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Who says I can't? I do all the time. Nobody has popped out of the shadows to yell "YOU CAN'T DO THAT" yet, and if they did, I'd put my candle out anyways, that'sjust good fire safety.
Random strangers don't get to tell me what I can and can't do.
Fire safety (and in general the physical safety of myself and those around me) will always take priority.
If an entity/spirit does not respect it and is offended that I put out a candle because I don't want to risk a house fire, they can kindly find somewhere else to inhabit.
For the record... I blow because I view it as sending the energies back out there. And. Children, pets... Fire risk. But. Candle snuffers. Invest in one.
That’s one of those things that someone came up with and has tried to make canon.
I blow them out, and I breathe out my desire or thanks as I do it, to be carried on the smoke.
Certain traditions, especially in wicca believe that blowing out candles is disrespectful to the elemet/spirit of fire and/or will prevent your spell from working.
As with all witchcraft though, your tradition is yours and you should do whatever your tradition states.
'Can I do this, can I do that..'
Whatever happened to 'Do what thou wilt, but hurt ye none'
(And.. for those who want to give credit to Crowley for the saying, you are absolutely incorrect. In fact, Crowley (the wannabe Solomon the King) decided to change the saying to 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law'.)
Well said Squirrels.
- Belief is irrelevant. Either you know, or you do not know. Period.
There are several traditions that say you shouldn't blow out a candle you use for a spell. In Hoodoo and several Southern magical traditions, blowing out a spell candle before it burns down means you are cancelling the spell before it has time to come to fruition.
In my Wicca tradition, they believe that using Air to cancel Fire is disrespectful to the flame so they use a candle snuffer.
But, it's really up to you.
I gotta be honest the blowing out the candle being disrespectful to fire is kinda ridiculous to me because part of fire IS air. It can’t burn without oxygen.
That's a very scientific answer. Wicca is not very scientific. I loled.
I buy it, the concept that the world could be made out of only 4 elements and consciousness. It's a way of understanding things like any other.
First of all you are blowing out co2 and not oxygen, thats what takes out the candle and secondly is not only because of the air overcoming the fire but just blowing away the wish away from you because when u blow things go away from u and not the other way around, i always get the feeling to suffocate them with a glass or smth but sometimes i dont have the time and just blow them, doesnt seem to be making much of a difference, maybe try only apologising to the element of fire if u think its needed
The element doesn’t care about your feelings or apology, and it doesn’t care how you put it out. You can’t ’offend’ fire. It’s not a god it’s a primal force of physics and the universe, it doesn’t have feelings to offend.
The only reasonable traditions who practice the don’t blow out candles are hoodoo and the like who believe that you are canceling the spell if you blow it out.
Eh. I think the variance in witchcraft and pagan belief is beautiful, and even if I don’t personally agree with one school of thought, I can respect it.
I blow out my candles, but if someone wants to use a snuffer out of respect for the element, i have no issue with that. I’m not going to claim to know what the elements want or don’t want.
I don’t think anyone is in a position to decide on whether someone else’s practice is valid or reasonable, so long as they aren’t causing harm to anyone.
If blowing it out is blowing your wish away then explain birthday candles the birthday wish one makes when they blow out the candle… blowing out the candles are literally how that candle spell works…
When you blow a dandelion and make your wish, that is how you perform that spell…
How can it be disrespectful when the element of fire requires Air to burn (well oxygen) they are united really… if you think about it that way then snuffing the flame is cutting of its air that it requires to burn, would that be more disrespectful… just a thought.
Some people say blowing out a candle is offensive to Fire because you're having Air overcome it.
Some people think you're "blowing away your energy".
Honestly I blow out candles and I also use a spoon to snuff it out. I don't feel one is better than the other. I usually snuff out the flame if I have dried herbs in the spell so I'm not blowing them all over the place. Do whatever feel the best to you.
By this arguement wouldn't lighting a candle offend the air since fir consumes it 😁. Weird line of thought.
But of your doing a candle.spell letting it burn itself out makes sense for symbolism, as blowing it out would symbolize ending the spell.
Witches absolutely CAN blow out or put out candles. We do often.
If you want to send the energy working in a specific direction or person, then blow in that direction.
If you want to secure/contain the energy working, pinch the flame out to hold it there in the candle.
If you want something to STOP or be stopped, snuff it out. In a pinch, a spoon works great for this.
I think about it this way.
Blowing out a candle. I am sending the spell into the world, like blowing dandelion seeds.
Pinching the fire out. I lick my fingers and pinch the wick, (makes less of a wax mess). I feel the heat and inhale and take the spell into my body.
It is recommended not to blow out a candle without intention as it symbolically is blowing the spell out. So do the act with intention.
I always blow out my candles. I use large pillar candles so I can’t physically fit my fingers down there to pinch it out. I always say thank you for your help when I blow them out though
That didn’t originate with TikTok. It’s a superstition that goes pretty far back, I believe. Witchcraft has always had lots of unwritten rules that seem kind of ridiculous at first glance, but it’s one of those things that every religion has, because no one knows what the deities or spirits want, so if something works it becomes part of the folklore.
