Fire Magick – Divining Candle Flames

Anytime you light a candle for a magickal purpose, you can divine the wax, flame, and smoke patterns to interpret your answers. One simple but effective methods is to assign the candle right and left sides the correspond to yes and no. If the candle drips first to the left and you assigned that side to no, then your answer your answer is no.

Other methods call for watching the flame dance or the smoke spiral in a direction. If it dances to the west, you must watch your emotions. If it dances to the east, you must use your mental processes. Likewise, if it dances to the north, you will face a physical task, and if it dances to the south, you will have an intense experience of success.

If the flame burns high and strongly, the magick is working quickly and will be successful. If it is burning low and almost smothering itself out, you need to cleanse the entire area, including yourself, and rework the spell. If the flame is crackling, it means the magick has encountered opposition. If it burns mostly blue, it means you are connected to the divine. If it is sparking, it means to expect company.

If the soot around the candle turns the glass very black (like in a novena), it is thought to mean that someone has been thinking ill of you. A cleansing of the area should be performed. If the black soot is only around the top edge of the novena, it means that the magick has encountered opposition and may take a while to take effect.

If the smoke spirals toward you, the spell will work quickly. If it drifts away from you, you will have to persevere in order for your wish to be granted.

Some schools of thought teach to never blow out a candle flame, because it is rude to the elemental spirits of the fire. Others teach never to pinch them out. Likewise, some teach to never use matches and others say to use only matches. These are things you should decide for yourself, also, when employing candles for magick, always allow them to burn themselves out, if possible.

–Tammy Sullivan, Elemental Witch: Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Discover Your Natural Affinity

Fire Magick – Candle Magick

Fire magick is dramatic, entrancing, and magnificent. Fire Witches have a distinct preference for the more challengiing magickal tasks and full-fledged rituals. However, there are many simpler way to use fire magick.

Always follow common sense safety rules when working with fire.

Candle Magick

Primary to fire magick is the simple art of candle magick. When using candle magick, select a candle color that corresponds to your intent. There are many charts giving versions of candle correspondences, but te key to effective candle magick is to choose a color that you think suits the task. It’s best to search for your own set of color correspondences. If you end up using a recommended color that doesn’t calm you (if that is what is called for in the spell), how will it work to calm the universe?

Once you have selected the proper candle color, you must prepare the candle for magick:

1. Cleanse and consecrate the candle to the four elements.

2. Bless and anoint the candle with an appropriate oil.

3. Channel your magical intent into the candle. You may wish to bind it there with a ribbon or thread. Hair (even though it smells horrible when burnt) works very well to bind intent. You can carve symbols into the wax to further seal intent.

4. Light the candle. The flame releases the energy you programmed into it out into the universe to bring the desired change.

Herbs are often used in conjunction with candles to provide a little extra tra oomph. Specialty candles can also pack a powerful magical punch. Practitioners of Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Santeria make use of these in magic and in offerings.

–Tammy Sullivan, Elemental Witch: Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Discover Your Natural Affinity

Fire Witch Lore

The Phoenix

The myths of the phoenix came about due to the natural solar eclipses and humanity’s inability to explain them in the past. The amazing part of these myths is that during an eclipse, one can see the pattern of the wings in the sun’s corona. The phoenix was called the bird of the sun.

The ancient Egyptians considered the phoenix to be an avatar of the sun god. When his life was over (which was originally estimated at 500 years and went up close to 100,000 years in later times), he would light himself on fire, only to be reborn from the ashes after a suitable resting period (also around 500 years). It was said that the fire smelled of cinnamon.

The spirit of the bird wraps its nest in myrrh and sacred leaves and molds it into the shape of an egg. It carries the egg to the temple of the sun god and flies away for its rest.

The phoenix was described as red and yellow, with a purple neck, and was considered the most magnificent bird. Only one phoenix was allowed to live at a time.

Not only could the ashes give renewed life to the phoenix, but they were reputed to bring humankind back from the dead as well. One emperor peror even dined on a bird of paradise as a substitute for the phoenix, hoping to achieve immortality, but he was murdered shortly after.

Ovid stated that the phoenix ate only frankincense and other odif- erous gums. It was further speculated by others that the phoenix hid from humankind intentionally.

The phoenix spans almost all mythologies and is a much-loved symbol of everlasting life. It is seen as a sign of peace and prosperity.

–Tammy Sullivan, Elemental Witch: Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Discover Your Natural Affinity

Fire Witch Lore

Lightning

Lightning is a manifestation of fire in the air. Wielded by the gods as both a weapon and a messenger. lightning is nature’s fireworks. It is our basis for electricity.

