The practice of divining by wax has been around since the times of the ancient Celts and then later ancient Rome. This practice is known specifically as Carromancy (wax reading) or Ceromancy (wax divining) Often wax divination was performed by pouring hot wax directly into a bowl of water. However, in more modern times, wax divination is often performed by observing the wax patterns of a burning candle. Although there are a thousand ways to interpret candle wax dependant upon your magical intentions, below we explore some of the ways wax divination can be conducted and then interpreted.

Caution!

Before doing any type of candle or wax divination make sure you are practicing safely. Be sure to avoid hazardous conditions, keep away from small children, and never ever leave a candle burning while you’re not home.

How To: 2 Methods

The more ancient method of wax reading requires the melting of wax in a vessel and then pouring it into a bowl of water. This method is thought to have originated with the Celts, most namely the Druids.

What You Will Need for Druidic Wax Divination:

Vessel: this can be a pot or a pitcher but needs to be able to withstand heat in order for the wax to melt. You can use a double boiler on the stove, two pots as a double boiler, a wax melter, or you can purchase a really cheap all-in-one crock pot with temperature control.

Supplies:

Wax: Wax can be ordered from a distributor or can come from a variety of places like old candles, crayons, or wax melts. The color of the wax should match the intention of your spellwork in whatever system of color magic you subscribe to. If you need a guide, check out our article on Candle Color Meanings.

The type of wax should also be taken into consideration. Paraffin and paraffin blended waxes will be harder than soy or beeswax though tend to be more toxic to the environment. Any wax will work for divination purposes but if you want to keep the wax once you have read it, you may want to opt for a harder wax. Softer waxes can be kept but the shapes that are formed will be more sensitive to temperature fluctuations and can change shape over time.

Heat Source: A heat source will be necessary to melt the wax for this method. Oven, stove, wax warmer, and open flame work great!

Scrying Bowl: Any bowl will work for this type of divination though if you have a scrying bowl, all the better. The bowl does not need to be dark necessarily depending on what color wax you are using. For example, you may want to go with a white bowl if you are using black wax. The important part is that any bowl you use needs to be able to withstand a bit of heat and needs to be something you don’t mind getting waxy.

Pen/Paper/Book of Shadows: Most witches like to record their workings in some fashion. You will want to write down, photograph, draw, or scrapbook (however you record your workings). Also, some people find it helpful to write down their intention for their wax reading if they have trouble focusing on a singular idea for long periods of time.

Instructions:

1. Cleanse the space in which you are going to perform your wax reading in whatever manner you like to cleanse. You can find ways to cleans your space in our article How to Cleanse and Charge Your Altar .
2. Focus on your intention in your mind and/or by writing it down on paper in your space. Keep your intention in mind as you select your wax type and color.
3. Fill your bowl 3/4’s of the way with water. Pro Tip: Using moon water, storm water, rain water, snow water, or any other magically charged water may add to your intention.
4. Melt your wax with any method that works best for you.
5. Carefully pour the wax into the bowl of water. You can use as little or as much as you’d like just be careful not to overfill the bowl.
6. Look at the wax for shapes, symbols, and drip patterns. Interpret these symbols in accordance with your intention and record what you see.
7. Dispose of your spell ingredients. Depending upon your intention, you may want to keep the hardened wax until your intention is manifest. For example: If you are doing attraction work you would want to keep the wax whereas if you are casting a hex you may want to bury the wax off your property (if it’s eco-friendly).

What You Will Need for Modern Wax Divination:

Supplies:

Candle: Most modern wax readers choose to read the wax as it descends from their candles. The reason for this is that most wax divination is combined with other forms of candle divination such as pyromancy that divines flame and smoke patterns. It is not essential but, this method works best with pillar candles that drip. Consider the color of the candle, as well, such as blue for healing or orange for energy.

Wax: As in druidic wax divination, wax can be ordered from a distributor or can come from a variety of places like old candles, crayons, or wax melts. If you don’t have time to wait for a candle to burn, this method provides quicker divination. The color of the wax should match the intention of your spellwork in whatever system of color magic you subscribe to. If you need a guide, check out our article on Candle Color Meanings .

The type of wax should also be taken into consideration. Paraffin and paraffin blended waxes will be harder than soy or beeswax though tend to be more toxic to the environment. Any wax will work for divination purposes but if you want to keep the wax once you have read it, you may want to opt for a harder wax. Softer waxes can be kept but the shapes that are formed will be more sensitive to temperature fluctuations and can change shape over time.

Heat Source: A heat source will be necessary to melt the wax for this method. Oven, stove, wax warmer, and open flame work great!

Divination plate: Any plate will work for this type of divination though if you have a dedicated candle magic plate, all the better. The important part is that any plate you use needs to be able to withstand a bit of heat and needs to be something you don’t mind getting waxy.

Pen/Paper/Book of Shadows: Most witches like to record their workings in some fashion. You will want to write down, photograph, draw, or scrapbook (however you record your workings). Also, some people find it helpful to write down their intention for their wax reading if they have trouble focusing on a singular idea for long periods of time.

Instructions:

1. Cleanse the space, just as in Druidic wax scrying. Again, you can find ways to cleans your space in our article How to Cleanse and Charge Your Altar .
2. Focus on your intention in your mind and/or by writing it down on paper in your space. Keep your intention in mind as you select your wax type and color.
3. Melt your wax with any method that works best for you. If using a candle, place your candle onto your divination plate. Pro Tip: I like to put wax paper or butcher paper on my divination plate as it makes it easier to peel the wax off in a singular piece rather than breaking your shape once the wax is melted.
4. Let the candle burn. The size of the candle will determine how long this process takes. If not using a candle, pour the wax directly onto your divination plate/wax paper.
5. Look at the wax for shapes, symbols, and drip patterns. Interpret these symbols in accordance with your intention and record what you see.
6. Dispose of your spell ingredients. Depending upon your intention, you may want to keep the hardened wax until your intention is manifest. For example: If you are doing attraction work you would want to keep the wax whereas if you are casting a hex you may want to bury the wax off your property (if it’s eco-friendly).

