Candle Safety

Ok folks, I've heard a lot of interesting stories about candles. Let's face it, candles can be dangerous. We require them in our magickal lives, and this means that we need to take adequate precautions with them. Ok, I know a lot of you are saying "Wow, this stuff is for kids, I don't need to read this". It's not, and you should. Adults get careless. I've seen houses burned down, bad burn scars, and the list goes on...

This is by no means a complete course on fire safety, and should not be your only information on dealing with fire. I highly recommend that you talk with your local fire department about a fire safety course, especially if you have open flames in the home (Gas stove, candles, fireplace, etc.).

They told you so...
Almost all candles have a warning label or two on them. Read these labels! These labels are there because the candle companies don't want to get sued (some are may be required by law). Some candles have special burning limitations (usually a period of time). These are important! If they are not followed, the candle can get too hot, and the wax may not behave as desired. Novelty candles may have other limitations as well because of their shape or the type of wax used. Read the labels!

General candle safety tips

1. Never leave a burning candle unattended
2. Never place a burning candle near something that can catch fire
3. Keep burning candles out of the reach of children or pets
4. Keep candles away from drafts and vents
5. Trim wicks to 1/4" prior to each use
6. Normally don't burn candles more than four hours at a time
7. Extinguish taper or pillar candles when they get within 2" of their holders
8. Always use containers that have been made for candle usage
9. Discontinue use of a container candle when 1/2" of wax remains
10. Keep matches, wick trimmings and foreign objects out of the candle wax

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Tibetan Sage
Carl Gustav Jung - On Life After Death
Frater Achad - Chalice Of Ecstasy
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Candlelight

The Practical Pagan Commonsense Guidelines For Modern Practitioners

Book: The Practical Pagan Commonsense Guidelines For Modern Practitioners by Dana Eilers

Offers suggestions, hints, and down-to-earth help for seekers and believers of Paganism to understand and find their place in the community. Included are discussions about what it means to be Pagan, getting involved in the Pagan community, myths about Paganism, and coming out of the broom closet. The book also gives valuable Information about choosing a specific path, joining an organization and deciding to be a solitary practitioner. The book also contains common sense guidelines of conduct, Paganism and the family, love and Relationships and educating yourself about Paganism. This book encourages all seekers and followers to follow their own inclination and it will serve as a guide and a resource to those just starting out or those who are still seeking answers.

Finally, a book that deals with the realities of being pagan in a mundane world. Bravo to Ms. Eilers for taking the time and energy to put a lot of very valuable reference material together in one place and make it available to everyone. For those not familiar with Dana Eilers, she is a witch, she is a lawyer. She has worked for legal council for such groups as WARD, AREN and WADL. She has put in "years" of voluntary time to various Pagan/Witch/Wiccan groups as legal council as well as just time spent helping bring order to a chaotic situation.
Her book does the same thing. While we are all aware of our spiritual paths, we do encounter legal entanglements that may or may not be of our own making.

In those Things That we mess up for ourselves, Ms. Eilers offers advice and council as to how to unmake those messes and avoid them in the future. Much of it is common sense, hence the name of the book. In those cases where our problems may be because of the religious path we choose to follow and are being either discriminated against or denied our rights, Ms. Eilers has placed chapter and verse of the law at our fingertips, to enable us to understand, in plain English (my goodness, a lawyer who speaks plain English, how unique and so definitely Pagan!) what our options are, where to seek council and material to provide any legal representative we may choose to aid us.

There is way too much material in this book (another plus for Ms. Eilers, she didn't cheap out on the information) to even try to recap the book. Everything from definitions of key words to meeting and greeting other pagans to proper behavior with pagans and with the mundane world.

Yes, this is a must have on your library shelf!!!! I would love to have several copies I could give away to some of the people I meet everyday in the pagan world, just so I pass along the common sense some people don't use that the Goddess gave them.

If nothing else, give this book a serious read. Ask at your local libraries and make sure they get a copy and keep it in stock. It is a much needed book in our community and will prove to be a valuable tool to the community over the years.

Buy Dana Eilers's book: The Practical Pagan Commonsense Guidelines For Modern Practitioners

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Peter Carroll - The Magical Pact Of The Illuminnates Of Thanateros
Scott Cunningham - Living Wicca A Further Guide For The Solitary Practitioner
Nathan Johnston - The Devil And Demonism In Early Modern England
Scott Cunningham - Wicca A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner