Candles, Colors And The Zodiac

Candles, Colors and the Zodiac A candle is a self-contained magical system, for although it represents the Fire element, it also contains the other three basic elements of magick: Earth is represented by the unburned wax of the candle – Air is the smoke – Fire the flame – Water the melted wax. –

Thus is created Akasha, or Spirit. The act of blowing out a candle is itself a magical release of power. This is an excellent way of releasing and directing power at the end of a rite. Candles used for banishing magick should be left to burn down and any remaining wax buried, or the unused candle be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. You can, if you wish, place your banishing candle on a metal tray etched with a symbol of what you wish to remove from your life and bury that.

The Elemental Candle Colors Each of the four elements - Air, Fire, Water and Earth - is represented by a single candle color - yellow, red, blue and green. A colored candle representing each of the elements can be placed at the four main compass points around the circle to mark the quarters - East, South, West and North. You can place the elemental candles either on the edge of the circle in sturdy floor-standing holders, or on small tables or plinths at the compass points. Though each element is represented by a single candle, you can use a second to increase a particular element in its own quadrant of the circle or use the elemental color in all four quadrants. So, for example, if you were carrying out a Fire spell, you could use four red (or gold or orange) candles and begin the ritual facing South. Light elemental candles after the altar candles, after you have cast the circles but before lighting any wish or astrological candle. – Begin in the North, with a green candle. Green:

Green is for Earth and the North, midnight and winter. A green candle is placed at what would be the 12 o'clock position on a clock, aligned with magnetic or a symbolic North. Earth is the element of order, both in nature and institutions such as the law, politics, finance, health and education. It also represents yin, the female, nurturing goddess aspect, Mother Earth, the home and family, as well as money and security, and is a good element to invoke when you have matters of property or money that need attention. It is also a focus for all rituals against famine, deforestation and land pollution and devastation through unwise industrialization or building, and for caring for animals and their natural habitats. Surround your green Earth candle with grains, berries, fruits, coins or potpourri. Brown candles may also be used as Earth candles. Yellow: Yellow is for Air and the East, dawn and spring. A yellow candle is placed at the three o'clock position. Air represents life itself, logic, the mind, communication, health, new beginnings, travel, learning, yang and the male god in the form of Sky deities. It is a good element to invoke if you are seeking change or when communication is proving difficult with either an individual or an organization, and to clear stagnation of thoughts. It is also a focus for spells against air pollution, technological devastation and storms, and for the protection of birds, butterflies and insects. Surround your Air candles with feathers, thistledown, tiny helium balloons, model planes and ceramic or wooden birds. Red: Red is for Fire and the South, noon and summer. Place your red candle in the six o'clock position. Fire represents light, the Sun, lightning, fertility, power, joy, ambition, inspiration and achievement and also destruction of what is now no longer needed. Like Air, Fire represents the yang, male god in the form of the Sun deities. Fire rituals are good when you need power or you have an important issue that needs energy. They are effective against drought, global warming, all pollution caused by burning fuels or chemicals, forest fires and the 'slash and burn' policy in rainforests. Surround your Fire candle with golden sunflowers or chrysanthemums, tiny mirrors that reflect the light and clear crystal quartz, which is called in the Orient 'the essence of the dragon'. Blue:

Blue is for Water and the West, dusk and autumn. A blue candle is placed in the nine o'clock position. Water represents love, relationships, sympathy, intuition, reconciliation, harmony, healing and the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, natural cyclical evolutions from one stage to another as opposed to changes made consciously under the auspices of Air. It is also potent for fighting floods, cleansing seas, lakes and rivers of pollution, in campaigns to provide fresh water in arid places, in all initiatives towards world health and the care of whales, dolphins, seals and endangered sea creatures. Like Earth, Water represents the yin, female goddess in the form of the Moon Goddesses. Surround your Water candles with silver objects, sea shells and pieces of coral or, for the lunar goddesses, mother of pearl and moonstones that grow brighter as the Moon waxes.