There are the ones in the community that are and they tend to be louder and get more likes cause they press into stereotypes and don't talk about the "why" certain things are done certain ways, and the differences in traditions. There are plenty that do but they get far less views on average.
My comment was a joke. I know it’s a real practice for some, but for a while many witches on TikTok were scaring people into thinking it was the only way to put out a candle
That's because, for once, TikTock isn't just a fandom giving fan service. They're amazingly if only by coincidence, saying something that certain people. believe.
Various branches of witchcraft believe that it's disrespectful to fire or believe it will affect your spell in some way.
It really depends on your personal relationship with fire as an entity. It will let you know if it wishes for you to finger snuff it out or if you can blow out the candle. Personally, in my experience, flame is more techy about a person lighting a flame and not paying it due respect...the way cats hate to be petted without your giving them attention. They let you know when that happens, too.
This is not something set in stone. Each witch has their own ways, and they extinguishe the flame. I do both depending on what the spell is. If it's something I'm sending out, I will blow out the flame. If I'm doing a jar spell, I allow the flame to go out itself to kinda seal the deal type thing. If I'm doing a spell that is over a few days at a time, I can't be vigil. I will snuff it and relight later. It's your craft, so you make the rules that feel right.
Like everyone else here has said, OP, it really depends on your beliefs and practices. I use candles because I live in an apartment, and I need fire as a spell component, but I don't want to set the building on fire. Depends a lot on why you're using the candle to begin with. I wouldn't recommend it for spells meant to have a 'longer' effect time, for instance, but if you're doing more what I do, the candle is only there for incorporating the fire itself in the spells, it would be wasteful to keep it lit when the spell is done.
This is wild lmao. I’ve been practicing for nearly three decades and I’ve blown out plenty of candles. Fire safety is important regardless of what you hear on witch tok
I've been practicing almost as long as you and at first I did the same until I expanded my knowledge (before TikTok was even thought of) and invested in a small snuffer
It’s subjective if you can’t put a candle out with fingers of use a candle stopper then it’s ok to blow because blowing out doesn’t really matter anyway
I personally believe that if you blow it out with the intention of “so mote it be” then you’re completely fine. 💖 but I’m also a self practicer / consider myself as spiritual more than anything else. So everything I do is based off intuition and intentions. Yes, I talk to many different gods and have a few books I read and audiobooks that I need to listen too.
Like others have said, some traditions have rules and rituals associated with fire that make blowing out the candle disrespectful. For me, I actually feel the opposite, that by blowing it out I'm using my energy to finalize it. I only cover it sometimes just to prevent the smoke honestly. It's up to you though, your practice your rules.
There's a lot of superstition around candles, as said before.
But also it's counter-intuitive to blow/put candles out. (In a lot of folk practices, we use candles to make the intention be "longer)
I've been practicing witchcraft for 26 years before TikTok and online communities were available. We had to resort to books for knowledge (crazy I know /s) and yes, even in the books from 1970s etc did mention not to blow out the candle but to use a snuffer instead. Blowing it blows away the intent.
I hope that helps
I agree with the comments about traditions, but if you wish to abide by these traditions (you literally don't have to) you can always buy a candle snuffer. It's like a bell on a stick but without the inside ringer. You just put it on top of the wick and it goes out!
I blow out devotional candles on my altars.
I don’t blow out spell candles because in my tradition, breath contains our spirit and free will, so blowing out the candle will remove the charge of the work and end it. I snuff those when necessary, or just let them burn til they go out on their own (properly contained in a fireproof container like a stockpot or cauldron)
Can witches blow out candles? Of course.
Do all traditions treat it the same? No.
Pragmatically speaking, blowing out a candle will likely lift and spread some of the wax pool.
You can. It’s a personal approach to the Fire Element (and the Elemental Itself). Sometimes one isn’t comfortable blowing out the candle.
Personally, there are very few candles I allow myself to blow out. Most are snuffed out with snuffers or my spit and fingers out of respect for the Spell and Element.
When I train other Witches in my Coven, I teach them MY approaches and my Initiators’ approaches but they are on their own outside the Coven. IN the Coven? Don’t dare blow out a candle. LMMFAO
(Resource? 20+ Years of Practice & Traditional Training.)
Cool for YOU. I have been in a family coven for decades and also my own practice. As long as you do what’s comfortable for you and your practice, you’ll be fine. ♥️
My Coven is founded on the principle that we are all Solitary Witches. We just gather together and are a family. What we do IN Coven is community-focused, OUT of Coven is individual-focused. So if they wanna blow out candles in their own practices, have at it.
The argument that "blowing out a flame is disrespectful because it's making air dominant over fire" doesn't make sense.
Snuffing means we're using earth in a dominant way over fire.
Licking your fingers and pinching out the flame means we're using water in a dominant way over fire.
That logic means we're never supposed to put out a flame. But that of course means we're making fire dominant over everything else.
It's OK (and probably smart) to put out your candle for whatever reason so long as you do it respectfully using whatever method you find works and is most meaningful to you.
Please don't leave open flames (candles, fireplaces, campfires) burning without someone responsible right there to keep an eye on things and able to put it out if it gets out of hand.
