DIY: Orange Oil Lamp

Oil lamps have been used in conjure a lot longer than candles. They're cheaper and more practical than candles, especially for ongoing work. You can add to them and modify them over time and really grow their influence. If you're interested in more lamp work, I have another DIY oil lamp post coming up which I think even die-hard candle addicts will love.

A friend of mine showed me how to make these. I mean, in conjure we just use glass oil lamps, but how amazing is this? These orange lamps are especially great for love and any kind of attraction, be it money, luck, or love. I just love sweet orange, it's so sunny and bright and clean. I am never without orange zest, orange blossom water, orange blossoms, and even orange blossom honey.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
-One orange
-Knife
-Oil, either olive or some kind of vegetable oil
-Grapefruit spoon (optional)
-Herbs, roots, dried flowers, minerals, condition oils,etc
-Personal concern(s), petition paper (optional)

1) Begin by slicing your orange in half, being careful not to sever the column of pith that runs through the middle. This will be your wick:

2) Remove the top. Either peel it first and eat the fruit or, if you've a steady hand, carefully separate the peel from the fruit with your grapefruit spoon. Some people make a lid with the top, a bit like a jack-o-lantern, but I didn't include that in this tutorial.

3) Next, scoop out the fruit in the bottom.

Remember to keep your "wick" in tact. Scoop out all the wet flesh, especially everything surrounding your wick. This is where having a grapefruit spoon really comes in handy. Be careful not to puncture the peel.

4) Set it to dry for about an hour. If you try to fill and light it too soon, it will be too wet to light. If you are really impatient, I guess you could just snip out the pith wick and stick in some cotton wicking.

(I evened up the sides after I looked at this picture.)

5) Add your herbs, roots, oils, etc, and fill with either olive oil or some kind of vegetable oil, taking care to leave about 1/2" of space between the top of the oil and the brim. Don't overload it with "stuff", you don't want a mass of roots and herbs that will catch fire and turn your lamp into a fireball. I have included cassia, myrrh, Queen Elizabeth root, sugar (a bit), and two appropriate condition oils in mine. You can add personal concerns such as a piece of a strand of hair or a drop of bodily fluid, but I never advise loading petition papers into candles or open lamps. Place them safely underneath. You can always write your petition directly on the orange or carefully carve it into the peel, like a candle.

6) The procedure of starting a lamp is not too different from starting a candle. You still say your prayers and speak to Spirit and light it when it's ready. Try using long-handled matches or a utility lighter as it takes a little bit to get the wick going.

 (It's not actually an inferno in there, that's just the reflection off the oil.)

That's all there is to it! For safety reasons, you should never leave an oil lamp burning unattended, but... you can place them in a large metal tray with at least 2" of sand for safety. I wouldn't leave an orange lamp burning unattended even with sand, however. While warmed orange peel smells amazing, burnt orange is horrible.