In hopes that you, dear reader, may be inspired to incorporate this song into some of your ritual work, I am sharing some thoughts about how that may be accomplished. It would honor the Crow Women greatly to know that others in the Pagan and Wiccan community find our music inspiring and useful.
First, please know that you can use verses and chorus separately if that’s best for your circumstance. The song, “Candle Flame” can be employed in both solitary and group ritual. You can also leave out the high harmony parts to simplify for a larger group, or have only some dedicated singers present the song to the rest. Printing out the lyrics would be useful for those who have not been able to listen and learn the song- and true, it’s fairly long with many parts! The lyrics to this song appear on this website at the end of my previous blog post: Candle Flame, part 1.
For a group ceremony, the candle lighting can take place at the beginning or part way through. You could light only the main altar candle while singing, or each member of the circle could approach the altar, light their individual candle, and step back into the circle, which will result in a bright surround of lighted candles, bringing illumination to the entire sacred space. Movement could be incorporated into the ritual, with reaching motions during the choruses (“reach for the stars”). Some members could indicate the directions during that particular verse, perhaps standing or moving in that direction, and even wearing clothing appropriate for each element. And, when you “banish indecision”, individuals can reach into the center holding the candles together, lifting high and sending the energy and light outward. Certainly different members of your group could sing the verses or choruses as solos.
The Crow Women use candle magic in our Imbolc ritual. We have 3 candles lit for the Triple Goddess, and honor Brede especially during this, Her time. We each approach the altar, kneel or sit, and light our individual, new, white candle as we make our dedication to the Goddess, our coven, each other and our individually chosen task and focus for the coming year. Our altar is aglow with light at the close of our Imbolc ritual!
I often perform solitary ritual, and always light my candle first. At this point, some or all of the song can be sung or even spoken as a poem or a chant. Depending on the purpose of your devotions, different verses of the song can be appropriate; feel free to adapt and modify as needed! I am inclined to use my initial candle lighting to then ignite my sage or incense, to smudge my sacred space and ask for the attention of the Goddess and God. Using a flame to skry is particularly fitting for solitary work- as you gaze into the candle flame, attend with all senses for the emotion, message, inspiration that you desire.
Whether group or individual ritual, the extinguishing of the candle is an important step. Do you have a method of putting out the flame on your altar? When the candle is extinguished, either with a snuffer or by your own sacred breath, consider bringing that flame into your heart to burn steadily until it joins the lighted candle in your next ritual. At this point, it is appropriate to say or sing the final line of the song… “The flame we share shines everywhere”.
I hope that you can find your own satisfaction while listening to, learning or singing Candle Flame.
The song Candle Flame will be part of our upcoming album for release later in 2019. Please help us raise the funds needed to bring the album to completion. Donate here!
Nice song… Really impressive. thanks a lot.