Twisted Candles- How to Make Them & When to Use Them

As practitioners of the magickal arts, we love candles! The more candles, the better.

In fact as a child I can remember going to the markets with my parents and visiting a stall that sold candles in all weird and wacky shapes that were made as you watched them - I was so fascinated, and my parents spent a LOT of their money at this stall!  So when I received an email from one of our beautiful customers this morning about twisted candles, I knew I had to have a play with making them myself! 

What are twisted candles?

Twisted candles are candles that are twisted together to form one candle. Although they look to be complicated, Twisted Candles are actually quite easy to make. 

How are Twisted Candles Used in Magick?

Twisted candles can be used for general decorative purposes, however they are ideal for use in spells where one wishes to unite two or more things into one. As you can see in the image to the right, the twisted candle 'becomes one', making it perfect for this type of work (and even better if you make it yourself!). These candles would also be perfect as a representation of your 'Twin Flame'.

By making your own twisted candle you can add magickal correspondences and build your intentions into them with added oils, herbs etc. 

Single Twisted Candles (i.e. a single candle made in a twisted fashion) can also be used for adding direction to spells and to make these you simply follow the instructions below for how to soften the candle and bend it to your will as you see fit.

 

 

How to Make a Twisted Candle

What You Will Need:

Heatproof Jar (one that you do not mind getting wax on- I used a recycled pickle jar)

Warm Water (I used water at around 45C for the paraffin candle and 58c for the tiny taper candles)

2 Candles- beeswax and paraffin will both work (one if you want a single twisted candle)

Directions: 

1. Fill the jar with warm water up to the tip of the candle (no need to cover the wick)
2. Place candles in the water- my water was around 45c for the beeswax spell candle and 58c for the tiny taper paraffin candle)
3. Wait until the candles become soft enough to be pliable (this can take from 5-15 minutes, so be patient)
   
4. Remove the candles from the water. 
5. Wind the candles together, by holding the base and winding them around each
   
    other (if you are creating candles for a spell, this is where you can add your correspondences such as oils, herbs etc). 
6. That's it! It is that simple

Important recommendation for creating twisted candles

When creating a twisted candle, the most important thing is the intention. Intention can make or break any spell. After that, the actual process of creating the twisted candles is super simple!

Water Temperature- When I originally tried this method, I used boiling water- Do Not Do Use Boiling Water! You can see in the picture below what happens when you use boiling water- you end up losing your valuable candle wax to the water elementals and you

are left with a waxy jar and no candle left!

Size of the candle- the candles that you use need to have the right ratios to be able to wrap around each other properly- very short candles such as the 11cm wish candles are probably too thick and short to be wrapped around each other easily. You are better off using the slightly thinner taller candles such as the Beeswax Spell candles and the Nimbin Tiny Tapers. I have also seen this done with prayer candles and taper dinner candles (obviously the candle will take longer to be pliable and bend in the water).

Size of the water jar- you need the entire candle (not the wick) to be immersed in the warm water so that the whole candle becomes pliable. 

What size candle to use for a twisted candle?

The size candle really depends upon your intentions and the actual practicality of burning the candle. For my twisted candle, I have chosen the beeswax spell candles and the Nimbin Tiny Tapers.

As stated previously, too small and the candles will not wrap around each other, too thick and they will have the same issue!

Should You Use Beeswax or Paraffin Candles to make your Twisted Candles?

Both Beeswax and Paraffin candles will work for this project. The real consideration when deciding on which type of candle to use is intention.

For Nature magick I would suggest using beeswax candles as they are natural. You can

always add magickal correspondences such as colour and scent with natural items such as flowers and essential oils around the candles and/or by dressing the candles with these. 

For colour candle magick, you could either use the above suggestion- i.e. use beeswax candles and add colour intentions with other items around the candles or you could use the coloured paraffin candles (or beeswax if you have them).

What Candle Holder Should You Use for Burning Twisted Candles?

Because you are creating a thicker candle, you will not normally be able to burn your candle in a standard candle holder. I personally love to use a tiny cauldron filled with dirt, sand or incense ash and I place the candle in this to keep it upright. If you do not have a cauldron, you could use any heatproof container the same way.

You could also stick the candle to a candle plate, simply melt the bottom of the candle by holding it over a flame (a lit match, lighter or another lit candle would work for this) and when the wax has melted a bit, stick it to the plate.

The main idea is that the vessel you use for burning your twisted candle is heatproof and clear of any combustible materials.

Things to consider when burning your twisted candle:

• Always burn candles in a draught free area and away from combustible materials.
• Combining candles can cause the flame to become much larger as you have 2
   wicks (or more if you have chosen to try to combine more than 2 candles)
• Never leave a burning candle unattended & always keep an eye on them.
• Adding magickal correspondences such as oils and herbs can cause your candle to become more flammable- be very careful where you burn your candle if this is the case and always have a bucket of dirt or other material close by to extinguish the candle if necessary.
  

I hope you have fun creating your own Twisted Candles. If you have anything to add to this blog post, leave us a comment, we would love to hear your thoughts!