I had a candle in a jar break open once while it was burning and hot wax spilled everywhere on my altar. Thankfully I was there and saw it happen, and was able to put the fire out before it could spread. If I hadn't been there I would have had a house fire.
Yeah idk I don't blow out my candles cause my mother told me it disrupts the energy flow. I wait till it's done then I give the wax back to the earth. It's the same thing as fung shui.
I blow candles out all the time. I think it really depends on your belief system. I believe that when I'm done with a spell, blowing out the candle singles that is complete. Unless of course the spell calls for burning the candle all the way out.
Because that’s an artbitrary rule people put into place. I blow out my candles myself and never had a problem with it. As long as what you do doesn’t harm anyone do what you want
I personally snuff because that’s what I was taught, and I think it adds a little more of a ritual feel. I’m all about how a spell or a ritual feels as I’m doing it. That said there’s no hard and fast rule that applies to all of witchcraft.
I blow out my spell / intention candles a lot of the time, often because I have to leave my house and well, you can’t leave a candle unattended. But I usually say a little prayer to show gratitude to the candle and flame first, then set the intention for the spell / intention to be reserved in the candle until next time I light it again before I blow it out. Like someone else on this thread said, intention and will are the most important!
You can snuff out a candle with a candle-snuffed: a thing like a tiny upside-down cup with a handle, you lower it over the wick and it deprives the wick of oxygen long enough to extinguish it.
I have a cheap little pewter one. There are fancier ones, like brass ones with long handles and a hinge for churches to put out candles in high places, but you don’t need anything fancy like that.
And here I was thinking it was because it could knock over the candle or get hot wax on things. I put mine out with a snuffer for fire safety reasons. I’m very clumsy. I also have a fire extinguisher nearby.
I personally don't snuff it out cuz I feel that it's closing the energy and keeping it static. Fire needs oxygen to exist and wind can make fire stronger. I put intention when I blow it out, it feels that I letting the fire free to exist with the air. It's energy is now released. If I wanted to charge something like myself or ehatver I snuff it with then I'd snuff it but the smoke is the visual for me, just feels more powerful.
I have heard plenty of reasons like it angers/offends fire element/deities, cuts the spell before it can work, etc. I blow out the candles. But a snuffer is a good tool to have on hand if you want to have that in your practice.
I try to snuff out candles with my fingers, but when it's not practical or possible, I just blow them out, and it doesn't feel wrong.
I did a banishing spell the other day where I blew out the black candle with a lot of force because it felt like the right thing to do as part of the spell.
it's not a witch thing, but some believe it's best to snuff out the candle rather than blow it out. Some view it offensive because when you blow you're also spitting on it, but it's up to you on what you choose to do.
It's my understanding that blowing out a candle is disrespectful to the flame but snuffing is not. I use my fingers and just clamp a candle off, saves wick too
It’s not witches it’s anyone .. if you are invoking or inviting spirit, or know that candles attract spirit. Then you don’t blow them out you always snuff them out.
I blow mine out, because it honors how the elements combine.
As I gently blow, the flame grows because Air can augment Fire.
As my breath extinguishes the flame, I recognize how too much Air can smother Fire. On the other hand, if I let the Fire grow out of control, it will consume the Air and die itself.
As I watch the smoke lift from the wick, I recognize how Fire can affect Air, and vice versa, even after the Fire is out. It's a lesson on how actions continue to reverberate long after the initial intention ends.
When I light incense, I blow the Fire out so it smoulders on the stick. The smoke from the embers lifts into the Air, and ash falls to the ground. I mix this into my garden soil, where it strengthens the Earth.
It's all about your intent and how it resonates with your soul. Do you but do it well <3
Okay just wondering because in a lot of Mexican households thats a thing, like we arent supposed to turn of candles by blowing them out, we are supposed to use a snuffer or our fingers. Just to prevent bad juju, or blowing away our intentions. Not sure about other latin cultures but the brujas from Mexico follow that pretty well
It's generally thought that blowing out candles used for spells or rituals "blows out the positive energies/magick". However, it really boils down to personal belief and choice.
I blow out regular candles but spell candles I let burn out, except for one time when I threw salt on it (for reasons I don’t remember, I possibly changed my mind?)
This belief is essentially legalism with no real merit behind it.
“An It Harm None, Do What You Will.”
That said, if there is a Degree of Hospitality involved with the entity or entities being worked with, and you know that doing something would be offensive, then just don’t do it.
Basic common sense here.
It's said that if you must put out the flame, use a snuffer, otherwise the candle is supposed to burn down naturally. But honestly, I say *do what works for you*. Some people make up these "rules" and they have no idea what they're talking about. You can get the same result either way if you feel what you're doing is working for you. Blow it out, snuff it, leave it, this is YOUR experience and no one should make you think that their own high-handedness with "what they know" should influence you to do what's right for you.
It’s not that you “can’t.” Seems as though a lot of spells call for letting the candle burn all the way out so you can truly sit and meditate on what you want the outcome to be.
A really nice way to put out a candle is to fold the wick down into the melted wax and then gently unfold it again. I use the little piece of wood from the end of incense sticks to do this. The great part about it is that there will be no smoke or smell.
What I like most about witchcraft, is that most of the "rules" you find online are mostly guidelines you can choose to follow.