Folklore relates that lightning never strikes in the same place twice. However, this is simply untrue. The Empire State Building was struck no less than sixty-eight times in a three-year span. Park rangers Roy Sullivan from Waynesboro, Virginia, holds the world record for being struck by lightning more than any person in history. Between 1942 and 1983 he was struck an astrounding seven times.

The ancient Romans thought that a lighning bolt striking from left to right was a sign of good fortune. If the bolt passed from right to left, it meant the gods were unhappy with current events.

It was believed that examining sites where lightning had struck would reveal lightning stones. Lightning stones are the small ax-shaped stones also called thunderstones and are thought to hold the magical properties of lightning. Temples were often erected on these sites, as they were considered sacred.

In various parts of the world, lightning is thought to take on the physical form of a bird. In some places this lightning bird is called the “bird of heaven.” It is described as iridescent.

If you see a flash of lightning, it is because the lightning bird has just darted across the sky. It is thought that if you destroy the nest of this bird, there will be a great storm. In general, taking any negative action against this bird is inviting misfortune. It is said that no person has ever succeeded in harming this bird, as it moves too quickly.

Lightning is predominantly thought to be born only from the sky, but in actuality it is the combination of a positive charge from the ground surging upward and the negative charge of the lightning surging downward that creates the electrical charge of lightning. Lightning strikes both ways.

Often, when lightning strikes the ground, it will fuse the minerals underneath into a rock formation. So the eggs of the lightning bird and Chango’s stones do indeed exist. The minerals present in the soil vary from region to region and determine the rock produced. When lightning strikes sand, it fuses the grains together to create natural glass.

–Tammy Sullivan, Elemental Witch: Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Discover Your Natural Affinity

Fire Witch Lore

Te Aurora Borealis and Other Natural Lights

Also known as the northern lights, the aurora borealis is nature’s primary light show. It is described as beautifully colored mists that weave and dance their way across the skies. These stunning lights are shared between fire and air, but are listed under fire because no light would exist if not for fire’s eternal source.

The northern lights are actually a gathering of solar-charged particles attracted to the Earth’s magnetic pull, but the Vikings believed the lights to be the spirits of dead maidens dancing. This belief crossed cultures, and the Native American tribes that lived in the extreme north also associated these lights with the realm of the dead. They believed that they could call these spirits forth by whistling.

In ancient times, some people were afraid of the lights. They saw them as ominous portents of war or famine. They thought that when the lights appeared, it meant the gods were angry.

Will-o’-the-wisps are the earthbound lights that guide travelers away from safety to walk along treacherous paths. They can be considered malevolent, and in the past were often thought to be the souls of the dead. They tend to appear on swampy lands and near graves.

Will-o’-the-wisps are most often described as floating orbs of light that can move about quickly. They have been reported in a wide range of colors. Many who experience the phenomenon say that the light mimics their movements and pace.

Currently explained as a glowing type of swamp gas, will-o’-the- wisps continue to make their presence known in various parts of the world. They are also called ghost lights, spooks lights, corpse candles, foxfire, fairy lights, and peg-o’-lanterns (or jack-o’-lanterns).

In North Carolina, at Brown Mountain, these lights are particularly active. The first recorded encounter with these mysterious lights was in 1771, by a German engineer. Later accounts related that these lights would chase travelers along the trails. Of all of nature’s eerie lights, the will-o’-the-wisps are the only ones credited with actually following people and having a seemingly coherent thought process.

In Irish folklore, the will-o’-the-wisps are described as being quiet and helpful. They appear in order to warn one of possible bad health for family members or loved ones.

While scientists say that will-o’-the-wisps are burning balls of swamp gas, they are known to be cold. They have also been reported to move against the wind, something a real gas cloud could not do.

They have also been called “ball lightning” and are said to explode and crackle with energy. Ball lightning has been credited with causing deaths. In 1638, ball lightning struck a church in Devon County in the United Kingdom, subsequently killing four people.

Often, ball lightning disappears as quickly as it appeared, leaving witnesses bewildered. Sometimes, an explosion is heard just after the light disappears.

St. Elmo’s Fire, on the other hand, is seen as a benevolent force of nature that guides sailors through treacherous areas and signals the end of storms. It is said to be the dead spirit of St. Erasmus returning to aid the sailors. St. Elmo’s Fire is actually a form of atmospheric electricity that appears during stormy weather.