Color Correspondences Color is of great significance; both in healing and magick, and color symbolism is used frequently with candles, and also with crystals, flowers, foods and colored water, as a way of focusing on and activating the different qualities inherent in the colors. White: In magic, white represents light, the life force and clear vision and so is helpful where a new beginning or a sudden burst of energy and enthusiasm is needed. White is a good color for work involving rites of passage, especially for birth, marriage and welcoming new family members by marriage or adoption. Use white also for protective magick, for replacing darkness with light, in meditation, for Goddess focused rituals, for increasing spiritual awareness and contact with spirit guides, angels and the higher self. White contains both solar and lunar energies and is often used for altar candles. You can substitute white for any other color. White candles can be used on any day of the week, though they are associated with Monday in the Goddess aspect and Sunday and the Sun for life force magick. Red: Red, the color of Mars, the planet and god of war, represents action, power, determination, physical energy and health, courage and determination, sexual passion and potency, survival and change, for careers where danger is involved and the armed forces. It is used as a focus for rituals calling on the power of the gods and for stimulating righteous anger against injustice and inertia. Because it is a very powerful candle color, red should be lit for worthy aims only and when you

are in a positive frame of mind. Red candles are most effective when used on a Tuesday. Orange: Orange is the color of the Sun, of fertility - both physical and mental - and of creativity with words. Growth, self-esteem, confidence and abundance of all kinds are related to orange, as are independence and asserting your identity if it is under threat or being eroded by the demands or unfair criticism of others. Orange also relates to careers involving people and the arts. Above all, orange is the color of joy and also the successful integration of all aspects of the personality into a harmonious whole. Orange candles are best used on a Sunday. Yellow: Yellow is the color associated with Mercury, the winged messenger of the Roman gods. Through his skill and dexterity, he came to rule over commerce and medicine and also became patron of tricksters and thieves. Yellow candles therefore encourage clear communication and activity of all kinds, improving memory, concentration and learning, and are good for overcoming mental stagnation and blocks in ideas or assimilation of facts. Use them in rituals when you wish to gain another person's confidence and approval or to win someone round in business or intellectual matters; to sharpen logic; for succeeding in examinations and tests; also for good luck, for short journeys or to initiate a house move within the same area. Yellow is also a healing color, especially for conditions needing surgery or concerning the mind. Yellow is good for careers in business, medicine, technology, communication or the media and also for job changes. Yellow candles are best used on a Wednesday. Green: Green is the color of Venus, goddess of love, and so is good for all love and relationship matters, especially partnerships and romance; it is also potent for rites involving the natural world, herbs, gardening and tree magick, for healing the planet and especially the forests and the land. Green is for peace and harmony, especially within the self. When green candles are used in rituals for wealth, they tend to encourage a gradual increase in profits or resources. As the faerie color, green is also potent for spells for good luck and increasing magical abilities. Green candles are best used on Friday. Turquoise is the color of Hathor, Egyptian goddess of wisdom; music and dance, whose magical mirror reflected back the true person of all who looked in it. Turquoise rituals are for integration of heart and

mind, feelings and thoughts and the synthesis of wisdom and experience. Turquoise is used for successfully combining different aspects of life or two different career strands; for compassion and altruism; for increasing healing abilities; for maintaining impartiality when making difficult decisions and judgments; and for seeing other dimensions. It is the color of artists, sculptors, dancers, writers and poets, and can bring inspiration and originality increasing artistic ability. Turquoise candles can be used effectively on Thursday or Friday. Blue: Blue is the color of the Father God and other Sky deities in their external roles as wise judges and rulers and so can be used for this aspect of the god and as a protective color. In magick, blue can expand the boundaries of possibility and bring success, confidence and power mingled with altruism, nobility and idealism. Blue is also used for prosperity rituals where this involves advancement or for maximizing opportunities, for promotion and expansion of business. Blue is the color of long-distance travel and house moves, legal matters and dealing with Officialdom. It is also for careers involving justice and leadership. Above all, blue brings calm and the ability to solve problems in the midst of crisis. Blue candles are best used on Thursday. Indigo is for spiritual healing, for psychic awareness and knowledge of past lives and worlds; it is the color of the seer. Purple: Purple is the color of Jupiter in his role of wise teacher and keeper of hidden knowledge, and of Osiris, the Ancient Egyptian Father God and Lord of the Underworld, who died each year and was resurrected by his wife Isis. It represents unconscious wisdom and is used for all things of a psychic and spiritual nature and for divination. Purple provides a link with higher dimensions and can bring happiness for all who yearn for something beyond the material plane. Purple candles aid meditation, work with past lives, scrying with candles and mirrors, and astral travel. They are good for psychic protection and preventing nightmares. Purple can also be used for all rituals where the facts are not clear, for clearing secrecy, for healing the spirit and for banishing what lies in the past, especially failure, and for remembering departed loved ones. Below, I have given subdivisions for different shades of purple, but in practice they are interchangeable. Lavender is for dreams and connections with others, on a telepathic level, for awareness of Divas and other higher nature spirits and for herb wisdom. Violet is for clairvoyance, mediumship, spirituality and contact with the evolved self, angelic guides, mysticism and peak experiences. Purple candles are best used on Thursday.