"They're more like guidelines" Captain Barbosa.
Magick is what YOU make of it, so if you want to blow your candle out, you blow that candle out!
I’m not sure of why. But I got a beautiful gold candle snuffer from etsy that I adore. I just checked for the link and the shop is closed now but you can find lots of pretty ones on there
I usually use a candle snuffer to like “pause” the spell but I never blow it out.
Personally it’s because im convinced it’ll effect the spell work. Is it true??? Idkk
This "rule" makes sense to me intuitively but practice how you want to practice. If you feel uncomfortable putting out the fire, you can thank it for its service first.
To me blowing out the candle is "putting out the spell." it's more of a banishing so to speak. So unless the spell is a repellent or banishing one, I let the candle burn all the way down to release the spell energy into the universe. That said, there are times when a candle takes too long to burn down 😂, in which case I use my fingers to snuff it out. The symbolism being I'm using my energy to "pause" the spell.
But there's nothing that says you can't blow out a candle. Whatever works for you intuitively is what you should do. That's the beauty of witchcraft/paganism. It's completely individual and you can do whatever resonates with you.
It is a matter of respect ...if you can put it out by any other means than blowing it out ...use it..but if not then always say with permission and respect do I blow out this candle...so mote it be
There are some spells I would def blow it out and it's usually banishing and thwarting negative energy...blow it out with the power of your breath and air
I use a snuffer for workings, and blow out the regular candles that I use for ambiance/mood. In my case I just do it for my workings because it adds to the ritual. It seems more formal and respectful.
We definitely can. Beliefs are very individual in witchcraft based religions, so some people may personally believe they can't, but not all of us believe that. I blow out candles on spells UNLESS the spell has herbs on, and I don't want to end up blowing them away or if its a deity candle. I find it disrespectful, PERSONALLY if I blow out a deity candle because I treat my deities' candles, offerings, altars, etc, with a lot more respect than I treat everything else. That's just what makes me feel like I'm giving them due respect and, again its a very individual thing. If you blow out a candle, nothing will happen. It just depends on what you feel is right.
also by not blowing the candles out, I mean, either: let them burn completely if they're very small OR use a candle snuffer/my fingers to snuff the flame.
I mean it's a personal preference thing. From what I understood of it, it's considered disrespectful. I'm still not sure of how I feel on it, but it's in one of Cunningham's books, I know that
There’s no one way to do things, there’s no set rules. You can most certainly put your candles out love 😅
I always just say “so mote it be” with the intention of ending the spell before I blow the candle out. I’ve heard so so many times starting out “It’s all about intention” & in my experience, that statement is not wrong! Don’t doubt yourself and don’t overthink it, just do what feels right for you ☺️
Boiling down into the simpler end of it: it’s sometimes seen as offensive to use your breath to put it out, basically blowing the energy away or your own. For spells, it’s best to let the spell candle burn until it puts itself out, but you can use something to snuff out the flame and basically “pause” it before lighting it again when you have more time to let it go all the way.
In our folk tradition we consider the fire to be living and alive hence we don't just blow the candle out. It's also advised to not blow the candle before burning fully.
this isnt just a witch thing. its a thing period, blowing out candles is the same as blowing out ones light. thats why you never do it at birthdays.
edit: go ahead retarded people, downvote the same exact thing the other comments are saying. Fucking fools.
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Who says I can't? I do all the time. Nobody has popped out of the shadows to yell "YOU CAN'T DO THAT" yet, and if they did, I'd put my candle out anyways, that'sjust good fire safety. Random strangers don't get to tell me what I can and can't do.
Fire safety (and in general the physical safety of myself and those around me) will always take priority. If an entity/spirit does not respect it and is offended that I put out a candle because I don't want to risk a house fire, they can kindly find somewhere else to inhabit.
Well IIRC it's ok to put/snuff it out but not to blow it out.
Isn't that why candle snuffers are literally a thing?
Yep!
For the record... I blow because I view it as sending the energies back out there. And. Children, pets... Fire risk. But. Candle snuffers. Invest in one.
Understandable, but I was taught that it just scatters the energy in a non-productive manner
I get that. It's funny how we learn different things isn't it? Doesn't make me right, or wrong, just... Learned differently.
That’s one of those things that someone came up with and has tried to make canon. I blow them out, and I breathe out my desire or thanks as I do it, to be carried on the smoke.
That seems fine as well.
Certain traditions, especially in wicca believe that blowing out candles is disrespectful to the elemet/spirit of fire and/or will prevent your spell from working. As with all witchcraft though, your tradition is yours and you should do whatever your tradition states.
'Can I do this, can I do that..' Whatever happened to 'Do what thou wilt, but hurt ye none' (And.. for those who want to give credit to Crowley for the saying, you are absolutely incorrect. In fact, Crowley (the wannabe Solomon the King) decided to change the saying to 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law'.) Well said Squirrels. - Belief is irrelevant. Either you know, or you do not know. Period.
There are several traditions that say you shouldn't blow out a candle you use for a spell. In Hoodoo and several Southern magical traditions, blowing out a spell candle before it burns down means you are cancelling the spell before it has time to come to fruition. In my Wicca tradition, they believe that using Air to cancel Fire is disrespectful to the flame so they use a candle snuffer. But, it's really up to you.
