Back again with a Kitchen Witchery Basics post (if you missed the first one check it out here.) This is the second part of the topic I wanted to tackle last time but I had way too much to say apparently. The main goal of magick is to manifest a goal. In order to manifest a goal most spellwork requires both intention and correspondence (although as you will see in part 3 of this topic there is some leeway here, but I’m getting ahead of myself.) So our second topic is correspondence.
Merriam-Webster defines it best for our purposes with this definition: a relation between sets in which each member of one set is associated with one or more members of the other. If we look at it using this definition the first set is our ingredients and the second set is the outcomes or manifestations we’re working toward. An example would be basil in the first set and in the second set would be peace, love, luck, money, purification, protection and stress relief.
When we talk about correspondences the wording can go in a few different ways but this is the basis of what it means. Sometimes people will refer to the item as correspondence and the things it corresponds to as associations. Sometimes the concepts are referred to as correspondences. And sometimes the word is interchangeable for both. I generally fall into the first category and to be honest I’m not sure any of these could be considered the “right” terminology.
The main point I want to get across in this post for newcomers is that correspondences are super varied. If we continue talking about these in the two sets I used as the example above and talk about it using the first way in terminology (I know I’m getting a little confusing in my wording so hopefully you can follow along and I’m doing an okay job) we can expand on the idea a little further. I’m going to label the first set (Basil in the example) as correspondence and the second set (peace, love, luck, money, purification, protection and stress relief) as associations.
With my groundwork laid down let's get into it!
Correspondences can be things like: colour, ingredient, direction, temperature, texture, density etc. it’s basically anything that you can perceive with your mundane senses. We can also look at correspondences as types of energy which is why the terminology gets a little muddled but I’ve decided to group them below for the purposes of Kitchen Witchery.
Associations are divided into two types but essentially break down to one: the goals of the manifestation, things like: success, power, passion, creativity, health, happiness, protection, banishment, etc. it's basically anything that isn't tangible and is more about energy. This of course is a little grey as something like success may be measured in a tangible way but isn't something in and of itself.
The second way we look at associations is through a larger lens. We associate things with celestial bodies, elements, yin/ yang, masculine, feminine etc. but in the end these end up breaking down into the aforementioned associations. For example cinnamon is associated with the element fire but that energy gets broken down further into things like passion or quickness. As another example tomatoes are associated with Venus which is further associated with love.
The reason I think it's important to talk about these two types of associations in relation to kitchen witchery is that the basis of our correspondences is usually ingredients (and when it’s not it’s still usually something physical (like direction or flavour) so I feel this is the easiest way to get started. Whereas other spellwork might be scheduled by celestial bodies which would then make that celestial body the correspondence I find this less common in Kitchen Witchery (but not altogether unheard of.)
The other thing to look at when we use energies as associations is it’s an easy way for you to attach your workings to your practice in general. You may or may not work with celestial bodies or elements or deities. You may feel the terminology of masculine and feminine to not quite line up with your beliefs (I have a post idea for that brewing so if that's something you're interested in let me know and also feel free to send me your ideas and maybe I'll feature readers ideas in that post) There are loads of reasons why some of those things might not work for you but at the same time because you know the sun corresponds with fire which corresponds with passion you may still find the information useful to adapt it to your own practice. And on the flip side of that if you are super into one of those things, for example astrology, you can work with them stronger knowing basil is associated Mars and Oregano with Venus.
The final point I want to make is that you don't have to use all of the things! If you want to work specifically with colour magic you can! If you’re making a recipe to promote healing maybe you just want to throw in as many green ingredients as you can despite what the internet tells you are their traditional correspondences! I think often newcomers get overwhelmed when trying to work with correspondences (I know I was!) when they see a list of 20 different things from 4 different avenues; deities and zodiac signs and elements and planets, it’s too much information sometimes. That being said I do often research what ingredients are associated with what (especially for blog posts) but you’re not writing a blog; you’re manifesting for you and your family. Your intention is a far greater tool than any correspondence ever will be. And that will be my topic for the next Kitchen Witchery Basics Post.
Let me know if you’re enjoying these more magick based posts and let me know what you want to learn about next! Also, please ask any questions you have about this post.
And to piggyback on that… Do you want me to start doing Cooking Basic posts too?! What would you be looking for from that?
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