How To Cleanse & Dress A Candle
Candle Cleansing.......
Whenever you choose a candle for a spell or ritual its important to cleanse it before you start work. Whether you purchased the candles from an online store, supermarket, pagan shop etc the candle can still absorb the energy around it from either the factory or people handling it before you in the store. To make sure no unwanted energy makes its way into your circle cleanse your candle before use by either smudging it with dried sage or lavender or alternatively use a high quality incense. While smudging visualise all previous energies picked up by the candles being lifted away and being purified in the smoke. Some people also like to see the candle bathed in white light as part of the clearing process.
Dressing A Candle.........
You have chosen the correct colour for your spell and cleansed your candles so now it is time to dress your candle. Dressing a candle adds yet another energy/vibrational layer to your spell.
You can dress a candle with a candle anointing oil purchased for the spells purpose or by making your own from a little base oil and some essential oils/herbs which complement your spells outcome.
A word on fragrance oils.......................Fragrance oils are not like essential oils in any way, yes they are cheaper but they are synthetic and do not come from plants or nature. When working on spells and rituals we are working with nature and calling upon natures power and energy. For this reason i recommend using essential oils and not fragrance oil for your candle dressing as essential oils carry the energy and vibration of the plants they were produced from where as frangrance oils do not hold such energy (and are chemicals).
Once you have your candles and chosen oil hold your candle and begin to anoint it with the oil while visualising your desired spell outcome. If you are banishing or removing something then start at the middle of the candle and work out towards the top and then from the middle of the candle and out towards the bottom. If you are drawing in something such as abundance or fertility then work from the top of the candle to the middle and then from the bottom of the candle to the middle. This is a very important step as you have already started your spell by adding your intent to the candle.
An extra step............................
You can finish dressing your candle here and then go straight into your spell or if you would like and it suits your spell then you may want to continue to dress your candles with herbs or draw symbols in the wax. Once your candle is anointed with oil it is easy to roll it in some charged herbs to add yet another layer of energy to your spell. You can also carve runes, symbols or names into your candles, for example if you were doing a healing spell for a friend your might like to carve their name in the side of the candle.