 Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments We recently asked Enchantments' readers what they want to learn more about when it comes to candle magic. Here are our responses to your wonderful witchy questions...  Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments Reader Question: "I know that each color is used to symbolize something (ex. certain colors are used to symbolize certain elements, etc.). Do you have any recommendations on how to remember the color associations?" Enchantments Answer: Color magic is very much connected to the candles we create in the store. And much of color magic is more intuitive than you may realize: green for money, orange for success, purple for wisdom, red for strength (and passion), etc. But the colors can also be connected to certain deities, specific intentions, emotions, planets, and – yes – the elements. Keep in mind, however, that the significance of colors can change according to the specific culture and location (Western and Eastern, for example). For the candles we make in-store, we try to listen to the customer's specific need/wish/intention and select the best combination of colors, incense, sigil/veves, and blended oils. As for the best way to "remember the colors," practice really does make perfect. Witchcraft is called a "Craft" for a reason – so just continue to read, research, and practice! For a quick, handy guide (written from a Western perspective), we created this in-house Guide to Planetary and Magical Significance for Colors & Days of the Week that goes for just under $2. Reader Question: "Can you do two different spells the same day, time or same day but different times, for example, a prosperity spell and say a spell for calm or protection?" Enchantments Answer: Ah, this is a great question – and one we get all the time. The short answer is: you shouldn't mix your spells. Because candle magic is intention-based, you really want to focus your energy on one thing at a time. For instance, you wouldn't do a love drawing spell and mix it with a job hunting or money spell because they're very different in nature. An Uncrossing Candle (one of the most popular candles at the brick-and-mortar shop), for example, shouldn't be combined with an abundance/attraction candle. The idea of an Uncrossing is to clear out, unblock, and release any negativity first, then add some kind of attraction spell afterward. So you want to clear out and uncross anything holding you back in order to have enough new space for abundance, prosperity, and positivity. After any Uncrossing or cleansing ritual, we always recommend following it up with some kind of attraction spell – be it self-love, sun energy, money, whatever calls to you – to invite that positive energy back into your life. But again, they should be done separately. However (there's always a however, right?), some spells can be done in tandem, if they're similar in intention and the desired result is complementary. A money draw candle can be combined with a success candle or job hunt/employment candle, for example. When it comes to doing multiple spells on the same day, as long as you're truly focusing your energy on one intention at a time, it can be okay –– again, assuming they don't conflict. The other important thing is to make sure you finish your spell candle entirely, before moving on to another one.  Photo by Spencer Arquimedes/ Unsplash Reader Question: "Should the candle spells follow the cycles of the moon?" Enchantments Answer: Everyone's practice is individual and there's really no "right or wrong" way to practice if your intention is focused and also doesn't harm others. So the answer is: yes and no. Many witches prefer to work with the cycles of the moon because it is believed to enhance a spell's power. Plus there's a very, very long tradition of witches working with lunar cycles because the moon effects every living thing on the planet – so why wouldn't it have an impact on you and your magic? With that said, some witches don't wait until the moon is in a specific phase to work their Craft – they can and do practice their magic at anytime, on any day of the week, at any point in the lunar cycle. Do what works best for you. Check back for FAQ: Answered, Part Two. Happy casting, witches!
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By Enchantments Staff  Here are a few ways to incorporate blended oils into your magical practice and a list of our witchy favorites. If you’ve ever been inside Enchantments, you’ve definitely seen witches working their craft behind the old wooden counter tucked in the back corner of the shop. The apothecary is home to hundreds of magical oil and incense blends, all of which are hand-made right in the shop. The amber-colored bottles hold recipes gathered over the course of many, many years from a variety of sources, magical traditions, and the intuitive wisdom of staff witches. Witchcraft is an art form; it’s a craft meant to be practiced, a craft that enhances over time, usually with many trial-and-errors left in the dust. What remains is an apothecary filled with deliciously fragrant, magical oil blends, enchanted herbs and wood-based incense to help you enhance your life and the lives of others. Working With the Oils Many people come into the shop and ask, “How do I work with oils?” The truth is, there’s no right or wrong way to work with oils, with one exception: they’re not meant for ingestion. That should be a given, but we’ll say it again: Don’t eat them. Obviously. Moving on… You can use the hand-blended oils to anoint candles, add a few drops to a bath or a sachet, or use them just as you would a perfume. The oils can also be made into sprays, so you can enchant a room, an office area, or your body to enhance your desired intention. Everything in the shop is an intention-based tool, so you should use it as such. And when coupled with a specific intention, the oils do work – which is why the recipes are still around.  