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Candles

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
We were given boxes and boxes of half burned candles from a Masonic lodge(my husband can't say no to anything).

Being as they are half burned and were used for ritual magic, I'm thinking using them again for any purpose is a 'no'. My husband is unsure.

What do you think?
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Personally I wouldn't use them. But it wouldn't be the end of the world either. Traditionally, Hindus burn ghee, perhaps an oil, like coconut oil, and use standing oil lamps.

Candles were originally made of beef tallow, and I suspect that may be why the general aversion to candles. Besides, we have something as good or better. Certainly convenient. Perhaps you could re-gift them or maybe a friend or second-hand store would like them.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
Personally I wouldn't use them. But it wouldn't be the end of the world either. Traditionally, Hindus burn ghee, perhaps an oil, like coconut oil, and use standing oil lamps.

Candles were originally made of beef tallow, and I suspect that may be why the general aversion to candles. Besides, we have something as good or better. Certainly convenient. Perhaps you could re-gift them or maybe a friend or second-hand store would like them.

Yeah, sending them to a second hand store is a good idea. There's a lot of them, and they're in fairly good shape. Someone may like them.

I tend to use ghee diyas in my puja room(which is cat free). We have to be more cautious outside of that, though... cats can smell ghee, and find it mighty tasty(we learned that the hard way after leaving a diya on an altar in the living room). I wonder if they'd leave coconut oil alone. I haven't tried that yet. I've also done sesame oil in the puja room as well.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
You can always wait for a power outage and distribute them to your neighbors.
 

Veyl

Member
We were given boxes and boxes of half burned candles from a Masonic lodge(my husband can't say no to anything).

Being as they are half burned and were used for ritual magic, I'm thinking using them again for any purpose is a 'no'. My husband is unsure.

What do you think?
Masons aren't generally known for being magically-active, particularly in comparison to occult orders. That being said, I'm not quite sure why one would be leery of re-using candles that were involved in magical operations, apart from the cleanliness perspective or if you were planning to use them for such activities yourself.
 

The Hammer

[REDACTED]
Premium Member
What do you think?

I wouldn't use them myself. I reuse my own Ritual and devotional candles. But I'd never reuse someone else's Ritual/Magic candle, as a believer in contagious magic. Whatever they did can influence you, and anything you do with them.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I got frustrated with them floating around the house with the intent to donate(we don't get out much; Iowa's a Covid hotbed). I ended up tossing them out a week ago, tired of working around them.
 

Veyl

Member
I got frustrated with them floating around the house with the intent to donate(we don't get out much; Iowa's a Covid hotbed). I ended up tossing them out a week ago, tired of working around them.
A fair response, though that travel restriction does sound a bit maddening.
 
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