There’s just something about the spooky season that inspires us to tap into more aggressive forms of magic. It’s not just curses and hexes either. As the veil thins and the dark part of the year approaches, release work, banishing, cord cutting, and connecting with spirits all align with the thinning veil and the closing of the year. Therefore, this working candle for protection is the perfect addition to your witchy toolkit.
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At its foundation, a working candle is simply a candle that burns in the crafting space while a witch works. That might be while casting spells, but it could also be while making herb blends or working in a grimoire.
Lighting a working candle can offer an element of ritual behavior that gets your mind ready to transition into a magical space. It can also add ambience, or that witchy feel, to the work space.
Working candles can be much more than just a prop, though. Some witches prefer to dress and charge their working candles like a spell candle. Then they can use the working candle for extra energy to support the working.
That’s how I like to use working candles. If I’m going to go through the effort of making one, I want the most bang for my buck! Since we’re deep in the Samhain season, this candle will also serve to protect me during workings that are more challenging or spiritually charged.
How to Use a Working Candle for Protection During Spells
Large working candles are usually lit at the start of the spell or ritual and allowed to burn throughout the duration of the spell. When the spell is completed, you extinguish the working candle and save the rest for next time.
You can also use a smaller candle like a chime or taper candle for single spells. You just prepare the working candle as part of the beginning of your spell or ritual and allow it to burn down fully like you might with a regular spell candle.
If you just need a quick magical boost of protection, you can also use this working candle for protection as a stand alone spell candle. Create the working candle, charge it up, light the wick, recite the spell, and let it burn down.
What's the Best Candle to Use?
The best type of candle for your working candle depends a lot on your purpose, so take a minute to consider what you’ll use this candle for exactly.
When you decide on your purpose, you have several good options from which to choose.
- Candles in jars – These are perfect for working candles you’ll use over and over for a long time. Big ones last forever. The jar also helps to contain flames, spills, and drips. That way, you don’t have a mess to clean up. However, since they’re in jars, you have to tackle the task of dressing them a little differently.
- Large pillar candles – They’re long lasting and easy to dress, so pillar candles are great for making working candles to reuse with each new working. Eventually, though, they will pool and drip. Once that happens, the life of the candle is greatly reduced. You can read wax drippings, though, for clues about the candle’s effectiveness.
- Taper candles – These are easy to prepare and dress. Plus, they’re cheap and easy to find. However, they tend to drip a ton, and you’re only going to get 2-3 uses at best.
- Chime candles – Chimes are compact and cheap, perfect for witches with little space or tight budgets. They usually burn pretty clean, as well. They’re not as easy to find, though. I’ve only ever seen them in person at my local witchy shop. They also burn fast, like under an hour, so these candles are one and done. You’ll need a new one every time.
How to Make a Working Candle for Protection
For this activity, you first need to consider what type of candle you use. If you haven’t read the two sections above, I would start there. This way, you can consider your purpose for crafting this candle. That will determine what type of candle you want to gather up.
What you'll need:
Best time to cast: Any time you are performing a spell or working where additional protection is needed. This might include curses, hexes, release work, banishing, cord cutting, binding, spirit work, shadow work, cleansing, or protective workings.
Circle casting is optional when simply creating the candle. If you feel the need to burn it during a spell, I recommend also casting a circle.
Materials:
- A black candle – black represents protection
- A dressing oil – any kind will work, but a nut or seed oil or a protection blend will pack an extra punch
- Black salt – to absorb negativity. Homemade or store bought will both work. I like black lava salt because it offers an immediate burst of energy. In a pinch, regular salt or even some ground up rice kernels will do. Just think of something with the ability to absorb!
- Elderflower herb or rosemary– for protection by deflecting unwanted energy
- A pin or sharp pointed object for carving
- Optional: a second black candle and a lighter – for dripping wax to secure herbs. I don’t usually do this, but if you’re making a big pillar candle, this extra step will stop the herbs from shedding off as the oil dries up.
Bonus materials:
- Any black crystal will provide extra energy. I especially like to use obsidian arrowheads arranged around the candle and facing outward. You get the protective benefit of obsidian. Plus, the arrowhead shape represents stopping that negative energy from ever getting to the space in the first place.
How to cast:
If you’re just making the candle for later, no additional beginning steps are needed. However, if you’re making this candle as part of another spell or as a stand alone spell, set up your protections beforehand. Call quarters, invite spirit, cast a circle, whatever your tradition suggests.
Step 1: Before you begin, gather up all your materials. Ground and center yourself. Make sure to set your intention in your mind before you begin. Keep this intention in your mind the whole time. Cleanse your materials of unwanted energy with your favorite method.
Step 2: Use the pin to carve your intention into the candle wax. You can create your own sigil if you want. Otherwise, you could use a protection rune or even just the words “protect, absorb, deflect”.
Step 3: Next, grab your candle and oil. Place a few drops on the candle to coat the outside. Traditionally, you would rub from the middle to the ends working away from yourself since we want this candle to keep unwanted energy away. Some people also work from the base to the wick while rubbing away from themselves. Do what feels best. Avoid coating the wick so it won’t light up like the Griswold family Christmas tree when you use it.
Step 4: Now, add your herbs. I personally like to sprinkle the herbs in a shallow dish and roll the candle in the mixture to make them stick. Some people like to sprinkle them on with a spoon. Still others prefer to press them in with their fingers. I don’t think there’s a wrong way.
Step 5: If you plan to affix the herbs more permanently with wax drippings, do so now. Remember to think of your intentions of protection, and imagine the wax drippings locking that intention in.
Step 7: Finally, you need to charge up your working candle for protection. Push your energy into the candle as you imagine it protecting you from unwanted consequences on your workings. However you envision negative energy, visualize the candle deflecting or absorbing and then releasing that energy.
Step 8: Take time to ground and center your energy. Maybe also have a snack. This spell requires a lot of energy, and you’ll likely feel drained or lethargic without grounding.
How to Use Your Working Candle for Protection
Now that your candle is prepped, it’s finally time to use it!
When you’re ready for some extra protection, just light this candle before your working begins. Then recite the following incantation 9 times, or however many times feels right to you.
“All the harm that’s in the way
Protect, absorb, deflect away”
This activates your previously set intentions. It then works as an added layer of protection from unintended consequences and results in your working.
Allow larger working candles to burn until you finish your ritual, and then snuff it out. Smaller candles can burn down with your spell.
As a stand alone spell, just allow the candle to burn while visualizing your outcome and reciting the incantation above. Let it burn down. Then dispose of the remains.
Tell Us About Your Experience
Do you have experience with working candles? Have you ever used a working candle for protection? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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