• What do I do with the offering candle?

Many people new to the practice ask this question, so you’re not the only one! First, open the tin carefully because the adornments are loose (why they’re not embedded in the wax is answered below.) Next, put the adornments on an offering plate or small bowl and set it on the altar. Next, present the candle to the deity - just let him or her know the candle and the adornments are a gift for them. Light the candle for as long as you like but, do not leave the room while it’s lit, for safety. Read below for proper candle burning instructions.

• I’ve seen other candles that have adornments embedded in the wax. Why aren’t yours?

Our adornments are loose for a couple reasons. First, it’s our belief that in order for the deity to receive the energy from the offering, it should be accessible. For example, if you were to offer liquor, it should be left on the altar in an opened bottle or poured into a glass. The deity cannot access the energy of the offering if it’s in a sealed/unopened container. By transferring the adornments to an offering dish, the energy is readily accessible and, you’ll still have them as offerings even when the candle is finished. Secondly, besides being a potential fire hazard, embedded items can greatly affect the way the candle burns. Floating adornments or crystals can block oxygen to the flame thereby shortening the candle’s usefulness. We want you to get as much burn time from your purchase as possible!

• How do I burn the candle to avoid tunneling?

Tunneling is when the wax around the wick is at a level lower than the wax around the sides of the container, causing a “tunnel.” If this happens, when the candle is re-lit, the area around the wick will fill with melted wax and will likely extinguish the flame unless it’s poured out. Tunneling also reduces the life of the candle leaving a lot of unmelted, wasted wax.

To avoid tunneling, during the FIRST burn of the candle, the candle should remain lit for as long as it takes to melt the wax across the entire top of the candle. That’s called a melt pool. After the complete melt pool is acheived, extinguish the candle and let the wax harden. After this, you may light the candle for any amount of time, as many times as you wish, and it should burn without tunneling.

NOTE: the first burn to create the melt pool can take up to 3 hours for a 3”x2” tin. A rule of thumb is to allow an hour of burn time per inch of the candle’s width to achieve a melt pool.

If you don’t have time to wait for the first melt pool to form, you can help it along. First, extinguish the flame. Then, using a heat gun on a low setting or a hair dryer on a high setting, melt the remaining wax until most or all of the top of the candle is liquified.

• What are the candles made of?

The materials used for the candles are the very best we can afford as the deities and demons deserve the best offerings possible. We use a blend of soy and paraffin wax. This blend allows vibrant colors and a strong scent throw. The fragrance oils are synthetic blends which are the same used in well-known, branded candles. Our adornments are mostly organic herbs and flowers mixed with authentic crystals and precious metals. If your candle is adorned with silver and/or gold flakes, please note this is REAL silver and gold!

• Is there anything to know about the incense?

Yes! Incense should only be placed in or on glass, metal or ceramic dishes (preferably on top of sand) and incense burners. Though the oils are NOT harmful to touch, they can harm furniture finishes - particularly plastic and wood veneers - as well as leave an oil mark on paper. Avoid setting either sticks or cones directly on unprotected surfaces.

Backflow cones

To properly achieve a blackflow of smoke, the hole in the underside of the cone should sit directly on top of the hole on your special backflow burner. Sometimes the hole in the cone is not completely centered so some adjustment may be needed. Also, if you have a very small backflow burner, our cones may not fit well as they have a larger bottom than most cones.