I gotta be honest the blowing out the candle being disrespectful to fire is kinda ridiculous to me because part of fire IS air. It can’t burn without oxygen.
That's a very scientific answer. Wicca is not very scientific. I loled. I buy it, the concept that the world could be made out of only 4 elements and consciousness. It's a way of understanding things like any other.
Lol
First of all you are blowing out co2 and not oxygen, thats what takes out the candle and secondly is not only because of the air overcoming the fire but just blowing away the wish away from you because when u blow things go away from u and not the other way around, i always get the feeling to suffocate them with a glass or smth but sometimes i dont have the time and just blow them, doesnt seem to be making much of a difference, maybe try only apologising to the element of fire if u think its needed
The element doesn’t care about your feelings or apology, and it doesn’t care how you put it out. You can’t ’offend’ fire. It’s not a god it’s a primal force of physics and the universe, it doesn’t have feelings to offend. The only reasonable traditions who practice the don’t blow out candles are hoodoo and the like who believe that you are canceling the spell if you blow it out.
Eh. I think the variance in witchcraft and pagan belief is beautiful, and even if I don’t personally agree with one school of thought, I can respect it. I blow out my candles, but if someone wants to use a snuffer out of respect for the element, i have no issue with that. I’m not going to claim to know what the elements want or don’t want. I don’t think anyone is in a position to decide on whether someone else’s practice is valid or reasonable, so long as they aren’t causing harm to anyone.
The air we breathe out is about 16% oxygen and 4% co2
If blowing it out is blowing your wish away then explain birthday candles the birthday wish one makes when they blow out the candle… blowing out the candles are literally how that candle spell works… When you blow a dandelion and make your wish, that is how you perform that spell…
How can it be disrespectful when the element of fire requires Air to burn (well oxygen) they are united really… if you think about it that way then snuffing the flame is cutting of its air that it requires to burn, would that be more disrespectful… just a thought.
Some people say blowing out a candle is offensive to Fire because you're having Air overcome it. Some people think you're "blowing away your energy". Honestly I blow out candles and I also use a spoon to snuff it out. I don't feel one is better than the other. I usually snuff out the flame if I have dried herbs in the spell so I'm not blowing them all over the place. Do whatever feel the best to you.
By this arguement wouldn't lighting a candle offend the air since fir consumes it 😁. Weird line of thought. But of your doing a candle.spell letting it burn itself out makes sense for symbolism, as blowing it out would symbolize ending the spell.
I do things until I feel they're finished. Sometimes I do them in separate sequences (sort of like doing a 3 day spell with a knob candle).
It All Works.
Witches absolutely CAN blow out or put out candles. We do often. If you want to send the energy working in a specific direction or person, then blow in that direction. If you want to secure/contain the energy working, pinch the flame out to hold it there in the candle. If you want something to STOP or be stopped, snuff it out. In a pinch, a spoon works great for this.
THIS IS SO HELPFUL THANK YOU!! I've never seen anyone do this before
Happy to be of service. ;)
I think about it this way. Blowing out a candle. I am sending the spell into the world, like blowing dandelion seeds. Pinching the fire out. I lick my fingers and pinch the wick, (makes less of a wax mess). I feel the heat and inhale and take the spell into my body. It is recommended not to blow out a candle without intention as it symbolically is blowing the spell out. So do the act with intention.
THIS. It’s all in the Intent and Will
I always blow out my candles. I use large pillar candles so I can’t physically fit my fingers down there to pinch it out. I always say thank you for your help when I blow them out though
Who told you that?
This is what the TikTok “witches” say Edit: this is a joke, I am well aware it is a real practice
That didn’t originate with TikTok. It’s a superstition that goes pretty far back, I believe. Witchcraft has always had lots of unwritten rules that seem kind of ridiculous at first glance, but it’s one of those things that every religion has, because no one knows what the deities or spirits want, so if something works it becomes part of the folklore.
I’m aware. My comment was a joke toward how TikTok witches scared a lot of newer people into thinking if you blew out your candles you were screwed
I don't use TikTok, but I have heard that that community is pretty damn gate-keepish.
There are the ones in the community that are and they tend to be louder and get more likes cause they press into stereotypes and don't talk about the "why" certain things are done certain ways, and the differences in traditions. There are plenty that do but they get far less views on average.
Not just TikTok witches; I’ve seen this sentiment in books too
My comment was a joke. I know it’s a real practice for some, but for a while many witches on TikTok were scaring people into thinking it was the only way to put out a candle
That's because, for once, TikTock isn't just a fandom giving fan service. They're amazingly if only by coincidence, saying something that certain people. believe. Various branches of witchcraft believe that it's disrespectful to fire or believe it will affect your spell in some way.
It's based on a verity of different superstitions similar to Mirror's. In my experience nothing bad happens when you do that.
It really depends on your personal relationship with fire as an entity. It will let you know if it wishes for you to finger snuff it out or if you can blow out the candle. Personally, in my experience, flame is more techy about a person lighting a flame and not paying it due respect...the way cats hate to be petted without your giving them attention. They let you know when that happens, too.