–Tammy Sullivan, Elemental Witch: Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Discover Your Natural Affinity

The Dark Side of the Fire Witch

The vibrant Fire With has her dark side too. She can be pushy and very sarcastic. Stubborn to the bone, she does not deal well with disagreements. She fully realize that no one can be right all the time, unless, of course, it’s her. When angered, she may have a tendency to make fun of others. She can be quite arrogant and, as a result, is very hard to teach. The Fire Witch learns best when left to do her own thing. There is no substitute for life experience. At times, her sarcasm can manifest as a biting sense of humor, but at other times, it is disparaging and hurtful. She may have a bad habit of talking down to others and, instead of listening, prefers to play the devil’s advocate. When doing so, signals can easily be crossed , and what she thinks is simply pointing out alternative options for others to consider, they may interpret as her telling them they are wrong, when that is often not the case at all.
Source:
Elemental Witch
Fire Air Water Earth
Discover Your Natural Affinity
Tammy Sullivan

The Path of the Fire Witch

The Fire Witch holds herself to an uncompromising code or honor and ethics. She will bestow justice and be benevolent at the same time.

She operates from a basic moral code of what is right and what is wrong and rarely will go against her gut instinct. Because of this, Fire Witches make excellent law enforcement officers. Due to their love of numbers, they fare well in the fields of science and computers. They often understand the numeric codes presented within dreams to be prophetic and can easily recognize patterns.

Friends of Fire Witches are used to her stealing the spotlight–she knows how to get attention!She naturally projects a warm yet noble aura. If you don’t want to hear the truth, don’t ask a Fire Witch. She can be both gentle and blunt. The key is to hear her out. Fire Witches, seem lit from within and glow with a special radiance.

Fire is purifying and the Fire Witch tolerates no political agenda among her friends and family. If she spots a troublemaker or rumor-mongers, she will quickly call the person on it.
Fire Witches can be extreme in their behaviors and emotions. They tend to see things in terms of black and white, due to their strong moral instincts. Yet, while Fire Witches can be rigid to certain areas, they are the most playful and joyous of the Elemental Witches. They seem to be always smiling, always willing to try something new. They push harder and climb higher–there are no limits for fire folk!

While water is creation, earth is rebirth, and air is death, fire is the divine spark of it all. No other Elemental Witch understand the process of regeneration the way the Fire Witch does. She truly grasps purification of the spirit. In the same way a medical doctors cauterizes a wound to stop the bleeding, the Fire Witch can cauterize the soul to stop emotional pain and make way for healing She concentrates her life on matter of the spirit and advancement. She is talented in all areas related to working with the spirit and Otherworld spirits. She can call and banish spirits quite easily, but never does so wantonly. She has great respect for the other planes of existence.

Fire Witches are the explorers of the universe. Due to their role as spiritual connectors. Fire Witches can easily accomplish astral projection. The element of earth manifests itself in humanity as the body, air as sacred breath and mental faculties and water as body fluid and emotions, but fire is the collective energy that animates the body. Fire represent the electrical impulses in the brain and body that make life possible.

Many cultures, no matter what their collective vision of the after-life is, report that people who undergo near-death experiences first see a beautiful white light. When we work with chakras, we are working with light. All magickal work that incorporates light and spiritual advancement falls in the realm of the element of fire.

The role of the Fire Witch is one of independence. She encourages people to stand up for themselves and will not hesitate to stand up for herself. Coming under fire by others does not scare her; it inspires her. She is most comfortable when she is free to express her opinion completely, and she usually detests censorship. The Fire Witch takes an active role in all areas of life. If something isn’t working, she is the first one to work to try to change things for the better.

The altar of the Fire witch usually contains various metals, such as brass, silver, iron and copper. Likewise, it often holds several candles. Her power is at its peak during the summer months. Popular summer-time activities like vacations, camping, swimming and picnicking are borne of the inspiration of fire. Fire teaches us to enjoy the zest life has to offer. While a Fire Witch can be zealous in her career ambitions, she never forgets to enjoy her life. In the winter months, when the days are short, the Fire Witch undergoes a period of reflection that further defines her path. She is still there, doing everything she normally does, but her focus has burned inward to her home and family. It is a process of reaffirming relationships that take place every year. Even the bright light of the Fire Witch can grow dim at this time, and depression can set in. Luckily, a few bites of a tropical fruit, a warm fire in the fireplace, and a few candles later, she’s a good as new.

Source:
Elemental Witch
Fire Air Water Earth
Discover Your Natural Affinity
Tammy Sullivan