Candles: Their History and Usage (it's not as boring as it sounds!)

This is the weekend. Being a free-spirit, I always go where the winds (or whims) take me. I do a variety of things that interest me, but might not interest others so it's sometimes hard to explain. For instance, last night we went to a bar to listen to this great local heavy metal band (they're friends of ours). We had a good time, but I still prefer to be in the solitude of my home, relaxing and doing different crafts. One of the things I love to do is putter around my kitchen, making candles.

It's Ozma's birthday soon, so I took her to dinner last night at her favorite Thai restaurant and tonight a bunch of us are going dancing, so I'm finding my peace and solitude while I may.

There is something mystical about candles. One of my friends (who is Wiccan) says that we have always practiced primitive candle magick from the time that we were children and blew out our first candles on our birthday cake and made a wish.

The earliest candles were actually oil lamps made of pottery, with a reed or a piece of twine used as a wick. The oil was usually animal oil of some sort. Later they used hardened fat (have you ever drained the fat from bacon and watched it harden?). Still later (in the 1700s and 1800s) the poor mixed fat with a small amount of wax to create (foul-smelling) candles. The wealthy, who could afford beeswax or bayberry candles, had candles that were smokeless and pleasant to smell. Just as we give our workers benefits if we wish to keep them, the better households also offered benefits to their servants. For instance, all servants got one day out a week. Many also were allowed to take any left-over candle stubs for their own use.

Candle magick has been observed for thousands of years. For instance, historians say that the Catholic church initially began the tradition of burning candles for the dead, or for favors, because many of their parishioners came from pagan backgrounds and used candles for the same reasons. The Catholic church was notorious for compromise in order to strengthen their numbers (my apologies to my Catholic friends; this is not a slam on Catholicism by any means).

Practioners of Hoodoo, Voodoo, Wicca, Satanism, New Age, and other faiths also use candles ritualistically. (Note: I'm not necessarily endorsing any of these faiths, I'm just reciting facts). The Jews also use candles in traditional ceremonies (the Menorah, for instance) but they don't use them in a magickal context (i.e. to create or get something). Instead, they use them for symbolism.

In the 1800s, many slaves brought certain traditions and beliefs to America with them. This involved the belief that certain colors were effective when asking the spirits or God(s) for certain favors. Black was used either for evil or to repel evil, white for purity or as a substitute for any other color, orange for money or strength of purpose, green for success or healing, brown to win court cases or improve a pet's health, red was used for evil or to create passion or to work healing, pink for romance, blue for fidelity and health, yellow for happiness or attraction, and purple for domination. Figural candles also enhanced the spell. Some figural candles used are (and were) of cats, people, genitalia, celestial signs, and more. Each one serves a symbolic purpose and not always in the way someone would guess.

But why are candles so wildly popular today, even though many people don't use candles to practice their religious beliefs?

Candles are homey and warm. Candles are the psychic equivalent to comfort food. For me, it's so relaxing to settle down with a good book and a hot cuppa tea, next to a fragrant lit candle. Some of my friends love taking a long, hot bath by candlelight. The fragrance is a welcome bonus, but it's the atmosphere that the candle creates which makes candles welcome in every home.

Why make your own? Because you can. And it's so very easy to do. I'll tell you more about how to go about it tomorrow.