To get us learning our correspondences, I thought I would begin with a few brief lessons, then move on to a weekly �what are the magical correspondences of this� quiz.  Please feel free to ask any questions.

Correspondences�Lesson 1

What is a correspondence?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Function:
noun
Date:
15th century
1 a: the agreement of things with one another b: a particular similarity c: a relation between sets in which each member of one set is associated with one or more members of the other � compare function 5a
2 a: communication by letters ; also : the letters exchanged b: the news, information, or opinion contributed by a correspondent to a newspaper or periodical

Although the first definition is probably not such a surprise to you, you may be interested to know that both definitions are useful for our understanding of correspondences in magic.

As we most commonly use it in magic, a correspondence it one thing (object, substance, etc.) which is related to or in harmony with another thing.  They are said to share common characteristics.  In magic, we use an object with a particular characteristic to connect with similar characteristics in other objects.  Underlying this practice is the assumption that these shared characteristics are universal, are all connected, and can be manipulated. This is how the magical use of correspondences relates to the second definition�if you use a particular object in magic, your manipulations can be sent to manifest in an object with similar characteristics.  This is called thaumaturgy.  

What is the most common activity among witches, wizards, sorcerers, and wise-folk? They look for patterns and connections.  This is done both on the macro and micro level.  What is the relation between soil and where one herb grows? What is the relationship between how an herb looks and its use?  What is the relationship between when the herb blooms and the moon?  What is the relationship between the blooming and the seasons?  These are the types of questions we ask when we are trying to understand the magical properties of an herb � we are trying to understand the relationship between it and everything else in the world.  It is in these connections and relationships that we make magic happen and become wise.

In the next section, I will talk about the more specific correspondences used in magic.

Correspondences-Lesson 2
What are the basic categories of correspondences?

Now that we have a basic idea of what a correspondence is, let us move on to which ones most commonly are used in magic.  I say "most commonly used" because there are as many correspondences as there are relationships in the world; we use only a few basic models in most Western magical practices. The most common Western correspondence categories are as follow:

Planets: In ancient traditions, each visible celestial body was believed to correspond with various elements and processes of existence.  The study of this is astrology.  Astrology has changed over time due to cultural diffusion, new astronomical discoveries occurred, and so forth.  Therefore, although it is an ancient tradition, it would be presumptuous to argue that the human interpretation of the planetary correspondences has gone unchanged.

Seasons: The four seasons experienced in temperate climates are believed to correspond with particular characteristics.  The seasons are viewed as being in motion in a cyclical pattern, thus are all entwined.

Months: Many of the months in the modern Western calendar correspond with a particular deity.  

Days: The magical meaning of days may vary according to what magical system you are using.  The most common correspondence for days is according to ruling deities, but one can additionally use the Hebrew Bible creation story of  G-d�s creation of the Universe as a magical model for the days of the week as well.

Colors: All colors are thought to travel along certain paths of energy that correspond with particular processes and elements.  I have found that how colors are classified may vary according to cultural background.

Elements: In most modern forms of witchcraft, the four elements are earth, air, fire, and water. Spirit or soul is often added as a fifth element.  All materials are believed to contain these elements, and each element is associated with particular characteristics and processes.

I could go on and on, but will stop here for the time being.  The competent spell caster will take in to consideration and exploit as many correspondences as possible in their works. Correspondences fine-tune the spell and add an extra kick to our magic.  

If you are worried that spell casting has gotten a lot more complicated after reading this, do not feel intimidated.  You can perform magic without using correspondences, it is just the difference between manifesting exactly what you want versus exactly what you have asked.  

The correspondences not only allow us to express ourselves more accurately to the Universe, but allow us to understand the Universe and its relationships more precisely.  

In the following sections, I will go over the basics of each correspondence model so that we will have a better idea of when and how to use them.