Pink: Pink is the color of Venus in her gentler aspects, for family relationships, affection, friendship matters, children and for the growth of new love and trust, especially after betrayal or a setback. Pink rituals are excellent for restoring self-esteem and healing wounded emotions, for letting go of past hurts involving family or childhood, for quiet sleep and for the mending of quarrels. Pink candles are best burned on Friday. Magenta represents the path of service to others, especially for older women and men in the role of wise counselor. It can help all in the caring professions and will help anyone transform experiences, both positive and negative, into wisdom that can be offered to guide others. Magenta candles are best used on Friday. Brown: Brown is a color of Saturn, the Roman form of Cronus, god of time. Deposed by his son Jupiter, he was sent to Italy where he taught the farmers, agriculture and engineering and there established a golden age of peace and plenty. Brown is good for protection, for magick concerning animals and especially household pets, for locating lost objects, learning new skills, for the home, property, practical matters, security and having enough resources for one's needs. It is also the color of all who work with their hands. Brown is also the color of Mother Earth and the Earth spirits and so is good for environmental matters and conservation, especially as an impetus for practical conservation projects. Brown is good for grounding rituals. Brown candles are best used on Saturday. Black: Another color of Saturn and also the kings of the Underworld - the Roman Pluto, the bestower of the hidden wealth that lay within the Earth, and the Greek Hades, who abducted Persephone (Proserpine), thus causing winter. Black is the color not only of death, but also of regeneration. This belief goes back to Ancient Egypt when the annual flooding of the Nile carried with it black silt, which brought new life to the land each year. In magick, black is the color of endings that carry within them seeds of new beginnings. It can be used for banishing negativity, for leaving behind old sorrows and redundant relationships; for acknowledging grief, for rituals of partings, for breaking hexes and for psychic protection. Some people do not like using black candles because of their associations with black magick. If you feel that these associations are too strong for you, substitute dark blue, dark purple or brown candles in rituals. In a positive sense, black, like brown, is a color of

acceptance, whether of a restriction or of the frailties of self and others, and so it is a candle color of forgiveness. Black candles are best used on Saturday. Grey is ruled by Saturn and by Mercury, some say, when he becomes invisible in the sky. Grey is used primarily for neutralizing or erasing negative energies or feelings. It is the shade of compromise and adaptability, of lowering one's profile in times of danger, and offers protection against both physical and psychic attack. It is a color for keeping secrets and for smoothing down potential conflict and keeping one's counsel when to do otherwise would be unwise. Grey candles are best used on Wednesday when Mercury cannot be seen and on Saturday. Silver: Silver is the color of the Moon and all lunar goddesses such as Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who, because of her strong association with the Moon in all its phases, was a goddess of fertility as well as love. It is also used on some altars to represent the Goddess, with a gold candle for the Horned God. Silver is potent in all forms of divination, but especially for candle divination, for wakening clairvoyant powers, telepathic and psychometric abilities, astral projection, for rituals to invoke anima (female) power, for intuition and mysticism. It represents dreams, visions and a desire for fulfillment beyond the material world. In times of stress and sorrow, silver candles can remove negativity, promote inner stability and bring to the fore your hidden potential. Silver candles are excellent for scrying, especially by the full moon, and for all magick involving the female life and for female fertility. Silver candles are best used on a Monday. Gold: Gold is the color of the Sun and is associated with the solar deities, for example, the Egyptian Ra. In Ancient Greece, Helios, the Sun God, was worshipped each dawn as he emerged in the East and drove his chariot of winged horses around the Sky before plunging into the ocean in the West at sunset. Gold is potent for worldly achievement, wealth and recognition, for long life, ambitious schemes and money-making rituals that require an instant or substantial return. The color of male potency and fertility, it represents animus (male) power, energy and change and all rituals with noble or altruistic purpose. Gold is best used on a Sunday.

Using Color In Rituals You can also use colored candles as a focus for wishes in a particular area of experience represented by the color. So you might write a wish for a better memory on yellow paper and burn it in a yellow candle, the color of Mercury. You

could then collect the ash in a heatproof ceramic pot or metal bowl beneath the candle and scatter it to the four winds. For banishing an injustice, you might write about the event on dark blue paper, burn it in the blue candle of Jupiter and bury the ashes. Around the home, different colored candles can be burned for different purposes. Scented candles can also amplify the color energies.