Prayer candles come in a variety of colors, each with symbolic meaning in different spiritual traditions. The color of a candle can represent emotions, goals, values, saints, and more. Here is an overview of some of the most common prayer candle colors and their meanings.
White
White candles are often used to represent purity, truth, peace, and innocence. Lighting a white candle can signify a new beginning or transition. White is thought to help open up a clear connection between you and the divine. It is a good general purpose color for rituals, spells, and overall spiritual work.
Red
Red candles represent love, passion, strength, courage, and vitality. They are common in rituals for drawing love or sex into your life. Red can also symbolize health and vitality. Red candles are often used when trying to draw success, fame, prosperity, or recognition too.
Pink
Pink candles have similar associations as red candles – love, romance, friendship. But pink connects more to the emotional and spiritual aspects, rather than sexual passion. Pink can also represent femininity and caring. Overall, pink candles help strengthen bonds between partners, family members, and friends.
Orange
Orange candles represent the fruits of life, abundance, energy, and vitality. They are good for spells aimed at changing your luck in any area – love, money, opportunities, etc. Orange can also be used when you need extra energy or motivation. Some also associate orange candles with careers or jobs.
Yellow
Yellow or gold candles symbolize wisdom, intellect, communication, and mental clarity. They help stimulate the mind and improve concentration. Yellow candles are great if you need help with studying, learning, writing, thinking through problems, or any other mental task.
Green
Green candles connect to nature, fertility, health, prosperity, good luck, and all around abundance. They are great for any spells or rituals focused on nature and the environment. Green can also symbolize stability and endurance. Overall, green candles represent growth in many areas of life.
Blue
Blue candles represent wisdom, truth, fidelity, faith, and calmness. They help create a peaceful atmosphere and encourage open communication. Some also associate the color blue with healing. Blue is a good color for spiritual guidance and developing psychic abilities too.
Purple
Purple or violet candles represent wisdom, power, ambition, independence, dignity, and mysticism. They are great for spiritual guidance, breaking addictions, remembering past lives, and developing psychic powers. Purple can also be used for spells involving authority, influence, fame, and honor.
Black
Black candles serve many purposes – binding or banishing spells, breaking negative habits or addictions, and connecting with crone/goddess energy. Black absorbs and transmutes energy, so is useful for releasing negativity or trauma. It provides strong grounding energy during spiritual rituals too.
Silver
Silver or gray candles represent intuition, dreams, psychic abilities, peace, and calmness. They help open up spiritual connections and guidance. Silver can also be used when doing spells involving emotion regulation, soothing anxiety, removing negative energy, or encouraging restful sleep.
Gold
Gold candles symbolize wealth, success, achievement, and male solar energy. They attract fame, fortune, riches, and prosperity when used in rituals or spells. Gold also represents intellect and mental strength. It provides motivation to reach your highest potential.
Combination Colors
Two or more candle colors can be combined in some rituals for amplified power:
– Pink and green for self-love, personal growth, and acceptance.
– Red and pink for romance, passion and emotional connection.
– Blue and purple for spiritual guidance and psychic enhancement.
– Green and gold for prosperity and success in career, finances, school, etc.
– White, silver and lavender for calmness, intuition and peaceful sleep.
Taper vs Votive vs Jar Candles
Prayer candles come in several forms:
| Type | Description | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Taper | Tall, thin candles often placed in candle holders. | Offerings to deities, decor on altars, lighting during rituals. |
| Votive | Small candles in glass containers. | Shorter rituals, travel altars, personal devotions. |
| Jar | Thick candles in wide glass jars. | Longer rituals, spells needing prolonged burns. |
Taper candles provide the classic look on an altar. Votive candles are inexpensive and portable options. Thick jar candles allow longer burn times for extended rituals or spells.
Candle Shapes and Sizes
Some other common prayer candle shapes include:
- Pillars – tall, thick pillar candles.
- Tea lights – tiny candles in metal or glass cups.
- Floating candles – candles designed to float in water, often in glass votives.
- Number candles – pillars with numbers for birthday rituals.
- Figural candles – unique shapes like crosses, hearts, animals, saints.
- Large devotional candles – extra tall or wide candles.
Pillar and devotional candles allow you to mark rituals with symbolic large flames. Tea lights offer affordable, practical options in bulk. Number and figural candles add symbolic meaning. Floating and liquid candles create beautiful displays.
Natural vs Synthetic Candles
Today, most candles are made from paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct. Some prefer natural wax candles made from soy, beeswax, or plant-based waxes. Pros and cons:
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Paraffin |
|
|
| Natural wax |
|
|
Paraffin wax is affordable and easy to work with, but produces more soot. Natural waxes appeal for sustainability but cost more. Ultimately personal preference drives this choice.
Candle Scent Options
Scented candles add another symbolic layer to rituals. Common prayer candle scents include:
- Floral – rose, lavender, jasmine, cherry blossom
- Citrus – lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime
- Herbal – sage, basil, pine, cedarwood
- Spices – cinnamon, clove, ginger, vanilla
- Frankincense and myrrh
Pick scents connected to your goal – lavender and cedarwood for peace, citrus and herbs for energy cleansing, cinnamon for prosperity, florals for love. You can also find candles with symbolic scents like ocean breezes, bonfire, or desserts.
Saint and Devotional Candles
Within Christianity and Santeria, candles featuring saints or holy figures are used. Common saint candles:
- Virgin Mary candles – white, blue, or pink.
- St. Jude – red, for hopeless causes.
- St. Francis – associated with nature, animals.
- St. Anthony – patron of lost things.
- Archangel candles – Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel.
- Jesus, crosses, Nativity candles.
The color and images complement the saint’s area of influence. These candles amplify prayers of petition in that domain. Saints connect the mundane with the divine.
Making Your Own Prayer Candles
With some simple supplies, you can make DIY prayer candles:
- Candle wax – try soy wax flakes or beeswax pellets.
- Candle wicks – pretabbed or primed wicks.
- Candle dye – liquid or solid dye blocks.
- Essential oils – for scenting.
- Glass containers – votives, jars, pillars.
- Decals, stickers, paint – to decorate jars.
Melt wax slowly on low heat, add dye and stir, then pour into containers around wicks. Add scent with oils after pouring. Decorate exteriors with decals, paint, glitter, etc. Make them meaningful!
Conclusion
Prayer candles are a beloved tool across many faiths and spiritual paths. Their colors, scents, shapes, and decorations create tangible symbols to focus intentions in rituals and daily life. Lighting the proper candle colors can help manifest goals, emotions, connections, clarity, or energy states. Prayer candles make the invisible visible through the beauty of their flames.
