Color plays an important part in the lives of all human beings perhaps a far more important role than many even realize. As magickal/spiritual people, we probably pay more attention to color than many do.
Color often has special importance in our seasonal and ritual observances. Certain colors may denote our level of training or accomplishment within a coven or other group. Many traditions have color associations that relate to elements, direction, seasons, sabbats, deities and so on. Ceremonial magicians as well as others who adhere to the Western esoteric traditions follow very defined systems of color correspondence in their workings.
But what of spell craft? There are many types of ingredients for spells and other magickal workings that are often chosen for their color such as candles, charm bags, magickal inks and so on. The modern practitioner has at his or her hands multitudes of books and internet sites that lay out color correspondence systems. These systems are often based on the same esoteric traditions that are favored by ceremonialists while others are based on different cultural or ethnic traditions and then there are those that are a mish-mash of all of the above.
It is true that for some the certainty and safety of following a chart may be desirable and even sufficient for the type and amount of work the practitioner is doing. In my opinion these correspondence charts are great reference tools especially for beginners but they are by no means absolute. Certainly when we are starting off on this path we all rely to a greater degree on correspondence charts that we find published on the net or in any number of books on spell crafting but as we gain experience and confidence in our work we should rely less and less on them. I am not suggesting that these charts are in any way ineffective or incorrect. Quite the opposite in fact; they are most probably very effective for those who published them, but that is no guarantee that they will be as effective for you.
There are general color correspondences that are perhaps adequate especially for more general types of workings but as we human beings are complicated creatures so are our desires and intentions in relation to our magickal work. For instance most people would agree that in general red and pink are a good colors for love spells and workings. On the other hand there are many types of love and many ways that a crafter might approach a love working. While red or sometimes pink are the generally accepted colors for love magick, I have myself found reason to use burgundy, magenta and white.
Another good example is that in America, the color most often associated with prosperity work is green, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that our money is green. In many other places gold or yellow are the accepted colors because they represent the precious metal gold that is so universally considered to be representative of wealth. While I often use green and gold for these types of workings, depending on the way in which I am trying to achieve prosperity I have also used orange, red and blue.
As a cunning woman I am bound by no set tradition of color correspondences when it comes to crafting. I have over the years worked with many types and versions of color magick and while this knowledge does influence my workings it by no means dictates it. Sometimes my choice for color correspondence might be influenced by planetary associations, elemental correspondences, and different cultural or ethnic traditions or simply by intuition. In fact there are times when I don’t even have to think about it, it is simply clear to me which color is appropriate.
How colors affect us and therefore affect our spell work is at least in part a product of all that we have experienced and believed in over the course of our lives. Since each person is indeed an individual it only makes sense that you not be restricted in your color choices by the associations and correspondences of others.
When designing a spell or other magickal working do not be afraid to make color choices that seem right to you. I definitely recommend that each practitioner be at least familiar with the many traditional systems of color association but I also encourage each practitioner to allow themselves the freedom to choose colors for candles, charm bags and all of the other possible parts and accoutrements of spell work based on intuition and preference.
Happy Crafting
Raven
Raven’s Flight The Magickal Apothecary
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