How to Read Candle Wax

Conducting a wax reading is not very different from reading cloud patterns or tea leaves. My best advice is to relax your eyes while looking at the wax until they become unfocused. If you are an 80’s/90’s baby just imagine you are looking at one of those old 3D posters. Once your eyes are unfocused, it’s amazing how many shapes and symbols will pop out at you.

Candle wax shapes, symbols and drip patterns can be interpreted in a million different ways depending on the answers your seeking. However, there are some that are pretty standard among different magical traditions. Below is a conglomeration of interpretation methods for ease of use. Pro Tip: Don’t just focus on the wax but focus on the negative space as well. Sometimes the best answers come from where the wax doesn’t touch vs. where it lands.

Wax Pattern Meanings

Wax Runs: The running of wax depends upon it’s direction and your intentions. If the wax runs down the candle and pools at the bottom forming a closed circle there is generally something blocking your work. A circle is something that doesn’t have a beginning or an end and thus your work cannot get in or out. If the wax is running outwardly away from the candle this symbolizes something leaving or being taken away. The exception to this rule is in attraction work. If you are trying to attract something to you and the wax runs away from the candle then your work is being blocked or hindered by something or someone.

No Wax Runs/No Wax on Plate:/No Leftover Wax: This is an excellent sign! If you burn a candle or pour wax into a bowl and there are no runs it means that your petition has been heard and will be answered quickly.

Leftover Wax in Container Candles/Wax on the Side: This is a sign to burn again because your first working is either incomplete or there is a blockage to your goal.

Candle Tunnelling: When the center of the candle hollows out and only the outside remains, this is called tunnelling. In wax divination, if all practical reasons such as a wick being too small can be ruled out, is a sign that there is a wall up or that there is something to be addressed that has not yet been considered.

Direction of Wax Flow: It is important when you look at the wax to determine which cardinal direction it is flowing. This can tell you what is required to manifest your goals and can also be an indicator of when things will manifest.

• North – if the wax flows north, practical applications and resources will be necessary for completion. This means you may need to acquire financing, help from others, or put in the physical work necessary. Flowing to the North is also an indication that this may take longer to come to fruition so patience is necessary. The north is also representative of midnight. If we were to interpret it in that context, northern wax flow may indicate the death of things or the gestation of things. The North represents winter and so a wax reading in a northern direction can also indicate that manifestation may come in the winter.
• South – if the wax flows south, creativity, motivation, and passion will be necessary for the completion of your working. This means you may need to brainstorm and take action to get the ball rolling. It may also suggest sex magic as a follow up working. The south is also representative of midday. If we were to interpret it in that context, southern wax flow may indicate the peak of something or a raising of energy and motivation is required. Things from the south come rather quickly and intensely. The South represents summer and so a wax reading in a southern direction can also indicate manifestation may come in the summer.
• East – if the wax flows east, communication and mental acuity will be necessary for the completion of your working. This means you may need to communicate your thoughts to others and engage your logic and reasoning skills over your emotional ones. The east is also representative of the dawn. If we were to interpret it in that context, eastern wax flow may indicate new beginnings and attraction. The winds from the east are the fastest moving and manifest almost immediately. Conversely, the East also represents spring and so a wax reading in an easterly direction can also indicate that manifestation may come in the spring.
• West – if the wax flows west, emotion and intuition may be necessary to complete your working. This means you may need to do some shadow working or consult other forms of divination for clearer answers. The west is also representative of the dusk. If we were to interpret it in that context, western wax flow may indicate something coming to an end or leaving something behind to walk towards something new. The west is slower and lazier and may indicate that some patience will be required to achieve your goals. The west represents autumn and so a wax reading in a westerly direction can also indicate the at manifestation may come in autumn.

Wax Additives

Most practitioners who perform wax divination do so during candle magic practices. As such, often when the candles melt, wax additives such as oils and herbs are present in the wax. Don’t discount additives when reading wax. Herbs can make patterns all on their own within the candle wax and provide deeper meaning and interpretation to your reading. If you are looking to add this level of depth to your wax reading, I would recommend using herbs like chamomile that are large enough to see clearly. While herbal powders can form shapes, they are much harder to see if they can be seen at all.

Sources

• The Book of Candle Magic: Candle Spell Secrets to Change Your Life by Madam Pamita
• Divination Conjure Style: Reading Cards, Throwing Bones, and Other Household Fortune Telling by Starr Cassas

Meet Resident Writer: Allorah Rayne

Allorah Rayne is a practitioner of witchcraft and has been part of the online spiritual community since 2012. She is a Virgo sun, Pisces moon, and Leo rising. Her introduction to tarot was at the age of nine and she pursued more intensive learning at fifteen. Allorah is the founder of The Wayfaring Witch © where she offers soul origin profiles, tarot and oracle card readings, and individualized mentorships in the ways of the witch. She is also the co-founder alongside Kitty of Burning Hallows Productions which produces The Otherworldly Oracle Official Podcast and Mimir’s Well podcast. You can contact Allorah at the following social media sites Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, on The Wayfaring Witch © website via live chat, or by e-mail at allorahrayne@gmail.com. Read Allorah’s last article for the Witches Cabinet on the magic of Bay Leaves.