I'll burn a candle for you…
There is such a thing as "candle magic." But wrapped up in this scheme is the offer of an "intercessory role" played by the scam artist.
Judeo-Christianity
Webster defines an intercessor as:
- interceding: the action of pleading on somebody's behalf
- attempt to resolve conflict: the action of attempting to settle a dispute
- prayer or petition: a prayer to God, a god, or a saint on behalf of somebody or something. Simply put an intercessor is a person who goes before God in prayer on behalf of another person, situation or circumstance.
Since Candle Magic is neo-pagan, there does not exist an intercessor or a need for one. While there may have been priests and priestesses in old paganism, historians cannot reconstruct their beliefs, as they kept no sacred texts and what has been handed down by word-of-mouth has been heavily influenced by modern religion and modern life in general.
Today, when you see a neo-paganist burn a candle, it's all about having a positive intention and the person involved must do the candle burning (and in many cases make the candle or procure the candle themselves).
Want to try it?
Again, Candle Magic is all about one's own good intentions. So here is the best way to do it:
- Go to a Catholic Church1
- Look for the statues of Mary, Joseph or some patron saint along the sides of the church. There will be votive candles there.
- In my area, the suggested donation for a votive candle is between $1.50 and $2.50. Deposit that in the metal collection box
- Form a good intention in your mind and hold that thought.
- Light the candle.
- Smile, you are done.
You will have just saved between $50 and $500 (the amounts we have heard for the "I'll burn a candle for you" con).
1Other churches may have votive candles, but I only know about the Catholic churches. If you know of others that offer this, please contact me and let me know and I will be happy to amend these instructions.
