Sympathetic magic, also known as Imitative magic, is a type of magic in which the ritual performed imitates the real actions or results that you wish to bring about. Forms of this magic include: candle magic, poppets, and water with a broom to bring rain. The most common form of this type of magic is candle magic.
Candle Magic:
The earliest forms of candle magic were dated back to about 25,000 years ago to the Paleolithic era.
In this type of magic, candles represent one of four things: people, things, emotions or influences. The candle is influenced or focused upon by the caster to influence or change one of the previously listed items.
The following list of candle colors is used when working magic involving emotions or influences. (This list can also be found in the "Correspondences Class" thread.)
White : Protection, purification, peace, truth, and sincerity.
Red : Protection, strength, health, vigor, lust, sex, passion,courage, exorcism.
Black : Absorbing and destroying negativity, healing diseases,and banishing.
Light Blue : Tranquility, healing, patience, happiness.
Dark Blue : Change, flexibility, the subconscious mind, psychic work, and healing.
Green : Finances, money, fertility, prosperity, growth, luck, and employment.
Gray : Neutrality.
Yellow : Intellect, attraction, study, persuasion, confidence, and divination.
Brown : Working magic for animals, healing animals, and the home.
Pink : Love, honor, and friendship.
Orange : Adaptability, stimulation, and attraction.
Purple : Power, healing diseases, spirituality, and meditation.
Candles that represent people:
The candle colors that represent people are based on their birth date and their zodiac sign.
Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18, Primary: Blue, Secondary: Green.
Pisces, Feb 19-Mar 20, Primary: White, Secondary: Green.
Aries, Mar 21-Apr 19, Primary: White, Secondary: Pink.
Taurus, Apr 20-May 20, Primary: Red, Secondary: Yellow.
Gemini, May 21-Jun 21, Primary: Red, Secondary: Blue.
Cancer, Jun 22-Jul 22, Primary: Green, Secondary: Brown.
Leo, Jul 23-Aug 22, Primary: Red, Secondary: Green.
Virgo, Aug 23-Sep 22, Primary: Gold, Secondary: Black.
Libra, Sep 23-Oct 22, Primary: Black, Secondary: Blue.
Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21, Primary: Brown, Secondary: Black.
Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21, Primary: Gold, Secondary: Red
Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19, Primary: Red, Secondary: Brown.
The candle for a specific individual can either be their primary candle color or both the primary and secondary colors. If you don't know the individual's zodiac sign or date of birth you can use a white candle instead.
The candle that represents the practitioner or the individual that the spell is being performed for is called the "Petitioner candle." This candle is anointed with oil and then lit. A chant or verse is usually said while lighting the candle in order to set the candle's intended purpose, which is also visualized while saying the chant or verse. The candle can then be left to burn out.
An example of this would be candle magic to help speed the healing of an ill loved one. Light the Petitioner candle and name the intended individual in your verse or chant. You can then light a red candle for health and black candle curing of illness. Set the Petitioner candle in between the red and black candles. Continue to say your chant and as you do, slowly move the red candle toward the Petitioner candle to represent the individual increasing in good health. At the same time, move the black candle away from the Petitioner candle to represent the illness diminishing. Once finished you can either snuff out the candles or allow them to burn out on their own.
Source:
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Copyright 1988 By Scott Cunningham. All rights reserved.
Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Copyright 1993 by Scott Cunningham. All rights reserved.
The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-Paganism. - Written by Raymond Buckland.