Red candles have been used for centuries in various spiritual and religious practices. While the specific uses vary between traditions, red candles are often seen as having symbolic power and being connected to rituals, luck, and manifestation. Let’s explore the history and common uses of red candles across different cultures.
History and Symbolism of Red Candles
The color red has long been associated with power, energy, passion, and vitality across many cultures. As one of the most intense colors, red is thought to stimulate our senses and activate our root chakra that grounds us in reality.
Candles have been used in spiritual rituals for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Fire has always been seen as a mystical, transformative force. When shaped into a candle and combined with intention, prayers or spells, the flame serves as a visual focus for energy.
Red candles specifically are thought to energize rituals and increase their power or effectiveness. The vibrant color red resonates with our blood and lifeforce. It represents courage, strength, assertiveness, survival, and primal masculine energy.
In magical traditions focused on manifesting desires, red is the go-to color for attraction spells. Red candles can be used in rituals to draw passionate love, prosperity, excitement, luck, or success into one’s life. They are often burned on altars with corresponding herbs, oils and crystals to amplify the intention.
Common Uses of Red Candles
Let’s explore some of the popular ways red candles are used in modern spiritual practices:
Love and Sex Magic
Red candles are extremely popular in rituals for romance and sexuality. The color red evokes our libido, sensuality, and lifeforce energy. Lighting a red candle while focusing on drawing a new lover or reigniting passion in an existing relationship is common in modern witchcraft and magick.
Red candles may be dressed with oils associated with attraction and sexuality, such as rose, jasmine or musk. Carving the candles with symbols, names or desires and allowing them to burn while meditating on the intention is thought to release the magic into manifestation.
Increasing Energy and Vitality
The stimulating and energizing aura of the color red makes it useful for spells and rituals designed to increase energy, vitality, courage, strength, and stamina.
Athletes may incorporate red candles into rituals performed before competitions to get pumped up. Red candles can also amplify spells for motivation, defeating procrastination, and activating personal power.
Removing Obstacles and Negativity
In hoodoo and other folk magic traditions, a red candle can clear away negative energies, obstacles, bad habits or addictions interfering with one’s goals.
This may involve writing an obstacle on a piece of paper, placing it underneath a red candle, and allowing the candle to burn down to ash the problem away. Red is excellent for protection magic as well.
Honoring Deities and Ancestors
Red candles are common offerings on altars and shrines devoted to deities or ancestors across many magical paths. The color red resonates with many goddesses in particular.
In Wicca, a red candle represents the element of fire and is often used when working with deities of love, fertility, beauty and creativity like Aphrodite and Venus.
In African diasporic traditions like Lukumi, red candles may honor spirits of determination, vibrancy, proprietary power, or womanhood like Oyá, Oshún or Yemayá.
Boosting Psychic Abilities
Some spiritual practitioners incorporate red candles into rituals aimed at enhancing psychic abilities or opening up channels of communication with spirits.
Red candles may be lit during meditation practices focused on activating the third eye chakra, improving intuition or seeking prophetic dreams and visions. The red flame can help create an energetic pathway for receiving messages.
How to Choose a Red Candle
When selecting a red candle, here are some factors to consider:
| Factor | Options |
|---|---|
| Size | Small votives, large pillar candles, jar containers, etc. |
| Shape | Round, taper, cylindrical, skull-shaped, heart-shaped, etc. |
| Material | Beeswax, soy wax, paraffin wax, gel wax |
| Finish/Decoration | Plain, glitter, carved, painted, decorated glass jars |
Think about your specific intention and choose options that align symbolically or enhance the candle’s energy. For example, heart-shaped candles for love spells or large pillars to burn through the night.
If possible, purchase handmade, natural candles like soy or beeswax for ritual use. Mass-produced paraffin candles tend to be lower quality. Look for reputable spiritual shops selling ethically sourced candles.
How to Use Red Candles Safely
When working with open flames like candles, fire safety is absolutely paramount. Here are some guidelines for using red candles safely:
– Never leave a burning candle unattended, extinguish before leaving a room
– Place candles on a heatproof surface on sturdy, non-flammable holders
– Avoid drafts and keep candles away from flammable materials like curtains
– Keep candles out of reach of children and pets
– Snuff out candles before they burn all the way down
– Don’t burn candles for more than 4 hours in one sitting
– Don’t burn candles that exhibit unusual behavior like flaring, smoking, or tunneling
– Keep a fire extinguisher accessible in case of emergencies
It’s also wise to cast a protective circle or call on deities/guides to oversee any ritual work with open flames. Listen to your intuition if a candle doesn’t feel safe to burn.
Enhancing Your Red Candle Magic
Here are some ways to get the most power out of your red candle rituals:
– Cleanse candles with smoke, sound, or moonlight before use to remove prior energies
– Carve or inscribe candles with symbols, names, runes, or sigils aligned to your goal
– Dress candles in oils, herbs, or magical blends suited to your intention
– Incorporate crystals like garnet, carnelian or ruby to amplify the red candle magic
– Burn candles on an altar filled with meaningful objects and offerings to deities or spirits
– Focus your mind deeply on visualizing the manifestation of your desires
– Chant, sing, or speak affirmations of power into the candle flame
– Allow candles to burn down completely to release the magic
– Keep a magic journal to record spells and interpret signs of manifestation
Conclusion
Red candles are a beloved tool across many spiritual and occult paths thanks to their bold color energy. How you incorporate red candles into your own practice depends on your beliefs, intentions, and safety precautions.
Used with care and wisdom, the transformative glow of red candles can ignite passion, vitality, courage, lust, love, power, and connection in our lives. Experiment with red candle rituals and observe their effects with an open mind and heart.
