Witchcraft and paganism have become more widely accepted in modern culture, and many people look to these practices as a form of relaxation and stress relief. If youre looking to try out witchcraft or similar techniques for yourself, there are some safety considerations youll want to think about first. Here are some safety tips to remember while practicing witchcraft safely.
1) Candle Safety
Be sure youre using candles made specifically for burning. Tallow candles (made of animal fat) burn longer and more slowly than most other candle types. For your altar, look for candles that wont drip wax on it; if you want colored candles, consider vegetable-based waxes like soybean or cotton. Always trim your wicks before lighting, which means removing at least 1?4 inch (0.64 cm). Burning two or three shorter wicks in one jar will also prevent dripping. You can find instructions online for how to make homemade non-dripping candlesyou simply cut them in half and place one-half into each glass container. They dont burn quite as evenly, but they work well in holders. Never leave lit candles unattendedeither snuff them out completely or move them away from flammable objects. And never leave lit votive candles floating in water containers because they can easily tip over. Clean up any spilled wax with a towel immediately after use so it doesn’t harden onto wood furniture or floors.
2) Fire Safety
Candles can be an integral part of your spell work, but its important to keep a few things in mind. First, always burn a candle safely on a stable surface that wont tip over. Also, try not to let too many flames burn at onceyou dont want one fire taking out all your candles! Finally, use caution with glass containersit might not always be obvious if they can hold liquid or not. If you want to know for sure whether your container will hold water, put it on its side and pour a little in; if it stays there without spilling over onto another surface, you should be good to go. Otherwise, choose another container! Always test any object before using it in a spell just in case.
3) Lighting
When lighting your ritual candles, use a candle snuffer and make sure to extinguish all flames after use. If you dont want to buy a candle snuffer (and trust us, they really arent that expensive), heres another option: Place your hands at about waist height and face them together; then twist one hand away from you and one toward you, like you were tightening a screw. Move slowly and deliberately (faster movements will cause your hand to warm up) until your palms become warm. Then place them on top of each other for two or three seconds before pulling apart. The movement will disperse any heat in between your hands without burning you.
4) Focus
Don’t light candles around pets. Cats in particular have been known to knock things over when they get too curious. Pets have also been known to knock candles over on accident. And, of course, pets can also pose a serious fire hazard due to running too close to candles that aren’t well-attended or burning their own fur/paws/etc. if they do start a fire. If you’re casting spells at home, it’s probably best not to leave candles burning unattended for extended periods of time if your pet is in residence.
