I hear and see the term sympathetic magick quite often these days. When I first stepped on to the path of witchcraft so many years ago, I was told that there are many different types or ways to use magick. I didn’t know all the terms or names of the different ways, but I knew I used wish magick a lot. I used sympathetic magick on occasion and didn’t even realize it. Whenever I grabbed up my green, lucky rabbit’s foot or put on my lucky socks before a game, I was using sympathetic magick.
Think of this; a spell that flows with the current of the universe is one that actually comes from your heart. Magick works when what your heart seeks is aligned with your mind and the universe. When all is in agreement and it is all flowing together like a symphony or the river, then it will manifest the way you envision it. Sympathetic magick is based on the belief or the assumption that like will attract or affect that which is like.
One example of using sympathetic magick is when I stated my desire to attract money then I placed patchouli leaf in the compartment of my purse that holds my money. The scent, looks, feel of patchouli all remind me of money, love, attraction, prosperity and success. Whenever I opened my purse I could smell the patchouli. I believe that patchouli will attract love and money.
It is an object (the patchouli) and an action (putting patchouli in the money spot of my purse) together to work toward a specific goal (attracting money).
Using correspondences such as colors of candles, moon phases, colors and meanings of planets, herbs, stones and other objects are one way of using sympathetic magick. It is the meaning you put on these things that make it work for you. The object has to hold meaning for you in order for it to work. That is why a pink, heart-shaped rose quartz stone helped in a matter of love. It was the meaning that we put on that particular stone that gave it its power for our spell.
Lighting a candle of a specific color that means something to you that has been inscribed with a rune symbol that coincides or corresponds with the meaning of the candle then burning the candle to manifest a desire or affect something is sympathetic magick. Most spells used today are sympathetic in its very nature. It is symbolism and action together. The more you use the symbolism then the more power the object will hold for you. The meaning of an item and the action you take creates the power it has for you. The more you use the meaning the more powerful the object becomes.
Imagery and symbols such as Runes or sigils also hold power through their meanings. The power is in the symbolism they hold for you. The purpose of using sympathetic magick is so the mind and imagination actually believe and the goal or desire will manifest more easily. Belief is the Giant part of the success in magick. It works on the Psyche. When doing a spell or using magick, keep in mind that magick works best when it is used for the basis of self-healing, self-change, and self-growth.
Keep in mind that using an herb or a specific color that has no meaning, will not work for you. It must be attached to a meaning. It is what the object means to you that makes it an effective tool. For example, for me, lavender means love and protection. If I burn lavender I will attract love, it will aid in the healing of matters of the heart and will add psychic protection from those who seek to cause me harm. Because it holds this meaning I will use this herb in medicine bags that are intended for healing emotions, sachets to draw in love or positive feelings or I will burn it while I profess my commitment in a commitment ritual or handfasting. Because it holds that meaning for me it has the power to do all those things in my life with my intentions in my spells.
Use the items and their meanings that feel right and work for you, after all, it holds your meaning that gives it power.
