All you’ll get with candle wax divination are symbolic hints which you’ll really have to ruminate on, though occasionally, you’ll get a wax dripping the meaning of which is as plain as day. This is why I consider this divination method to be in the category of artomancy-divination methods which call on the diviner’s ability to see images and patterns and relate these to their situation. Artomancy can force you to think in a different way, in order to get a message which makes sense.
This divination method can be practiced alone, but might also be fun with a group. A group might also prove helpful, if you’re trying to figure out what your wax-dripping is telling you. So if you’re at a (dull) holiday party where candles are burning, why not suggest an impromptu candle wax divination session? Asking the host/hostess for a bowl of water may baffle them at first, but you may soon have a gathering of people curious about what you’re doing, then wanting to join in. Just be careful about letting any drunks handle the candle—they might be better-off observing.
EXERCISES
- Gather a variety of candles, dish up a cold bowl of water, and experiment with each candle. Do an assessment after you’re done. Did you prefer the votive or pillar candle which gave you a defined shape, or did you prefer the birthday or sealing wax candle which gave you pellets that formed a larger shape? Did you appreciate both equally?
- Use a votive or pillar candle, one that has to burn for a while, and focus on your question for 10, 20, or 30 minutes while it melts enough wax for an answer. Then pour the wax onto the water. Using a quick-burning candle, like a birthday candle, sealing wax or taper candle, ask the same question, then drip the wax onto the water. Were there any similarities, or did the resultant shapes complement each other? Which approach to candle wax divination did you prefer; the one where you had to wait for it to melt enough, or the one where you could just light the candle and obtain a quick answer, no long meditation required?