knoll: Expressions by T'ani-Lai

Post by T'ani-L'ai »

The Dollar Store Witch

Candle Replacements and DIY Modular Candles

I've joked about it for years, but I think it's time to put this out there. As someone who started practicing as a teenager in a small town in Louisiana, I was discouraged at the idea of having found a name for the sorts of ideals I'd developed throughout my life, but having no money for the BILLIONS of things every blog, website, and book list as "essential."

What do we do with discouragement? We temper it with willpower, and we forge our own path forward. And so, I did. But, I don't want to bore everyone here with all the details of my life! Let's get right to it then, shall we?

I think almost everyone can agree that candles are one of the most notable elements of the craft. They aren't -always- necessary, but it feels nice to light one up and let the soft glow warm and calm you. I have two things to talk about when it comes to candles.

Let's tackle the first issue: what do you do when you can't use a candle? Maybe you're living with your parents who don't know that you're embracing a spiritual path different from their own. Maybe you have no way to actually get to a store to purchase a candle. It could even be that you have some fire issues, be it a fear of fire or an inability to have a fire of any sort in your house, something of that nature.

I have two alternatives that I've come up with. The first is our good friend: the flashlight! If you can find a little LED flashlight (or any flashlight, really!), just find a way to balance it so the light shines upwards, like a powerful beam taking your intents and prayers to a higher place.

If you have some clay, you could even mold a little holder for your flashlight. If it just won't stay up, but you need your hands for something while you work your magick, then you can try sitting on the floor and balancing the flashlight in front of you between the soles of your feet. Okay, it's not the most comfortable position to sit in, for some of us, but this way, you have a space on your lap or between your legs for your spell if you're reading from a notebook or paper, and you can even direct the energy directly through your body to your flashlight this way.

Why a flashlight? It depends on your approach! For those more alchemically or scientifically minded, consider the energy of the battery that powers the flashlight as the energy you're harnessing to carry out your intentions. The light can act as a focus, as well! For those who focus on the elements, the idea of electricity can be closely related to that of fire in many ways. Most of the things that used to be accomplished by fire in old times have been replaced with electricity, if you think about it: stoves and microwaves are the new hearth, a space heater or central air our new fireplace, and a light bulb our new lantern or torch. Remember, your perception shapes the world: change your perception, and you can open yourself up to new options and possibilities!

If you have a smartphone or computer with internet access (which, as you're reading this on an online forum, we'll go ahead and assume at least one of these are true! :lol:), you probably won't be so surprised that you can find apps for virtual candles and lighters, or you can even find a video on YouTube.

I know what a lot of you are thinking. "A virtual candle? It just doesn't hold the same allure as the real thing." Personally, I agree. But, I challenge you with this question: What exactly is real anyway? You gotta do what you gotta do, sometimes, and that might mean doing a spell on the fly, sans materials. If you're used to using a candle, you might long for something to fill the void not having one would impose on your ritual. Weave the intent into your actions. Instead of getting out your trusty candle, channel the anticipation and meaning of that action into the simple press of a button. Imagine lighting the candle, let the scent of the smoke fill your nostrils, feel the warmth of the candle's flame as it licks at the air. Sure, it might be different, but opening you mind to new possibilities and ingenuity are, at least to me, two important structural foundations of my practice with the craft.

Now, on to the second issue: I have candles, but they're plain, white candles, and I want something with a little flair! Maybe you've just thought up a lovely ritual that just must have a candle for each of the Elements, or perhaps you like the idea of a candle dedicated for a certain purpose, but you don't want to have to buy a candle for each specific purpose.

If you have nothing but several white candles, a pocketknife, and grand ambitions, then you already have everything you need to make you own Elemental Candles! Now, some of you might now be knife people, or maybe you're working with tapers. A toothpick or any other pointy-enough object will serve you just as well!

First, I personally prefer to use new candles for this, but a standard Cleansing Spell will do you just fine if you don't have any brand new candles readily available. With your white candle in front of you, your blank slate, your millions of possibilities, find the appropriate symbol for the Element you wish to imbue into your candle. I'm sure we've all seen the triangles before, most likely, but here's a picture for quick reference:
Elemental Triangle Symbols
Elemental Triangle Symbols
You can write up a spell to imbue the each of the Elements into individual candles, or you can add a set of modular lines to a Consecration Spell that will do the trick, something short for each of the elements that can be slipped in when consecrating each individual candle rather than a catch-all spell to do it all at once (I prefer to just do four or five different spells rather than dividing my attention between trying to do too much in one swoop--it helps me stay specific in my spellcasting!). As part of consecrating your candle, carve the appropriate symbol into your candle while filling it with the appropriate energy of the Element you wish to imbue into the candle.

And, that's it. No, seriously! The best part about plain white candles is the endless possibilities, and this is merely one of them!

This brings us to a second method: modular candles. Before I say anything about this, let me preface this by saying you should always cleanse your materials after use. Residual energy most certainly is a thing, and it most certainly can skew your spells!

That being said, the idea behind modular candles is that you can use one singular candle to perform several different purposes by basically playing "dress-up" with your candle. I hate that I'm going to say this, but imagine your candle to be a Barbie or Ken doll. With the right outfit, your same doll would look très chic at the mall, the beach, a fancy dinner gala with the Ambassador, the new space shuttle launch, or wherever else (if you can't tell, I'm a Lego boy, myself! :lol:).

The "outfits" for our candle can be made in different ways.

Elements - Take an appropriately colored thread (best if you're just going to use it once, as how many of us can really keep track of a single piece of thread?) or a ribbon (even better if you can inscribe the elemental symbol onto it!) and do a spell to imbue the correlating energy into it. Wrap it around the candle and give the energy a little nudge until it's filled your candle up with some Elemental goodness! This works with planetary symbols or phases of the moon, too!

Specific Purposes - The basic edition of this involves imbuing a ribbon with the appropriate intentions for a given purpose (say, if you want a Protection candle or a Good Vibes candle). You can actually write your intent onto ribbon with a Sharpie, or you can find symbols (runes can work great for this!) to inscribe. Do a spell on your ribbon, then wrap it around your candle when you'd like and secure with a pin when you're ready go!

If you -really- want to get into it, you can include some herbs in your modular candle accessories, but it's a bit trickier. The way I've seen it done is to take a long strip of fabric to sew into a long, hollow pouch by securing three sides of a long, skinny triangle. Inscribe your symbols or intentions onto the outside of it, as above, then stuff the tube with corresponding herbs and smooth it out flat. Sew it closed, and there you have it!

Like I said above, make sure to cleanse your candle after each use to avoid mixing and matching different energies, and be sure to keep your modular candle accessories charged and ready to go!

I know some of you might be thinking that it'd just be easier to buy several different candles, but every step of the process that you do by your own hand is another chance to sift your intent and energy into your spells, and let's face it, most of us witches tend to be crafty people!

Okay, that's all for now! Let me know what ideas you guys have, and if you try any of these suggestions, please let me know how it turns out! Until next time, may your paths be illuminated with many blessings and enlightenment!

Burning Candle Meditation YouTube Video

Virtual Candle App for iOS

Virtual Candle App for Android
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