Lately, I have been asked a lot of questions in the Psychic Realm chatroom about "ceromancy". That is the fine art of reading a situation by studying the way a candle burns. Are the flames leaping high? Is the wax sizzling and crackling and popping? What does it mean when the flame goes out?

Many people in the Realm over the last year have become avid candle-burners and realized quite instinctively that the way a candle is behaving is often a mirror of the situation as it presently exists and its outcome. It is, after all, one of the world's most ancient forms of divination. The leaping and reaching candle flames are seen to represent the souls of the individuals involved in the situation being read. For instance, one member, the other day asked me what it meant when the wax from the candle she was burning for love melted into the shape of a heart. Anyone who is used to reading wax drippings knows that is extremely good news and probably means the other person is thinking of you.

Another phenomenon that I am constantly asked about is what I call "accelerated magic." This is when a candle, that usually lasts about four hours, starts smoking and seems to burn down very rapidly …like in about fifteen minutes. This is usually good news and means that your prayer or request will probably be answered quite rapidly. If the candle was being burned for protection of some kind, it means that there was more than likely some kind of invasion or attack that the spirits decided to take care of as fast as possible.

In general, when you first light the candle, if the candle starts smoking quite heavily right away that is a very good sign. It means that negative energy is being removed from the situation. If the smoke is white, it means your prayers will be answered right away. If it is black, your prayer will probably be answered, but it is possible there will be obstacles in a way. You have to use your gut instinct if the flame doesn't smoke at all. Sometimes that can mean there are no obstacles and other times, it means that the matter is long over. A clear, strong flame that burns steadily is a good sign that the candle is sending out a great deal of power and energy to manifest what you want. If it is small and more ball shaped than teardrop shaped, it is less likely that your prayer will be answered. A weak or low flame means you are facing some "heavy" opposition.

Staring at a flame is a great way of telling you if your magic is working. It never ceases to amaze me how a flame will seem to grow higher or grope for more air the more you meditate upon it. You can also do some divination by looking straight into the heart of the flame - the blue center that is surrounded by the orange halo. A healthy flame has a bright red core, surrounded by a blue halo and then a yellow colour. A blazing red center tells you that spirits are getting to the heart of the matter. A red center that is dim or just a pinpoint reveals a situation that may not be motivated by the heart. If the wick of the candle starts building a little bulb at its tip, chances are that you have opposition or a third party working against you. If there is a lot of blue in the flame, I take that as a sign that angels and spirits are protecting you from a possibly unhappy outcome.

Jumping, leaping and steadily rising flames are an excellent indication that spirits are fighting the obstacles that are in your way. This can be quite fascinating to watch, especially if the flame is really jumping and you are burning a candle that is intended to fight another's will. If the flame is really protesting, so is the person and sometimes this is your cue to put the candle out. If the candle makes sizzling, hissing or popping sounds, this is also a sign that some kind of spiritual warfare is taking place. If it scares you or doesn't feel right put the candle out. However if it feels like obstacles are being destroyed or eliminated then enjoy the show.

If you are burning a love candle and a second flame develops from an ash then I consider that to be a bad sign. It means you have a rival. If you are burning two candles that are supposed to represent two different individuals, it is not a great omen if one of the candles burns away to the bottom much faster than the other does. That is often a sign that your timing is off in the relationship or it is not meant to be.

If the candle smoke wafts towards you it means that your prayer is more than likely to be answered. If it wafts away from you, then it means that you will need a great deal of perseverance in order to have your prayer answered. According to author Reverend Ray T. Marlborough If the smoke blows to your left "you are getting too emotionally involved with the situation and are in danger of subconsciously sabotaging your own prayer so that it will not be answered. If it blows to the right you will need to use your head rather than your emotions to pursue the situation."

The way a candle unfolds or deconstructs as it melts can be very significant. It is wonderful when the candle seems to collapse outward or unfold like a flower. I consider that to be a sign that your wish will be granted. It represents possibilities and paths opening for you. A candle that is too lopsided in one direction or another, universally means that you are dealing with a situation that is way out of balance. If the flame is buried by the wax, to me that is often a sign that the wish will not be granted.

Reading wax drippings is a totally intuitive matter. It is similar to reading tea leaves. Some shapes are obvious, like the heart, which obviously represents love. Wax drippings may form in shapes that mean something very personal to you - a totem animal for example. A good general reference book to buy that tells you the meaning of a lot of shapes, common symbols and animals is Talismans and Amulets by Felicitas H. Nelson.

Perhaps one thing to remember when you purchase a candle is that you cannot read the drippings of a candle that is made of paraffin or that is marketed as "dripless". Go for a candle made of messy natural wax or beeswax, as they are the ones that tend to reveal the most astral information.