Dear Karen,

Is it good to use scented candles for Space Clearing?

- A.I., USA

Karen's reply:

It is horrifying how difficult it now is to buy plain candles in certain parts of the world. This is especially the case in the USA where most shops only have artificially scented ones. Like poor quality incense, these are totally counter-productive when used for Space Clearing, as they will drag the energy in your home down rather than enhancing it. They are also full of noxious chemicals you don't want to breathe!

Aromatherapy candles, made with pure essential oil, do not have these side-effects but are not helpful for Space Clearing. They can be used to help maintain the energy of your home at high level afterwards but during the ceremony the most effective aromas are from incense, not candles. Of the hundreds of kinds I have personally tested, Nitiraj Nagchampa and Basilica incense are the best. You can find information about these at the Online Store section of this website.

So for Space Clearing use plain white unscented T-light candles of the highest quality you can get. Beeswax candles are preferable to paraffin-based ones, and be sure to use zinc-wicked candles, never leaded ones (the way to test is that an unburned lead wick will leave a pencil-like mark if rubbed on a piece of white paper).

A study performed by Public Citizen (a nationwide group that studies environmental safety issues in the USA) states, "Just burning a lead-wicked candle for three hours may lead to concentrations of lead in the air that are nine to 33 times higher than those acceptable under federal guidelines."