Cord Cutting Candle Ritual

Have you ever been told that you need to "cut ties" to a person, place, or even a time in your life? Or have you ever felt stuck to something like an addiction, intrusive thoughts, or insecurities? Then it's time you consider performing a cord cutting.

Check out my instructional video here, or if you prefer article format, scroll past.

What is a Cord Cutting?

While this is merely one version, there are dozens of different types of cord cutting rituals. Some are much more simplistic--some are even done with nothing but visualization--while others are more elaborate. This one in particular happens to be very popular, partly thanks to TikTok but also because it is highly effective.

A cord cutting of any kind is a ritual used to energetically cut ties with another person (whether the relationship was romantic, friendly, familial, etc.), place, thought pattern, addiction, personal flaws you wish to work past, and so on. This can especially be helpful in situations where a binding ritual or other magick was performed to create a bond.

Keep in mind that while the results may mimic that of a banishing spell, the two are not quite the same thing. For an example, imagine you are handcuffed to your ex. A cord cutting ritual is the removal of the handcuffs. It may make it easier for either or both of you to distance yourselves or ignore each other. However, a banishing spell would put a wall between the two of you.

If you have tried one spell or the other and found that the person or situation you are trying to break away from keeps returning or the toxicity overall is incredibly strong, I recommend first performing a cord cutting, following up with a banishment, and then cleanse yourself and your energy of anything they may have left behind on you.

How to do the Cord Cutting Candle Ritual

Please note that for brevity, I will describe the instructions as if you are using this spell to cut ties with another person, but substitute as needed to make it suit your situation.

Ingredients

• 2 black candles or one white (for self) and one black (for the other person)

• String or twine

• Fire-safe plate or surface - a baking sheet or even a couple of layers of foil will work

• Carving tools

• Match or lighter

• (Optional) Items to dress or encircle the candles that represent banishing/cleansing such as salt, black salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, break up oil, vinegar, etc.

Instructions

• Timing: If you work with the phases of the moon, perform this on the waning or dark moon. This is not necessary, especially if you feel no attunement to the lunar cycles, but it may add a little extra gusto to your working.

• Carve your name into one candle and the name of the other person in the other.

• If you choose to do so, dress your candles. You may also want to encircle your candle with salt for extra cleansing and protection.

• Place the candles in candle holders approximately four inches apart on your fire-safe surface. If you do not have candle holders, you can melt the bottom of the candles and stick them to the surface by holding them in place until the wax rehardens. Please be sure your fire-proof surface is large enough to catch either candle, should one fall over. As always, never leave any burning candle unattended, but note that fixing them to the surface this way is more precarious than a candle in a holder.

• Tie the string or twine around the centers of the two candles, fastening them together. There should be some slack, but the twine should not drop more than an inch below where it is tied. (See picture for reference)

• Light each candle, and as you do so, focus on who or what each one represents. You may even choose to say aloud "I light my own fire, I light the fire of [other's name]."

• While they burn down, focus on the bond that you two have shared and how difficult it has been to break. Then visualize your life once you are free of that bond, what kind of relief and freedom you would feel.

• Allow the candles to burn all the way down to the bottom. Before that occurs though, one candle's flame will reach the cord and begin to burn through it which is when the official cutting of the cord will occur.

• Once the candles have finished burning, the spell will be complete. Some like to observe the burning of the candles and interpret meaning from the behavior of the flames and the speed at which the wax melts. On one hand, if you are worried about the other person lashing out at you, this might be important to divine so you are prepared. On the other, if you're not worried about danger, I suggest you skip this step. You're breaking ties, so who cares how they react? It's like breaking up but then keeping an eye on social media, but there's even more here that is open to interpretation which can lead you to jump to conclusions. Best not to bother yourself with their thoughts and feelings anymore, in my honest opinion. Do the spell and then unless you need to follow it up with more measures like a banishing, just put them out of your mind.