Sympathetic Magick

« Back to Glossary Index

Sympathetic magick is a type of magic that involves acting upon an object that is separate from the target to affect the target OR bringing objects and actions that resemble the goal The term Sympathetic Magick was first coined by James Frazer in The Golden Bough. Frazer referenced two main principles of sympathetic magic, that of contagion and that of similarity.

Contagion

The principle of contagion suggests that when two objects are in contact with each other, they retain each other’s energetic imprint for some time. This is the theory behind taglocks and personal effects. These are items that were once part of the target or a spell; hair, nail clippings, blood, etc. Or were close personal items, such as items of clothing, or that were produced by them, such as handwriting. These items contain the energetic imprint of the target and thus can be used as a representation of the target in spellwork. Likewise, in certain traditions dirt and stones collected in certain locations may be used to bring the energy of those locations into spellwork. For example, graveyard dirt may be used to communicate with the dead or, if collected from a specific grave, attract a specific person who has crossed over into death. Another dirt or stone possibility includes bank dirt, which brings the energy of banking and business into a working.

Similarity

The idea of similarity suggests that items that “like attract like” or that a similar cause brings about a similar effect. Thus a ritual may act out the desired result or bring in items that represent the desired effect through color, shape, sound, or smell. Additionally, images of the target or the desired result may be crafted of some material deemed suitable. For example, a check drawn on paper and made out to the practitioner may be used to draw money. Likewise, a doll or poppet may be created in the image of the target and symbolically washed with herbal waters to bring about healing. This idea can also be seen in the doctrine of signatures; the idea that a plant can heal the organ it most resembles and in the idea of planetary and elemental correspondence that has given rise to correspondence tables. « Back to Glossary Index