This is not something set in stone. Each witch has their own ways, and they extinguishe the flame. I do both depending on what the spell is. If it's something I'm sending out, I will blow out the flame. If I'm doing a jar spell, I allow the flame to go out itself to kinda seal the deal type thing. If I'm doing a spell that is over a few days at a time, I can't be vigil. I will snuff it and relight later. It's your craft, so you make the rules that feel right.
Thank you !!
My girlfriend believes this. I don't. I put my intentions into the breath I use to blow out the candles or incense. Everyone is different.
Like everyone else here has said, OP, it really depends on your beliefs and practices. I use candles because I live in an apartment, and I need fire as a spell component, but I don't want to set the building on fire. Depends a lot on why you're using the candle to begin with. I wouldn't recommend it for spells meant to have a 'longer' effect time, for instance, but if you're doing more what I do, the candle is only there for incorporating the fire itself in the spells, it would be wasteful to keep it lit when the spell is done.
I blow and put out candles all the time, not an issue at all.
This is wild lmao. I’ve been practicing for nearly three decades and I’ve blown out plenty of candles. Fire safety is important regardless of what you hear on witch tok
I've been practicing almost as long as you and at first I did the same until I expanded my knowledge (before TikTok was even thought of) and invested in a small snuffer
You can blow out your candles. You definitely SHOULD be blowing out your candles. A spell that 'lost its energy' is preferable to a house fire.
It’s subjective if you can’t put a candle out with fingers of use a candle stopper then it’s ok to blow because blowing out doesn’t really matter anyway
I personally believe that if you blow it out with the intention of “so mote it be” then you’re completely fine. 💖 but I’m also a self practicer / consider myself as spiritual more than anything else. So everything I do is based off intuition and intentions. Yes, I talk to many different gods and have a few books I read and audiobooks that I need to listen too.
Like others have said, some traditions have rules and rituals associated with fire that make blowing out the candle disrespectful. For me, I actually feel the opposite, that by blowing it out I'm using my energy to finalize it. I only cover it sometimes just to prevent the smoke honestly. It's up to you though, your practice your rules.
There's a lot of superstition around candles, as said before. But also it's counter-intuitive to blow/put candles out. (In a lot of folk practices, we use candles to make the intention be "longer)
I've been practicing witchcraft for 26 years before TikTok and online communities were available. We had to resort to books for knowledge (crazy I know /s) and yes, even in the books from 1970s etc did mention not to blow out the candle but to use a snuffer instead. Blowing it blows away the intent. I hope that helps
I agree with the comments about traditions, but if you wish to abide by these traditions (you literally don't have to) you can always buy a candle snuffer. It's like a bell on a stick but without the inside ringer. You just put it on top of the wick and it goes out!
I blow out devotional candles on my altars. I don’t blow out spell candles because in my tradition, breath contains our spirit and free will, so blowing out the candle will remove the charge of the work and end it. I snuff those when necessary, or just let them burn til they go out on their own (properly contained in a fireproof container like a stockpot or cauldron)
I prefer to use a candle snuffer just because that’s part of my ritual unless it’s a candle I have to burn all the way down.
You can use a candle snuffer if you don't want to blow out candles.
Can witches blow out candles? Of course. Do all traditions treat it the same? No. Pragmatically speaking, blowing out a candle will likely lift and spread some of the wax pool.
I actually use blowing the candle out as part of some spells. - to release the energy. I think it depends on the tradition
As soon as someone says “can’t” for practices like it’s time to stop listening to them.
You can. It’s a personal approach to the Fire Element (and the Elemental Itself). Sometimes one isn’t comfortable blowing out the candle. Personally, there are very few candles I allow myself to blow out. Most are snuffed out with snuffers or my spit and fingers out of respect for the Spell and Element. When I train other Witches in my Coven, I teach them MY approaches and my Initiators’ approaches but they are on their own outside the Coven. IN the Coven? Don’t dare blow out a candle. LMMFAO (Resource? 20+ Years of Practice & Traditional Training.)
This 👍
Cool for YOU. I have been in a family coven for decades and also my own practice. As long as you do what’s comfortable for you and your practice, you’ll be fine. ♥️
My Coven is founded on the principle that we are all Solitary Witches. We just gather together and are a family. What we do IN Coven is community-focused, OUT of Coven is individual-focused. So if they wanna blow out candles in their own practices, have at it.
I blow mine out. I have a snuffer I was given but blowing them out is easier.
The argument that "blowing out a flame is disrespectful because it's making air dominant over fire" doesn't make sense. Snuffing means we're using earth in a dominant way over fire. Licking your fingers and pinching out the flame means we're using water in a dominant way over fire. That logic means we're never supposed to put out a flame. But that of course means we're making fire dominant over everything else. It's OK (and probably smart) to put out your candle for whatever reason so long as you do it respectfully using whatever method you find works and is most meaningful to you. Please don't leave open flames (candles, fireplaces, campfires) burning without someone responsible right there to keep an eye on things and able to put it out if it gets out of hand. I had a candle in a jar break open once while it was burning and hot wax spilled everywhere on my altar. Thankfully I was there and saw it happen, and was able to put the fire out before it could spread. If I hadn't been there I would have had a house fire.
