Astral Projection and Candles
By Eliza Yetter
(written in 2003 / revised 2007)

I've read a number of recommendations for the use of burning candles while practicing astral projection and I have shuddered each and every time.

As a mother of two children and the slave of several cats, burning candles is something I approach with great caution.

First, if you will be burning a candle while out-of-body, make sure that nothing is close to or above the flame. This advice may sound like common sense and yet a friend of mine managed to set fire to her shower curtain while meditating in the bathtub. Another friend actually set fire to his shower wall when he had a burning candle on the soap dish in the stall!

Second, never burn candles where cats can get to them.

Years ago I went into my bedroom, closed my door to keep the cats out, lit a candle, and began my relaxation exercises. As I was slowly entering a meditative state, a cat crawled out from under the bed, jumped up onto my dresser, and knocked my candle onto the floor. That was the last time I have ever lit a candle for meditation or astral projection.

Candles can be our greatest ally when performing spell and ritual work but they can quickly become an enemy of life when left unattended.

If you feel that you need visual mood enhancers for your meditation and astral practices, look into purchasing either a lava lamp or a simple nightlight with a colored bulb. Some people even put up a string of lights around their walls to help create a meditative atmosphere.

Be safe folks!