I have a question about anointing candles. I have one of those small votive candles you get at Walmart for $7.00. I plan on using this candle as a spell to get a girl I have a crush on to notice me. When I anoint the candle do anoint the candle upward or downward? Since I'm using a small candle should I add just enough to cover my finger tip?
There's several ways you can anoint a candle. The way I was taught was that you anoint from the bottom to the middle then from the top to the middle. You want just enough oil to cover the tip of your finger, otherwise it'll cause problems, like the oil catching on fire (!!!).
Beliefs on anointing candles can vary. Some people would advise to anoint top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top depending on if you're manifesting or banishing, and that direction, again, changes sometimes depending on an individual's own opinion. For example, some might consider top-to-bottom as manifesting or invoking because it's coming from the flame or aether to the earth or present, while another may see it as banishing as it's sending energy from the point of change or manifestation (the flame) to the earth, thus grounding the energy.
You mention it's a votive. If it's in a jar, I've seen this: People will anoint only the top of the wax inside the jar, running their finger around the inside of the jar clockwise or counter-clockwise depending on their desires with the working. More often, people consider clockwise to be invoking and manifesting, and counter-clockwise to be banishing.
The process of dressing a candle depends on the tradition, you will need to decide for yourself based on your path or your beliefs which technique works best for the situation.
There are many different ways:
From the bottom to the top, to remove something.
From top to bottom, to attract something.
Middle up and Middle down for general workings
Some people do the reverse:
Bottom to Top to attract something
Top to Bottom to remove something.
Honestly, it all depends on your tradition, and beliefs. The key thing is that you feel it is the right thing to do for that working. Someone may do it one way, but for you it might not feel right, everyone and every tradition has their own techniques.
