Intuitive Candle Dressing with Herbs and Essential Oils

Dressing a candle is the act of anointing the candle with oils and herbs to add an additional level to your magical workings, personal rituals, and ceremonies.

You can dress any sort of candle, from tealights and votives, to pillar candles, tapers and ritual candles.

Candles are used to amplify and release energy. Candle magic is driven by the element of fire, which changes everything it touches, and therefore represents transformation. This transformational energy is what you're channeling in candle magic, encouraging and welcoming changes in your life.

Dressing a candle is the act of anointing the candle with oils and herbs to add an additional level to your magical workings, or personal rituals and ceremonies. The act of dressing the candle helps one to charge the candle with one’s vibrations and attuning it to a particular intention, to magnify the effect of any ritual, and to make it more personal.

First, rub a light coating of oil onto the candle, while concentrating on your intention. You have many choices of oils, so it is important to listen to your intuition. There are specially pre-prepared Spell oils, essential oils or natural basic oils like grapeseed or olive oils. Spell oils are made to support various intents, and you can make your own using a base of a natural oil, and infusing it with fresh or dried herbs. The preparation itself is a ritual, and serves to bind an intention to the oil. Essential oils will add a scent to your proceeding.  Pick a scent that would support the working. Most essential oil scents meanings would correspond with the herbal properties of that scent. ​

After applying a light coat of your oil, add herbs of your choice. Pick an herb or herbs that will assist your intent. As with spell oils, there are pre-prepared herbal blends, or herbal spells, that you can find, or you can use your own fresh or dry herbs. They should be ground in a mortar to a fine consistency prior to use. Roll it into the powdered herb mixture if you are using one, to get an even coating. You can also apply the herbs by taking a pinch of them in your fingers and sprinkling the candle with them.

Take care in burning your dressed candle, and remember to focus your energy and the energies of your magical materials on your specific intention.

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