Candle magic, or spellworking with candles, is one of the easiest forms of magic. All you really need is a candle, a safe place to burn it, and your intention. Of course you can always add more to the ritual, but here are the basics in seven simple steps:
1. Decide your intention, be specific and write it down. Be sure it is what you want.
2. Decide which planetary influence it comes under — Jupiter (for business) or Venus (for love) or Sun (for success) for example, and choose candle colour accordingly.
Always use a new candle — that has not been used for anything else, and particularly not for any other magical work — preferably one with beeswax in it as being naturally organic, this holds energy of your intention better. If you can get candles made with beeswax that is straight from the hive (and therefore hasn't been used for anything else) that's even better.
Decide on the best time to do the working whether by the moon phases, planetary day or hour — this will depend on the planetary influence — or simply a time when you will be undisturbed.
3. Prepare yourself and your working space — take a shower, light some incense, cast a circle or do a banishing to cleanse the area, and spend time quietening yourself so you can focus fully on the work in hand.
4. Consecrate the candle with oil while focusing on your intention.
If you are working to draw something to you, then anoint the candle from the wick down to the bottom — you want to draw it towards you. Work your way round the candle stroking the oil on from top to bottom so that you cover it all.
If you want to send something away, then anoint the candle from the bottom towards the wick — you want to ensure the unwanted energy around you is safely dispersed away from you.
When visualising the desired outcome, do so as though it is already present — as it is when you are living in it.
(Some traditions suggest that a candle should be dressed from both ends towards the middle to attract, and from the middle out to each end to disperse. Unless you're planning to nail your candle to the shed door and light both ends at once, this doesn't actually make much sense. Think about it for a moment!)
5. Charge the candle - hold your hands over it and visualise white energy streaming from your hands into the candle, as you state your intention for the magical working. Really feel the energy going into the candle, and see it being charged up (a bit like your mobile phone!).
6. Light candle and again state the intention. See the energy flowing towards or away from you as appropriate as the candle burns, and then step into your visualisation scene and see, hear and feel how it will be, how it is when your intention is met.
If you are doing the working over several days, then extinguish the candle and leave it in place until the next day when you repeat stages 4 — 6.
If you are doing the work in one session, you can leave the candle to burn down, but it's essential to ensure the candle is out of a draft, away from anything that might catch fire (like curtains), and in a heat-proof holder. (If the candle is too long to leave to burn down, break it in half before you start any preparation, and just use the top.)
7. Act. You have set the scene on the astral level, and 'as above, so below' but you must now put yourself in a position where the desired outcome can find you sooner rather than later — look in the paper for that job; go out to places where you may meet that new partner; eat sensibly and exercise to get back into size 12 jeans!