Beltane: Relationship Candle
Steffie De Vaan
Beltane is a feast of fire that celebrates the arrival of Summer. It’s an auspicious time for creating or renewing unions, making it popular for handfasting. This ritual combines those two elements in a relationship candle. This ritual is typically done between romantic or sexual partners. However there’s a modification at the end to attract such a partner if you’re currently single.
Note: Please be mindful of candle safety. Don’t overdress your candle, and don’t leave the candle burning unsupervised. Read the entire ritual before you start, and gather any ingredients ahead of time.
Preparing Your Partner
Your partner need not be a witch to participate, so long as they’re enthusiastic and committed. Explain to them how this ritual works, and ask if you should get particular ingredients for them (perhaps something that symbolises you). Decide together what you want to attract into your relationship. Do you seek clearer communication, more carnal pleasure, or simply smoother sailing? You need to be focused on the same goal for this ritual to work.
Picking a Candle
Any candle works. A taper or pillar candle can be lit on consecutive days. A tealight is safer if pets are around. If you can only spare five minutes, consider a chime or cake topper candle. You also need a plate large enough to fit both candles.
Suggested Candle Colours: White (all-rounder), Red (passion, sexuality), Pink (emotional unions), Green (fertility). You can also choose a different colour each to represent Pride colours.
Gathering Ingredients
Choose an oil to prepare your candle with. Then select finely chopped herbs and powders to dress the candle itself, and larger herbs and items to decorate the plate. Pick items and herbs that are unique to you: An oak leaf if your partner reminds you of an oak tree. A ticket stub from your first night out. Cherry blossoms if you associate them with love and sensuality. Make it personal.
Suggested Oil: Olive oil (all-rounder); Rose, apricot, or avocado (love and attraction); Grapeseed (fertility).
Suggested Herbs: Apple (sensuality), Red rose (love, passion), Lavender (romance, harmony), Cinnamon (passion), Pepper (courage, spice), Patchouli (home and hearth), Violet flowers (aphrodisiac), Ginger (passion, sensuality), Hibiscus (lust).
Dressing Your Candle
You each dress your own candle. Begin by rubbing the candle with oil, then roll it in herbs or pack them on by hand. Work from the candle’s bottom to the wick, and towards yourself (so the wick faces you).
Each partner places their dressed but unlit candle on the plate. The candles can touch (note that this will affect burning) or not, so long as you both like their placement.
You then take turns picking an item or herb, and giving it to your partner to decorate the plate. Open your heart to the items your partner gives you, and try to understand what emotions or needs they’re communicating. Place the item wherever you want on the plate—on your side, their side, or as near as possible to another item. Watch your partner’s placement and try to understand what they’re expressing. If you’re a polyamorous group: make sure every partner gives one item to every other partner.
Finally you light your own candle to symbolise the warmth and light you willingly share in this relationship.
Please don’t leave your candles unattended, but you can leave them lit while you engage in other activities nearby—especially if those activities represent what you want to attract.
A Spell for Singles
Instead of using two candles, dress a single candle and decorate the plate to symbolise the kind of person you want to attract. Be mindful of consent and leave enough room for the universe to work with. Don’t try to attract “Kate from accounting,” but instead focus on attracting a partner who embodies the qualities you like in Kate (punctual, funny, attractive).
Place the candle outside if possible (use a wind guard), or inside near the window.
About the author: Steffie de Vaan (she/her) is a Dutch intuitive witch. She loves cheap and easy witchcraft without cultural appropriation. Follow her on Instagram as @muse_of_midnight
