Wheel of the Year Candle

I ran across a great idea for a Wheel of the Year Candle. It takes one full turn of the year to create this candle. Starting at one of the Sabbats, light a small altar candle that has been designated, dressed with oil or blessed for that particular celebration. After your ritual, snuff out the candle and save the stub from it. Place the wax in a baggie and write down what it was used for. Do this for each Sabbat, saving the stub from each altar candle that is used.

At the end of the year, you should have 8 stubs/baggies with wax saved up. Start by preparing your candle mold. Have a wick pre-measured and cut and set into the cup you are using for a mold. You can cut the wick material and tie it to a pencil that you can hang over the mold. You can use an empty soup can, or anything that won't melt and will hold the hot liquid wax without leaking. Once your mold is prepared, one by one, place all of the candle stubs you have saved over the last year into a double boiler over low heat. (NEVER LEAVE MELTING WAX UNATTENDED!) As you add each candle stub to the double boiler, spend time reflecting on the past year as well as meditating on the coming year and all that you want to manifest in the next twelve months. Once the wax has sufficiently cooled (I would recommend a full 24 hours) you can place the mold into a bowl of hot water to loosen it. Or, if you have some empty tuna cans, wash them out, peel off the label, and use that as a candle tin. Simply place the wick, pour the wax and leave it in the tin when you light it.

Each time you light your candle, think of the wonderful energy from the previous Sabbats that is being released as it burns.

I really love this idea, I'm going to have to start on it, beginning with Lammas. A few suggestions though from someone that makes candles in bulk all the time. Instead of using a soup can, try to find something with a smooth inner surface, I use coconut milk cans. There are two brands that have a smooth inner surface that you can find at Safeway, it makes it easier to get the candles out. Also, get a silicone spray from the craft store and spray your can before melting the wax inside of it, this helps release the candle easier and cold baths are better than hot. They will help cool the inner part of the candle faster than using a hot bath.

Thanks for the great idea!

I love this idea! I was thinking on something special to do for this coming Yule; I'll be completing my year and a day's studies in November, and Yule is the first Sabbat after that, the first I ever celebrated, too. Especially significant since it represents rebirth, not just that of the Sun for me. Thanks a lot, you've really inspired me!