Sympathetic magic is a type of magic that is based on the idea that things that have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed.
In Man, Myth and Magic we read that sympathetic magic is a:
“Term coined by Sir James Frazer, in The Golden Bough for the principle that ‘things act on each other at a distance through a secret sympathy’; combining two basic assumptions of magical thinking, the principle of mimicry, ‘that like produces like, or that an effect resembles its cause,’ and the law of contact, ‘that things which have one been in contact with each other contrive to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed.’”
This would explain why people continue to buy things (like bathwater) that have been in physical contact with a certain person.
The power of sympathetic magic can be seen in many different ways. One way is through amulets or talismans, where a person would carry an object with them for protection or luck. Another way is through symbols, where symbols are often used in rituals and ceremonies.
Sympathetic magic can also be seen as a form of primitive science, where people believed that they could control natural forces by using magical rituals and actions.
Types of Sympathetic Magic
There are many types of sympathetic magic, but here are some of the most common types:
1) Contagious magic: This type of magic is where an object or person represents another object or person. For example, you might have a doll representing your friend, and then you might do something to the doll (like send healing energies) to affect your friend in some way.
2) Imitative magic: This is when you do something to an object to achieve the desired outcome. For example, you might want to make it rain, so you might go outside and splash water around to try and create a rainstorm.
3) Homunculus magic: This type of magic where you create a miniature replica of a person or object. For example, you might make a tiny clay model of a person and then use it to try and influence the person in some way.
Everyday Evidence of Sympathetic Magic
It’s easy to find examples of this type of magic in everyday life, such as when someone wears the same perfume as their friend to get closer to them or when someone wears a shirt belonging to their significant other to feel more intimate and more connected.
Francoise Strachan (Natural Magic) shows that sympathetic magic was used thousands of years ago in cave art:
“Early man employed sympathetic magic in carving the animals of the hunt on cave walls. By capturing the animal pictorially, he symbolically gained power over his prey.”
Sympathetic magic can be found in many different cultures and religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Blood of Christ
Drinking wine in the Communion service is also a form of sympathetic magic as is explained in the Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology (Hans Holzer):
“Similarly, by drinking the blood of a god one might acquire his divine qualities. In the Christian Communion service the worshippers drink the wine which is symbolically the blood of Christ.”
Use of Dolls
A doll is a small, often humanoid figurine, typically made of cloth, wood, plastic, or porcelain, used as a toy or decorative object. Dolls have been around for centuries, and their use can be traced back to many ancient cultures. One of the most well-known examples of dolls as toys comes from the Japanese culture, where dolls are often seen as representations of children.
There are several different theories about why dolls are used as toys, but one of the most popular explanations is that dolls are thought to have magical powers.
This is known as sympathetic magic, which is the idea that objects can be used to influence events or people by using similar objects to represent them. For example, in some cultures, it is believed that putting a picture of someone you want to curse in your home will cause them harm.
Some people believe that dolls can be used for sympathetic magic because they resemble humans and can be used to represent people or specific body parts. This is thought to be especially powerful if the doll is made out of a material you are targeting is afraid of, such as cloth made from a dead person’s clothes. Some cultures also believe that dolls can store the soul of a person after they die.
