Can you cast a spell without using candles?

Absolutely you can. A lot of spells do use fire it's true but there are many other ways to cast. You can utilise the other elements just as effectively. I favour using wind for worry spells - worries tied into knots and flung to the winds can be very effective. Water can also be a useful spell ally. I did a spell recently to get a friend away from a job she hated. I made a (biodegradable) wooden poppet and set it free in a river- it worked like a charm (witch joke there...). Earth can also be handy - I've buried secrets in jars that I don't want other people knowing about and even using the energies of the earth to cleanse the tools you use for your workings is spell crafting to some extent. 

Poppet work, charms and visualisation magic all fall into the non candle category. Spell work can actually be very simple - my apprentice uses a piece of paper with a clock face to influence time when she's bored at work and it works very well for her. Beware those spell books that say you have to work magic a certain way, they generally lack creativity. Magic can be worked just about anywhere and with just about anything and don't let any witch or spell book tell you otherwise! 

Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1409489 (gorand1983)

---