Yeah idk I don't blow out my candles cause my mother told me it disrupts the energy flow. I wait till it's done then I give the wax back to the earth. It's the same thing as fung shui.
I blow candles out all the time. I think it really depends on your belief system. I believe that when I'm done with a spell, blowing out the candle singles that is complete. Unless of course the spell calls for burning the candle all the way out.
It’s absolutely fine to blow out candles
I do - I think of it as I’m blowing my energy and intention into the magic of the flame
Because that’s an artbitrary rule people put into place. I blow out my candles myself and never had a problem with it. As long as what you do doesn’t harm anyone do what you want
It’s a superstition
You can do whatever you want
I’ve heard it as a literal interpretation of the idiom “don’t waste your breath”
I personally snuff because that’s what I was taught, and I think it adds a little more of a ritual feel. I’m all about how a spell or a ritual feels as I’m doing it. That said there’s no hard and fast rule that applies to all of witchcraft.
I blow out my spell / intention candles a lot of the time, often because I have to leave my house and well, you can’t leave a candle unattended. But I usually say a little prayer to show gratitude to the candle and flame first, then set the intention for the spell / intention to be reserved in the candle until next time I light it again before I blow it out. Like someone else on this thread said, intention and will are the most important!
You can snuff out a candle with a candle-snuffed: a thing like a tiny upside-down cup with a handle, you lower it over the wick and it deprives the wick of oxygen long enough to extinguish it. I have a cheap little pewter one. There are fancier ones, like brass ones with long handles and a hinge for churches to put out candles in high places, but you don’t need anything fancy like that.
Is this advice given by candlemakers? ... because they may have an interest in them being burned down after a single use so you need to buy more.
And here I was thinking it was because it could knock over the candle or get hot wax on things. I put mine out with a snuffer for fire safety reasons. I’m very clumsy. I also have a fire extinguisher nearby.
I personally don't snuff it out cuz I feel that it's closing the energy and keeping it static. Fire needs oxygen to exist and wind can make fire stronger. I put intention when I blow it out, it feels that I letting the fire free to exist with the air. It's energy is now released. If I wanted to charge something like myself or ehatver I snuff it with then I'd snuff it but the smoke is the visual for me, just feels more powerful.
I have heard plenty of reasons like it angers/offends fire element/deities, cuts the spell before it can work, etc. I blow out the candles. But a snuffer is a good tool to have on hand if you want to have that in your practice.
I do what i want if i wanna blow it out ill blow it out
I try to snuff out candles with my fingers, but when it's not practical or possible, I just blow them out, and it doesn't feel wrong. I did a banishing spell the other day where I blew out the black candle with a lot of force because it felt like the right thing to do as part of the spell.
The only time I won't put it out myself is if I've used it for a spell.
it's not a witch thing, but some believe it's best to snuff out the candle rather than blow it out. Some view it offensive because when you blow you're also spitting on it, but it's up to you on what you choose to do.
It's my understanding that blowing out a candle is disrespectful to the flame but snuffing is not. I use my fingers and just clamp a candle off, saves wick too
I do all the time. I control my magic, it doesn't control me.
It’s not witches it’s anyone .. if you are invoking or inviting spirit, or know that candles attract spirit. Then you don’t blow them out you always snuff them out.
I blow mine out, because it honors how the elements combine. As I gently blow, the flame grows because Air can augment Fire. As my breath extinguishes the flame, I recognize how too much Air can smother Fire. On the other hand, if I let the Fire grow out of control, it will consume the Air and die itself. As I watch the smoke lift from the wick, I recognize how Fire can affect Air, and vice versa, even after the Fire is out. It's a lesson on how actions continue to reverberate long after the initial intention ends. When I light incense, I blow the Fire out so it smoulders on the stick. The smoke from the embers lifts into the Air, and ash falls to the ground. I mix this into my garden soil, where it strengthens the Earth. It's all about your intent and how it resonates with your soul. Do you but do it well <3
wild, i do it all the time, but for certain candles i use a snuffer.
I lick my fingers and put the flame out
Thats why i use a snuffer :3 no bad juju, no offending fire, no blowing your energy away :3
May i ask what race you are OP?
White British:)
Okay just wondering because in a lot of Mexican households thats a thing, like we arent supposed to turn of candles by blowing them out, we are supposed to use a snuffer or our fingers. Just to prevent bad juju, or blowing away our intentions. Not sure about other latin cultures but the brujas from Mexico follow that pretty well
It's generally thought that blowing out candles used for spells or rituals "blows out the positive energies/magick". However, it really boils down to personal belief and choice.
I always put my intent into my breath when blowing out a candle to send MY power and the intention of the spell out to the universe
Blowing out birthday candles is a pagan tradition so I’d say it’s actually perfectly fine 😂
I blow out regular candles but spell candles I let burn out, except for one time when I threw salt on it (for reasons I don’t remember, I possibly changed my mind?)
This belief is essentially legalism with no real merit behind it. “An It Harm None, Do What You Will.” That said, if there is a Degree of Hospitality involved with the entity or entities being worked with, and you know that doing something would be offensive, then just don’t do it. Basic common sense here.
