Merry meet!
Thank you once again to all those who joined in for last week’s Weekly Witchy Challenge - Finding Your Magickal Talents 
With the many magickal skills of the Coven still shining in the spotlight, we’re putting our skills to the test this week with a special type of candle magick! 
The theme for this week’s challenge is…
Candle Divination 
Let your candle light the way- what messages and answers will you find?
You’ve heard of divination and you’ve heard of candle magick- this is the crossroads where these two popular areas of magick intersect. Candle divination is the art of using spell candles to find answers, receive messages, view the past or present, or seek guidance.
There are many methods of divination out there, and when it comes to selecting a tool or medium, candles are a wonderful choice for both beginner and experienced casters alike. Candles are easily found in many stores and are inexpensive to purchase (as opposed to a fancy crystal ball or deck of tarot cards). Additionally, there are numerous ways to use a candle for divination- from reading wax to flame to smoke 
With a bit of fun experimentation, you’ll have an easy means of divination accessible whenever you do a candle spell!
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This week’s challenge is all about candle divination - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you!
So are you ready? Because it’s…
CHALLENGE TIME!
Picture from Canva
A Note Before Beginning: The Importance of Candle Prep
Clear the way to a successful reading with a bit of easy prep work! Although the messages of the divine may manifest everywhere when necessary, the best way to ensure messages come through clearly and intentionally is by divining from a spell candle.
This does not mean you have to purchase a special magickal candle- not at all! Any mundane candle can be turned into a spell candle simply by using it for spellwork purposes
Example: Spontaneously trying to find meaning in your dinner table candle wax leftovers is not likely to yield messages from higher powers.
On the other hand, mindfully preparing a candle with your intention and actively calling to the divine while it burns draws on your magickal powers. This candle has a much higher chance of showing you meaningful messages from your guides, spirits, guardian angels, the Universe, or whomever you call upon.
How to Make a Mundane Candle into a Spell Candle
It’s as easy as setting your intention- a simple, but key step in any magickal working! With your focus (aka what you want this spell to achieve) in mind, you are charging the candle and giving the energy a clear direction to go in.
While setting your intention is enough to make your candle a spell candle, you might also take the optional step of cleansing it prior to use in spellwork. This removes any energy it may have picked up on its journey to you and gives you a clean slate on which to attach your goal.
Additional pre-spellwork prep ideas can include dressing/anointing your candle and carving sigils into the wax- but again, these are all optional! As long as your intention is set, you have yourself a spell candle.
And with a spell candle in hand, you’re ready to use it for candle divination! 
STEP 1 : Reading Your Spell Candles
This challenge is all about candle divination - but as always, how you choose to take on this theme is up to you!
Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.
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Flame Divination
Related resources and discussions:
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Smoke Scrying
Related resources and discussions:
Related resources and discussions:
- Candle Reading: A Bridge Appears
- How do I interpret these wax drippings?
- Candle Wax Question
- Interesting Candle Wax
- My First Wax Reading
- My Wax Reading
- Wax Reading Question
- Help With Wax Reading
- Candle Wax Meaning
The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity- if you feel called to explore candle divination in another way, please feel free to do so! 
As always, all witches are encouraged to embrace their own unique practice with how they explore the challenge theme 
STEP 2 : Share Your Experience 
Click here for a note about challenge inclusivity
Everyone is welcome to join the challenge by practicing magick in line with the current theme. For lurkers and those who don’t feel comfortable sharing, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge but keep your entry personal. Feel free to join in spirit and do what feels most comfortable for you!
That being said, please know that if you would like to receive a prize and a public shout-out, it is required that you share your experience.
Getting Your Credit 
In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it! 
Where Should I Share My Entry? 
Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry
You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” 
to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!
Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)
Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you! 
Deadline 
This challenge will close in 6 DAYS
To join in, please share your experience by:
Tuesday, December 19 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2023-12-19T12:00:00Z
(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)
Prizes 
For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!
Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums on Tuesday.
After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.
A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice 
If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.
And for those new to challenges- welcome! 
Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways 
) I’ll have to figure a way to try this one out without one of them knocking candles over and the other asking… 
what are you doing? 
smoke. I could see if I noticed any movements outside of how they normally burn. I have a couple of options here! 
Up until now I can understand what Aphrodite has to tell me through the candles on her altar and that was all.
… I’m now thinking too much about what my own words could be. 
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
taking me back!!!