A Guide to the Traditional Signs Left in the Glass

When the candle I’ve burned for you has completed its work, I’ll send you a photograph of the finished candle. Under the new format of my candle services, I don’t provide an individual divination or written interpretation of the glass. Instead, I’ve prepared this guide for anyone who would like to look more closely at the candle and consider some of the traditional signs for themselves.

There can be quite a bit to notice in a finished 7-day candle. Soot may appear in different places on the glass. Wax may remain at the bottom or cling to one side. You may notice streaks, rings, unusual markings, or sometimes very little at all.

All of these things can become part of a traditional candle reading.

But before you begin, remember that candle divination isn’t about finding one mark and deciding that it predicts your future. I prefer to look at the whole burn and consider how the different signs relate to one another and to the purpose of the candle itself.

A candle reading can give us something to consider. It isn’t an absolute promise of what will or won’t happen.

BEFORE YOU START READING THE GLASS

Take a good look at the photograph before you start concentrating on individual marks.

Notice the candle as a whole.

Is the glass mostly clear?

Is there soot?

If so, where did it appear?

Did the candle begin dark and later clear?

Is there wax remaining?

Does something seem to be concentrated on one side of the glass?

Does the candle look as though it completed its burn easily, or does the finished glass give the impression that the work met resistance along the way?

Those first impressions matter.

A candle that finishes with mostly clear glass and very little wax remaining is generally considered a favorable burn. Traditionally, it suggests that the work moved without encountering a great deal of resistance.

That doesn’t mean the result of the work has to appear immediately. A candle can burn beautifully while the situation you’re working on still takes time to unfold.

BLACK SOOT

Black soot is one of the first things people notice when they receive a photograph of their finished candle.

In traditional candle reading, black soot is generally associated with resistance, obstacles, unwanted influences, or conditions that made the work more difficult.

The location of the soot can help tell you more.

Black Soot Near the Top

When black soot appears around the upper portion of the candle but the glass becomes clear farther down, I would usually read this as resistance that appeared early in the work.

The important part is that the darkness cleared.

Something stood in the way, but the candle appears to have moved through it.

If there’s only a small amount of black soot around the very top and the rest of the glass is clear, I generally wouldn’t consider that a particularly troubling sign.

The candle encountered something and continued working.

Black Soot Extending Halfway Down

When the black soot reaches much farther down the glass before clearing, the resistance appears to have been stronger or more persistent.

The candle still eventually moved into clear glass, so the obstacle doesn’t appear to have remained throughout the entire burn.

I would think of this as work that had to struggle for a while before it began moving more freely.

Black Soot from Top to Bottom

When the entire glass remains heavily covered in black soot, the candle appears to have dealt with resistance throughout most or all of the work.

Traditionally, this can point toward strong obstacles, opposition, difficult circumstances, conflicting intentions, or spiritual resistance.

This is one of the situations where another candle may eventually be appropriate.

However, I wouldn’t automatically assume that heavy soot means someone has cursed you or is deliberately working against you.

That is one traditional interpretation, but it’s only one possibility.

People have their own choices. Situations become complicated. Relationships carry old problems. Money matters can involve institutions or other people. Emotions can be conflicted. Sometimes the thing standing in the way is simply a difficult situation.

Look at the candle first as a sign of strong resistance, and then consider what that resistance might reasonably mean in relation to your petition.

Black Soot Near the Bottom

Black soot concentrated toward the lower portion of the glass tells a somewhat different story.

In this case, the work may have begun without much difficulty, but resistance appeared later.

Traditionally, soot near the bottom can indicate that something remains unresolved or that unfavorable conditions developed as the work progressed.

This is why the direction of the burn is so important.

Dark at the top and clear at the bottom suggests that resistance was encountered and then worked through.

Clear at the top and dark at the bottom suggests that something became more difficult later in the work or that an obstacle remains.

WHITE SOOT

White soot is usually read very differently from black soot.

It is traditionally associated with cleansing, purification, prayer, spiritual assistance, and communication with helpful spiritual forces.

You may find white soot especially interesting when the candle was burned for cleansing, protection, healing, blessing, or uncrossing.

White Soot Near the Top

White soot appearing early in the burn may suggest that spiritual help or cleansing became active early in the work.

White Soot That Clears Partway Down

When white soot appears for part of the burn and then gives way to clear glass, it may indicate that the cleansing or spiritual activity accomplished what it needed to accomplish.

The candle then continued without showing the same signs.

White Soot Through Most of the Glass

White soot extending through much of the candle can suggest that cleansing, prayer, or spiritual assistance remained active for a significant portion of the work.

If the purpose of the candle itself was cleansing or uncrossing, I would also consider whether the condition may need additional attention, particularly if the candle never settles into a clean burn.

White Soot Toward the Bottom

Traditionally, white soot near the bottom has often been associated with assistance coming into the situation.

That help might appear through another person, an opportunity, prayer, ancestors, spirits, or some other form of support.

