Intention Candles are great to do anytime of year but especially holidays and during special celestial events, such as a Supermoon, New Moon, Full Moon and any Solstice. It’s a great opportunity to focus your energy on affirming what you want to attract into your life and to show your gratitude for the people and things you already have in your life.
Intention candles can be super simple or super stars – both are just as powerful as intention is everything!!!
Making Your Candle
When To Make Your Candle
If you want to bring things into your life it is best to create and light your candle when the moon is waxing (getting larger) – I especially like doing this during the new moon. If you want to get rid of things in your life create your candle when the moon is waning (getting smaller). If you are just making a general blessing candle or are not specifically trying to bring in or usher out specific energy you can make your candle anytime but I do prefer to make those kind of candles on the full moon. The full moon represents everything – it encompasses whatever energy you call upon with your intentions.
Every time you light your candle sit quietly and re-affirm what your intentions are. This is a very powerful way to stay in vibration with what you want in your life. The vibration you create in and around yourself is what you will attract into your life – the law of attraction. The law of attraction states that energy is attracted to like energy so if you are in vibration with love you will attract more love, if you are in vibration with worry you will attract more worry so be mindful – even when not making candles – about the kind of energy you are living in and creating.
If you choose to use all the bells and whistles here is list of what to have in front of you before you make your candle.
- Be comfortable! When carving you will get wax shavings on you, and oil, glitter – so beyond being comfortable you want to make sure you are not wearing anything precious. I actually have specific candle making shirts I wear because I get pretty messy.
- The candle – out of the glass (if you are using a pull-out candle) but any tall candle will do. Some people like to pull the wick out so it doesn’t get oils on it – I do it both ways honestly.
- Newspaper to work on so you don’t mess up your floor – candle making creates a fun mess
- Carving stick – this can be anything but I have found that wood nail cleaners work very well.
- Either specifically charged oil or any kind of oil
- Incense, if you plan to use that
- Glitter, again if you plan to use that
- Honey – as an offering to the gods / universal energies
- 5 pennies – you use these to make 5 specific intentions, or wishes
- A spoon – only if you are using incense
- Wet and dry paper towels – your hands will get pretty messy, but a beautiful mess
The Most Basic Way
- Sit with your candle (any size or shape) in front of you and really tune into what your intentions are. Close your eyes and take deep and slow breaths in and out your nose. Tune inward and ask yourself “What is it I really want” and give yourself the space / time to really listen to your inner voice. If making it for someone else ask yourself what it is you are wishing for him or her. And sometimes it’s nice to make a pure gratitude candle. Gratitude is powerful energy!
- Carve your name and date of birth towards the top of the candle – this ensures the universal energies know that it is YOU bring these energies into your life.
- Carve intention words with a thin wooden stick or something with a sharp end (be very mindful – no rushing). Some of our favorite words are Love, Happiness, Gratitude, Abundance and Health and Blessings. Those are sort of general words but you can get specific, “I have a loving relationship” or “Great new job”, “I’m Inspired”, etc. You can also carve in shapes, like hearts, the sun, a money symbol, a figure-8 or whatever you are instinctually drawn to draw.
Going All The Way
- Place a newspaper on the floor and all your candle supplies on top of it because candle carving can get messy, even if you are only carving in words and not using oil and glitter. You want everything laid out for you because if possible you really do not want to interrupt the process – you want to stay with your intentions, focus and flow.
- Sit with your candle in front of you and really tune into what your intentions are. Close your eyes and take deep and slow breaths in and out your nose. Tune inward and ask yourself “What is it I really want” and give yourself the space / time to really listen to your inner voice. If making it for someone else ask yourself what it is you are wishing for him or her. And sometimes it’s nice to make a pure gratitude candle. Gratitude is powerful energy! If you are going to use incense you might want to put in on your spoon before you begin making your candle because when you use it towards the end your hands will be messy so it’s nice to have it ready to use.
- Carve your name and date of birth towards the top of the candle – this ensures the universal energies know that it is YOU.
- Carve intention words with a thin wooden stick or something with a sharp end (be very mindful – no rushing). Some of our favorite words are Love, Happiness, Gratitude, Abundance and Health and Blessings. Those are sort of general words but you can get specific, “I have a loving relationship” or “Great new job”, “I’m Inspired”, etc. Or you might choose to use a symbol, see below.
- After carving go for the bling, it’s fun and beautiful. You rub a bit of any oil you have in the house, plain, with essential oils or buy some magical oils and then add glitter. You can make shapes with the glitter, like a heart, a sacred symbol (see below) or just sprinkle it everywhere to create shimmering beauty. The oil will hold the glitter to the candle.
- Now put a drop of honey into the glass and if you can a drop on one of your fingers, and lick it off, as an offering to the “Gods” and/or source energy.
- Now take your 5 pennies and make a wish or intention with each one – taking your time to really infuse the copper (which is a great transmitter of energy) with what you want. This is yet another powerful way to clarify what you want. You hold one penny at a time, put your intentions / desires into it and drop it into the glass so that it lands on top of the honey.
- Put some incense into your spoon and light it up and make a star shape over the glass, then a circle and then put the incense into the glass, over the pennies and honey.
- If you have the candle that slides in and out of glass you now put it back into the glass, if you are using a regular candle make sure you put it on a wide a sturdy candle holder.
- Take some time to meditate over the candle, putting the energy of what you want into it, really see and feel it. Make some figure-8 motions over it to seal in your intentions and you are now ready to light it. If you have a personal ritual to offer thanks to your source you would do that now.
- Sometimes it’s nice to light it with a loved one. You can make this a bonding group activity or a sacred ritual for yourself – or both, as you will light it more than once.
- Every time you light the candle always take a moment to reaffirm what your intentions are. It’s a great manifestation tool and intention ritual.
Now That You Have Completed Your Candle
No matter the method you choose to create your candle you want to light it with the intention of what you want. Sit and watch it for a few minutes and visualize your intentions manifesting. Watch the way it burns over time – there are messages in that. If part of the candle is not burning properly it might mean you have to be patient or it might burn perfectly down to the bottom showing you the path to what you want is clear. There will always be residue on the glass and when the candle has finished observe it and see if there are any messages for you – the way a candle burns and what it leaves behind can be great guidance – trust your internal wisdom for the answers you seek.
For example, Tony and I made a candle together, not in glass, and with the intention of creating joyful abundance for the re-launch of our company Tony&Tina and as it burned it turned into a wave. This wave symbolized a wave of activity, which has actually begun. For a Solstice candle I put in the energy of my life blooming in every way and from the beginning it actually looked like a flower spreading it’s petals.
Intention Candles As A Gift
For any holiday or special event it’s a thoughtful, and affordable, gift. You can make it yourself now that you have learned how to make them. We also offer a Bespoke option – where you tell us exactly what you want for the person receiving it and we will make it and ship it. Just contact us.
BE MINDFUL: Never leave your candle lit when you are not in the house or by anyplace where there is a breeze.
Supply Reference:
- To buy pull out candles, incense and oils contact Other Worldly Waxes – they are Wiccan based but I’ve known the owner for over 20 years and she’s very normal and cool – and she’s actually a therapist. https://www.otherworldlywaxesandwhatever.com or you can contact me and I will get you whatever you need.
- Glitter from Michaels or your local crafts store.