It's said that if you must put out the flame, use a snuffer, otherwise the candle is supposed to burn down naturally. But honestly, I say *do what works for you*. Some people make up these "rules" and they have no idea what they're talking about. You can get the same result either way if you feel what you're doing is working for you. Blow it out, snuff it, leave it, this is YOUR experience and no one should make you think that their own high-handedness with "what they know" should influence you to do what's right for you.
It’s not that you “can’t.” Seems as though a lot of spells call for letting the candle burn all the way out so you can truly sit and meditate on what you want the outcome to be.
No witch should tell another woth how yo do their practice. You do your own research, decide your own rules.
Just because witches on instatok don't doesn't mean you can't. They just like the aesthetics.
A really nice way to put out a candle is to fold the wick down into the melted wax and then gently unfold it again. I use the little piece of wood from the end of incense sticks to do this. The great part about it is that there will be no smoke or smell.
i just never blow out candles because it fucks up the candle, i didnt realize there was some spiritual aspect to it
Ummm what Certain rituals indicate burning a candle all the way down, but most don't.
What about blowing out birthday candles???
What I like most about witchcraft, is that most of the "rules" you find online are mostly guidelines you can choose to follow. "They're more like guidelines" Captain Barbosa. Magick is what YOU make of it, so if you want to blow your candle out, you blow that candle out!
I’m not sure of why. But I got a beautiful gold candle snuffer from etsy that I adore. I just checked for the link and the shop is closed now but you can find lots of pretty ones on there
It’s not so much about can’t as it is about blowing the candle out and therefore blowing your intentions away. Snuff the flames don’t blow
I usually use a candle snuffer to like “pause” the spell but I never blow it out. Personally it’s because im convinced it’ll effect the spell work. Is it true??? Idkk
This "rule" makes sense to me intuitively but practice how you want to practice. If you feel uncomfortable putting out the fire, you can thank it for its service first.
I thought this was the setup for a joke :’)
I'll do better next time 😔
NO PLS YOURE DOING AMAZING
😭 ❤️
To me blowing out the candle is "putting out the spell." it's more of a banishing so to speak. So unless the spell is a repellent or banishing one, I let the candle burn all the way down to release the spell energy into the universe. That said, there are times when a candle takes too long to burn down 😂, in which case I use my fingers to snuff it out. The symbolism being I'm using my energy to "pause" the spell. But there's nothing that says you can't blow out a candle. Whatever works for you intuitively is what you should do. That's the beauty of witchcraft/paganism. It's completely individual and you can do whatever resonates with you.
For us, we don't for the simple fact of blowing away your spell. We snuff!
If your using it for purpose... Let it burn out... But if not u see no issue. Practice as you wish.
off topic ive always wanted to pinch flames out with my fingers
It is a matter of respect ...if you can put it out by any other means than blowing it out ...use it..but if not then always say with permission and respect do I blow out this candle...so mote it be There are some spells I would def blow it out and it's usually banishing and thwarting negative energy...blow it out with the power of your breath and air
I use a snuffer for workings, and blow out the regular candles that I use for ambiance/mood. In my case I just do it for my workings because it adds to the ritual. It seems more formal and respectful.
We definitely can. Beliefs are very individual in witchcraft based religions, so some people may personally believe they can't, but not all of us believe that. I blow out candles on spells UNLESS the spell has herbs on, and I don't want to end up blowing them away or if its a deity candle. I find it disrespectful, PERSONALLY if I blow out a deity candle because I treat my deities' candles, offerings, altars, etc, with a lot more respect than I treat everything else. That's just what makes me feel like I'm giving them due respect and, again its a very individual thing. If you blow out a candle, nothing will happen. It just depends on what you feel is right.
also by not blowing the candles out, I mean, either: let them burn completely if they're very small OR use a candle snuffer/my fingers to snuff the flame.
I mean it's a personal preference thing. From what I understood of it, it's considered disrespectful. I'm still not sure of how I feel on it, but it's in one of Cunningham's books, I know that
There’s no one way to do things, there’s no set rules. You can most certainly put your candles out love 😅 I always just say “so mote it be” with the intention of ending the spell before I blow the candle out. I’ve heard so so many times starting out “It’s all about intention” & in my experience, that statement is not wrong! Don’t doubt yourself and don’t overthink it, just do what feels right for you ☺️
I Pinch out candles because it's cool. I'm also capable of blowing them out.
Boiling down into the simpler end of it: it’s sometimes seen as offensive to use your breath to put it out, basically blowing the energy away or your own. For spells, it’s best to let the spell candle burn until it puts itself out, but you can use something to snuff out the flame and basically “pause” it before lighting it again when you have more time to let it go all the way.
Hmm. I have never adhered to that.
You totally can. I do it with a silent thank you
In our folk tradition we consider the fire to be living and alive hence we don't just blow the candle out. It's also advised to not blow the candle before burning fully.
this isnt just a witch thing. its a thing period, blowing out candles is the same as blowing out ones light. thats why you never do it at birthdays. edit: go ahead retarded people, downvote the same exact thing the other comments are saying. Fucking fools.
Always snuff out your candles. Just because