Exactly what it means should be considered in relation to what the candle was being asked to accomplish.

WHEN YOU SEE BOTH BLACK AND WHITE

Some candles show more than one kind of soot.

When that happens, don’t simply ask which color covers more glass.

Look at the order in which the signs appeared.

Remember that a 7-day candle burns from the top down.

If the candle begins with black soot and later becomes white or clear, resistance appears to have come first, followed by cleansing, assistance, or improvement.

If the candle begins clear or white and becomes black farther down, the opposite may be true. The situation appears to have become more difficult as the candle continued.

If black and white soot divide much of the candle between them, there may be competing influences surrounding the work.

In a case like that, I would pay particular attention to how the candle finished.

The bottom of the glass gives you the last part of the story.

SOOT THAT APPEARS ON ONLY ONE SIDE

Sometimes soot doesn’t form all the way around the glass.

Instead, it may appear predominantly on one side.

Traditionally, this can suggest that the resistance or activity isn’t surrounding the entire situation. It may be connected to one particular part of the matter.

When the candle originally has a label or printed design, that side can be treated as the front when orienting the finished glass.

There are traditions that assign specific meanings to different directions and sides of a candle, but I don’t recommend treating those associations like inflexible rules.

The petition matters.

The type of work matters.

What I find most useful about one-sided soot is the suggestion that the difficulty may be specific rather than general.

WHAT THE LEFTOVER WAX MAY TELL YOU

A properly burning 7-day candle will ordinarily consume most of its wax.

For that reason, the amount that remains can also be considered when reading the finished candle.

A Small Amount of Wax

A thin layer or small sliver of wax at the bottom of the glass usually isn’t something I would give much weight to, especially when everything else about the candle looks clean.

Candles are physical objects, and they don’t all finish in exactly the same way.

A tiny amount of wax by itself doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem.

Wax Clinging to the Side

Wax that remains attached to the side of the glass can traditionally represent something that hasn’t completely moved, released, or resolved.

A small streak might suggest a minor delay or obstacle.

A heavier amount of wax clinging to the glass may point toward greater resistance or unfinished business.

In the candle-reading system I use, wax remaining heavily on the left side is treated as stronger resistance than a comparable amount remaining on the right side.

That sign should still be considered alongside everything else in the glass.

A Large Amount of Wax Remaining

A substantial amount of unburned wax deserves more attention.

Traditionally, this may indicate that the work didn’t move completely, that considerable resistance was present, or that the situation remains unfinished.

Again, context makes a difference.

A little wax beneath otherwise clear glass tells a very different story from a large pool of wax beneath a candle that is also heavily covered in soot.

RINGS, LINES, BANDS, AND STREAKS

You may notice horizontal rings, streaks, or bands appearing in the soot or residue on the glass.

These can sometimes be read as stages in the work.

For example, a dark band followed by clear glass may indicate a period when resistance appeared and was later overcome.

Several pronounced bands may suggest that the work encountered more than one period of difficulty.

There’s no need to analyze every faint line in the glass.

Some irregularity is simply part of the way candles burn.

I would pay attention to markings that are distinct enough that you noticed them naturally rather than marks you have to search for.

SYMBOLS AND RECOGNIZABLE SHAPES

Occasionally the remains inside a candle form something that looks surprisingly recognizable.

Soot, wax, herbs, or other residue might resemble a face, animal, heart, road, tree, letter, number, cross, or some other symbol.

These can be approached much like symbolic forms seen in tea leaves, wax, clouds, or other traditional divination practices.

But I encourage you not to force an image.

If you look at the candle and immediately think, That looks like a bird, then the symbol may be worth considering.

If you have to enlarge the photograph repeatedly, turn it sideways, stare at it for several minutes, and convince yourself that a smudge resembles something significant, I would leave it alone.

A symbol that matters usually makes itself noticed.

Then ask yourself what that image means in relation to your petition, rather than looking for a universal definition.

CLEAR GLASS IS A SIGN TOO

People naturally notice the dramatic candles.

The black candle gets attention.

The candle with wax clinging to the side gets attention.

The candle with strange shapes gets attention.

But sometimes the most favorable candle is the one that doesn’t leave much to interpret.

When a candle burns down with clear glass, very little soot, and almost no wax remaining, the traditional reading is generally positive.

There may not be a mysterious sign because there wasn’t much resistance for the candle to show you.

A clean glass can suggest an open road and work that moved in the intended direction.

Sometimes the message really is that simple.

CRACKED OR BROKEN GLASS

A cracked or broken candle glass is a stronger sign, but its meaning depends heavily on what kind of work was being performed.

If the candle was intended for love, prosperity, healing, blessing, reconciliation, attraction, or another constructive purpose, broken glass may point toward disruption, resistance, or difficulty surrounding the work.

If the candle was being used specifically to break, remove, separate, drive away, or destroy an unwanted condition, the symbolism of broken glass may fit the purpose of the work more closely.

