Manifestation candles: You may want to blow out those candles

If you open your whatsapp right now, there is a good likelihood that one of your contacts has posted something they would like to have and as a caption to that desired item, there is atleast a candle if not a couple of them. This is often linked to ‘manifesting’ the desired outcome to reality, while to some people it is just a simple “I’d like to have this”. Dare I to say, maybe even you have done this at some point, be it jokingly or by just following a trend. I know I have. Have you ever questioned where this concept is coming from? Well if you have, then you definitely want to read this writing. If you haven’t, perhaps you should’ve.

Candles have been around for some time. Their origins can be traced as far back as the BCE years. Their invention has been attributed to different groups of people like Chinese around 200BCE who made them from whale fat and some have attributed them to the Egyptians. They have served various purposes throughout the ages from being functional sources of light as popularly known by many South Africans (more so recently due to everyone’s fair share of load shedding) to religious, recreational, fragrance production, you name it. The one use of candles that I’d like to draw your attention to is that of Candle Magic, which is why I am writing this.

What is Candle magic?

In attempting to find a comprehensive definition, I came across these 2 definitions:

“It is the use of candles, fire which is the element of transformation in order to create a shift in your life, in your physical reality to manifest things that you want” ( Mel Lissa). A more formal definition by medical dictionary on ‘the free dictionary by farlex’ says it is a superstitious practice by pagans and wiccans, consisting of spells and rituals which are claimed to help one achieve health, love, money, success, as well as relief from busybodies, ex-lovers and “unwanted” suitors.

The whole idea of candles as captions to desired items is rooted on this pagan practice of witches casting spells to attract whatever they desire. FYI I do not use ‘witch’ as a cuss word but this is what they refer to themselves as. This practice has been around for many years, practised by different people in different cultures, South Africa included. Some areas in the world today, like some areas in Britain and the United States are opening up to this idea and making it an acceptable social practice as part of embracing paganism as a religion. Paganism is a topic of its own, which I will not focus on in this particular writing but I want to mention that even though it’s popularity is only slowly increasing now, pagan practices and holidays have always been around but a lot of them come dressed in different garments, often those of Christianity. Popular Holidays such as Valentine, Easter to mention a few have pagan origins. In a world of Instagram and soft life, candle magic is also on the rise as a practice because people want success. Paganism is the worship of gods not God YHWH, Umdali (the creator.)

One might say, “when I post candles, I do not do it to practise candle magic, It has a different meaning to me” or “what harm does it do?“ One must understand that Paganism wants its days to be celebrated and practices to be practised regardless of the name or intention they come under. That on its own should be a redflag to engaging in pagan practices and celebrations. To someone who believes and is interested in serving God only as the creator, I want to bring to your attention that God does not want paganism, its practices (including candle magic) and holidays nor does he want his people to engage in them.    

Deuteronomy 18: 9-12: Once you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, don’t try to imitate the detestable things those nations do. 10There must not be anyone among you who passes his son or daughter through fire; who practices divination, is a sign reader, fortune-teller, sorcerer, 11or spell caster; who converses with ghosts or spirits or communicates with the dead. 12All who do these things are detestable to the LORD! It is on account of these detestable practices that the LORD your God is driving these nations out before you.

God is the sole Creator of the Universe and only Him must be served. Engaging in pagan practices is an insult to him. If you desire anything in your life whether it be health, love, money, success then speak to God and ask those things from him. Isiah 59:1,2 “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ² But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

2 Chronicles 7: 14-15 : If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

I must clarify that candles in and of themselves are just objects, quite useful even, nothing wrong with them. A lot of us were posting candles with the intention of ‘manifesting’ things without knowing what they truly mean and where they come from, but now we do and with this information, one can do whatever they desire. If one has no objection in the practices and service of other gods, then by all means, do what you must. I leave you with the words of Joshua:

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24: 14,15