Black / Pluto

Pluto is the God of the Underworld (called Hades) and of Death.

Pluto is also, for reasons that will become apparent, a God of Abundance.

Pluto is often depicted with a sickle or reaping hook and is associated with the color black.

Although not one of the twelve Dii Consentes (the major deities in the Roman pantheon), he is nonetheless so significant and well-known that I would be remiss if I didn’t include him in this candle burning series.

Unlike a goddess such as Juno, Vesta or Venus, or a god such as Jupiter, Vulcan or Mars, the dark god Pluto (sometimes called by the Greek Hades) can be a bit harder to understand and connect with. He is more detached, more unmovable—like death itself.

Yet despite his shrouded nature, Pluto reveals himself to all in their time. As the ancients knew, he is the one god every human is destined to meet.

As you watch the burning of this black candle, one dedicated to Pluto and illuminated by Vesta (because the flame is always Vesta), you may wish to think about the things that Pluto represents—primarily the end of something.

This doesn’t have to be the end of life—although it can be—but can be the end of anything, whether a relationship, a certain time or phase of your life, a job, a dream, whatever.

There are many endings in life before we reach the ultimate ending. We need to accept and find meaning with each one.

So as the flame burns and the black wax melts, do that—let your thoughts and emotions float to the “endings” in your life, whether past, present, imminent or eventual. Relax and settle into your intuition, looking for meaning in each ending, and also looking for peace and acceptance.

Don’t let fear cloud this process and don’t fear Pluto, either. Despite his fearsome presence, the ancient Romans never regarded him as an evil god. A dreaded one, perhaps, but the eternal cycle of life—that cycle represented by Vesta’s eternal flame—could not happen without the divine work of Pluto. After all, each ending sparks a new beginning.

In fact, there are some endings—even ones we strongly resist or dread—that actually compel us to begin something new, or to begin again, and to live a better life.

A person who fought getting a divorce, for example, may discover it was the best thing that ever happened to them. The death of a miserable marriage, and the freedom that comes with that, may breathe new life into them and give them an opportunity to recreate themselves. It’s the same thing when a person is fired from a job they hate. Although initially upsetting and scary, it might prompt them to go back to school or start their own business and have a much happier and more fulfilling professional life.

Pluto is also a god of abundance. That’s because everything that has ever lived eventually enters his domain. Plus, the abundance of life on Earth takes root in his abode. Every tree in the Amazon, every blade of grass a sheep grazes on, grew from a seed planted below the Earth, one that rose up and out of the black soil to reach into the blue sky.

There is much life below us...not just seeds and roots, but the lives of those we love, who have gone before.

These are some of the things you may want to keep in mind, to emotionally work through, as you watch this dark candle burn.

As with all the candles in this candle-burning series, this black Pluto-dedicated one burned with the characteristics of the god it is associated with. Before the wax started to melt, tiny ash-like particles fell down from the candle. That wasn’t something that happened with any of the other candles. Later, little ember-like points of light could be seen on the burning wick. The appearance of these ash and ember qualities instantly made me think of a funeral pyre.

Come back to this candle burning video whenever you need to reflect upon or embrace the aspects of Pluto, always tapping into your intuition to better understand yourself, to make peace with the past, to find perspective, inspiration and guidance in the present, and to feel hope for the future.

Go to the All Gods Candle Readings page or visit the Homepage