Even then, I wouldn’t automatically call it an easy or favorable sign.

Something forceful happened.

Read broken glass together with the purpose of the candle and everything else that appears in the finished burn.

REMEMBER THAT A CANDLE IS STILL A CANDLE

Spiritual interpretation is only one part of looking at a finished candle.

There are also ordinary reasons why candles behave the way they do.

Wicks can become too long.

Flames can lean.

Moving air can affect a flame.

Herbs and other materials used in dressing a candle can influence how it burns.

A candle can produce soot simply because of combustion.

For that reason, I don’t recommend making a frightening conclusion based on one small black mark.

When reading candles, repeated signs and larger patterns carry more weight than isolated imperfections.

A candle with heavy soot, considerable leftover wax, and several other difficult signs presents a much stronger picture of resistance than a candle with one little dark spot near the rim.

ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT THE CANDLE WAS FOR

The purpose of the candle is one of the most important parts of interpreting the finished glass.

The same sign can mean something different depending on what was being worked.

Black soot on a money candle could relate to debt, employment difficulties, financial circumstances, or resistance from a person or organization connected to the money.

On a love candle, the same soot might relate to emotional complications, another person’s reluctance, old relationship problems, conflicting desires, or outside interference.

On a cleansing candle, darkness that later clears may actually be encouraging. The work was intended to remove something, and the candle may be showing that process.

A difficult-looking protection candle may suggest that the protection work had something substantial to contend with.

Before interpreting any sign, come back to one question:

What was I asking this candle to do?

Then consider the glass in that context.

A DIFFICULT BURN DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN FAILURE

This is one of the most important things I can tell you about reading a finished candle.

Resistance isn’t the same thing as failure.

A candle can encounter a problem and overcome it.

That is why a candle that begins black and finishes clear can still be encouraging.

The candle showed you the obstacle, but it also showed movement beyond it.

The amount of a sign matters too.

A thin streak of wax isn’t the same as a large amount of wax left behind.

A little soot around the rim isn’t the same as a candle blackened from top to bottom.

Read what you see in proportion.

WHAT IF THE CANDLE SHOWS STRONG RESISTANCE?

There isn’t one answer that applies to every candle.

If the candle initially struggled but eventually finished with clear glass, it may be best to give the work some time before immediately doing anything else.

Not every candle needs to be followed by another candle.

If the glass remains heavily blackened, a considerable amount of wax is left, or several difficult signs appear together, you may decide that additional work is appropriate.

Sometimes repeating the original candle makes sense.

Other times, it may be better to deal with the obstacle first.

Depending on what the situation involves, that might include:

• cleansing
• uncrossing
• protection
• road opening
• obstacle removal
• strengthening the original work
• or simply allowing the situation more time before making another decision

More candle work isn’t always about doing the exact same thing again.

Sometimes the finished glass points you toward what needs attention next.

QUICK REFERENCE FOR YOUR FINISHED CANDLE

Clear glass with little or no wax remaining
Generally considered a clean and favorable burn with little obvious resistance.

Black soot at the top that later clears
Resistance appeared early but seems to have been worked through.

Black soot extending halfway down before clearing
The candle encountered stronger or more persistent resistance but eventually moved beyond it.

Black soot covering most or all of the glass
Strong or continuing resistance. The situation may require more attention.

Black soot concentrated near the bottom
Difficulty appeared late in the work or something may remain unresolved.

White soot
Traditionally associated with cleansing, purification, prayer, spiritual help, or communication.

Black soot followed by white soot or clear glass
Resistance followed by improvement, cleansing, or assistance.

White or clear glass followed by black soot
The situation appears to have become more difficult as the work progressed.

A very small amount of leftover wax
Usually a minor consideration, particularly if the rest of the candle burned cleanly.

A large amount of wax remaining
May indicate resistance, incomplete movement, or unfinished work.

Wax clinging heavily to one side
May point toward a particular area of the situation that hasn’t completely moved.

A clearly recognizable symbol or shape
Consider what the image means to you and how it relates to the petition.

Cracked or broken glass
A significant disturbance whose meaning depends heavily on what the candle was intended to accomplish.

LET THE CANDLE TELL THE WHOLE STORY

When I look at a finished 7-day candle, I don’t think of the signs as separate definitions in a dictionary.

I look at the movement of the burn.

How did it begin?

What happened along the way?

How did it finish?

Did darkness eventually clear?

Did a clean burn become more difficult?

Was the wax mostly consumed?

Were there several signs pointing toward the same conclusion?

Or was there only one small irregularity in an otherwise clean candle?

Put those things together.

The finished candle may give you insight into how the spiritual work moved, but it doesn’t take away human choice, circumstances, timing, or the actions of the people involved.

Use the photograph of your candle as something to reflect on rather than something to fear.

The signs may help you better understand the work that was done and, when necessary, consider what your next step might be.

Reverend Roy
Healing Amulet
www.healingamulet.com