Witchy Staff Favorites Egyptian Temple and Kyphi: “I love the way Egyptian Temple smells as much as I love the Kyphi blend. It can be used for purification, banishing, to clear a sacred space or for Egyptian rites. I especially use the incense version regularly to purify my personal space and as an offering on my Bast altar.” –– Ana Vice Goddess of Love: Even though it's listed as an aphrodisiac, I use Goddess of Love with the intention to embody love in all its aspects, as a Love Goddess would.” –– Carmen Pouerie Special Favors: “Special favors is always fun. I put it on for good luck and always end up with free stuff!!” –– Veronica Kate Aries Oil: “I use Aries oil in a spray form at least once a day. The Astrological oils are typically used to bring out the best qualities of that sign. Aries is my rising sign so I use it to be more open and outgoing, and to kind of balance out my Pisces sun.” –– Kristi Klein Black Tourmaline: “I just recently ran into this card in the recipe box and it does exactly what the gemstone does. I just needed to have it. It has been two days of using it and I'm feeling the protective effects of it.” –– Carmen Pouerie Good Earth: “I use Good Earth for when I’m feeling too anxious or all over the place. It brings be back down to earth, so to speak.” –– Veronica Kate “I use Good Earth to ground and center myself. I apply it to the bottoms of my feet and lower back (Root Chakra) at night before I go to bed. It’s especially helpful when my mind is overactive and is keeping me from sleeping.” –– Kristi Klein  Crown of Success: “The Crown of Success is delicious in my opinion. It’s a Voodoo blend that can be used to block other people's negativity from interfering with an individual’s success, in addition to putting a stop to gossip. I have not used this oil much, but have recommended it to many of our customers who are struggling in work environments where there is toxic co-workers and gossip.” –– Ana Vice Peace of Mind: “I use Peace of Mind for the same intention I would use a crystal healing candle. It's useful to release emotional issues. I usually use it with Goddess of Love a lot.” –– Carmen Pouerie To create your own self-love and healing spell at home, check out Stacy Rapp's love magic recipe here. Images © Enchantments By Stacy Rapp An empowerment spell to help with emotional healing, build confidence, and invite more love into your life.   Supplies 3 Pink Roses (or a bag of loose rose petals) 1 Quart Wide Mouth Jar 1 lb sea salt 3 x 3 Square of Pink Fabric Ribbon or a rubber band Cardboard Tray Ballpoint Pen or black Sharpie A list of 20 things you like about yourself (your best qualities/features) Love Oil or your favorite perfume Step One: Remove the petals from the roses, pull out the 20 largest ones and set them aside. Spread the rest out on the cardboard tray to dry (it takes about a week). Step Two: Take the large petals, and on each one write an item from your list. Once you have written one them, add them to the tray. Then put the tray of rose petals in a cool dry place and allow them dry for about a week.  Step Three:
Once the petals have dried, put the sea salt in a bowl and add a few drops of love oil or perfume. Then layer the scented salt and rose petals in the jar. Cover the jar with the pink cloth. Hold the jar in your hands and say "This is my reminder to love and honor myself, no matter what anyone says." You can then use the salt for self-love baths or in a salt scrub. When you use it, remind yourself of the intention. Cover image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash; bath photo by Anita Austvika on Unsplash; bouquet photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash By Amber C. Snider What is it about the fire element that pulls us in? Why are we so drawn to it?  The Evolution of the Fire Element Fire rituals have been around for thousands of years, perhaps for as long as our ancestors first discovered the element. In candle magic, the hypnotic pull of the flame still tantalizes us, it speaks to our primal lineages, and precedes complex language as we know it – including writing and other forms of advanced communication. It all goes back to ancient times. “When human beings were nomadic and traveling around, fire wasn’t as a tamed. They could only use it for warmth and cooking here and there. But as we learned to harness it, society has evolved,” says head witch at Enchantments, Stacy Rapp. “Fire is a universal element for the evolution of humanity and civilization, but at the same time it can also destroy a city in a heartbeat.” Fire has long been understood as a cleansing element. It has the power to wipe the slate clean and make room for new life. It's also, as Rapp points out, insanely destructive. But it’s one element, along with the other 3 (arguably 4), that has ensured our survival as species – an element that can’t be underestimated in its power. It has roasted the meats that led to our inevitable evolution and brain development, kept us warm, detracted predators in the night, served as the hearth of our homes since we began using shelter, signals in times of both peace and war, and served as the gathering place for our ancient and modern communities. The exact timing of the discovery of fire is a bit contentious in the scientific community. According to Time, it depends on what you mean by discover: “New research suggests that many plants that have adapted well to a fiery landscape or indeed need fire to reproduce, such as some pines, eucalypts and proteas, first appeared around this time, some 90 million years ago.” Savannas in Africa needed fire to thrive, which meant our ancestors would’ve seen fire occur naturally and follow it around collecting the remains of animals, before learning to reproduce the element on their own.  “The first stage of human interaction with fire, perhaps as early as 1.5 million years ago in Africa, is likely to have been opportunistic,” according to Time's 2018 article. The first regular use of fire dates back nearly 400,000 years ago, as evidenced from hearths and remains found in Israeli caves. So basically we’re talking a very long time – so long even, that we were still 200,000 years away from even becoming homo sapiens yet. Our love of fire is still embedded in our genetic memory; it speaks of our long, perhaps miraculous, journey of survival. And our love for taming it still endures. Candle magic just one form of a fire ritual and in our modern life of conveniences, apartment living, and sprawling urbanscapes, it’s also the most practical and economical – the idea of a hearth or bonfire simply can’t happen at anytime for most people around the world.  “Fire is part of humankind’s power. Out of the elements it’s one of the most scary. Water is something that is easily plentiful, earth we take for granted, and oftentimes, when it comes to air, we’re too hot with ours. But fire is something you have to make,” says Coleman Drew, who has worked at the shop for over three years. And so the roaring bonfire or hearth was economized into one, single dancing flame. Stay tuned for The Dance of the Flame Part Two, including more about candle magic, sigils, and harnessing the power of fire. |
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