Witchcraft for Beginners: Valentine’s Day Magical Correspondences

Certain holidays are simply magical—and Valentine’s Day is one of them. For centuries, countless people have been pouring energy into this holiday, filling it with the energy of thoughts like love, romance, and beauty. After a while, that becomes some powerful magic to tap into.

When crafting spells and rituals, choosing the right components can really help bring conducive energy to your working, and can act as a ‘mind trigger’ that pushes all the right buttons in your brain. While no list should be thought of as comprehensive or set in stone, it can be good to have a general idea, especially when you’re new to Witchcraft.

Here’s a list of magical correspondences for Valentine’s Day, should you choose to do something special.

Colors have a profound impact on the psyche. In magic, they can really help with focus and getting into the ideal state of mind. There's no 'right' or 'wrong' color to use—the important thing is to use the color that embodies your magical goal. Still, certain colors are embedded in the consciousness and have a universal meaning.

Choose one or more of these colors for your altar cloth, candle, fabrics, pouches, jars, inks, or any items you might be using for a ritual.

• Blue: The color most closely associated with the Element of Water, the sacred Element that rules over emotions. Blue is an excellent color when seeking to bring peace and harmony into a relationship, or when looking to foster the emotional connection.
• Green: This color is associated with the heart chakra, which is basically the body's processing center for things like love and compassion. Great for when dealing with serious relationships, emotional intimacy, platonic love, or healing relationship problems.
• Pink: Pink is a diluted color, thus dealing with the more subtle, passive expressions of love. It's the color best associated with innocent love: love found in friendship or family (platonic love), or innocent romance.
• Red: The color associated with true passion. It's the color of the root chakra, which is located at your genitals. This is the body's processing center for sexuality and the sexual/carnal appetite. Use it for hot, sizzling, passionate love.
• White: Not really a color, but white generally deals with true love in its purest forms. In many cultures, it's the color associated with weddings. White, since it absorbs all colors, is the most suitable substitute for any color.

• All-Purpose Love: Agate, alexandrite, amethyst, beryl, emerald, garnet, jade, lapis lazuli, malachite, pearl, rose quartz, sapphire, sugilite, topaz, tourmaline, zircon
• Attracting Love: Amber, calcite, loadstone, rose quartz, rhodochrosite, tourmaline
• Healing Love/from Love: Amber, calcite, carnelian, copper, emerald, lapis lazuli, malachite, rhodocrosite, sunstone, turquoise
• Romance: Amethyst, aventurine, moonstone, rose quartz, turquoise,
• Strengthening/Reinforcing Love: Garnet, malachite, mother-of-pearl,
• Sexual Energy: Aventurine, calcite, rhodochrosite (also promotes pregnancy, so be careful!), ruby sunstone, zircon.

While I don't recommend picking Gods and Goddesses off a list the way you would order from a Chinese take-out menu, these deities listed below are generally associated with some aspect of love, sex, relationships, marriage or romance. If you work with any of these Gods or Goddesses, or if they are part of the pantheon you worship, you might consider seeking their aid to your workings.

If you are unfamiliar with a deity or their culture, I highly recommend doing research and connecting to that deity to form a relationship before beginning to ask them for help.

The power of herbs has always been among one of my favorite things to draw on for magical workings. I keep a small but very serviceable herb garden in containers on my screen porch, and I use herbs for infusions, oils, brews and potions, incense, pouches, powders, crafts, and even magical cooking. If you are into any form of kitchen witchery, herbs are a must!

This is a very general listing all manner of flora related to love. I recommend if anything catches your fancy, do your research.

For Love:

• 2 parts lavender
• 1 part sandalwood
• 1/2 part lemon rind

For Romance:

• 1 part copal
• 1 part rose petals
• 1 part jasmine
• 1/2 part basil
• 1/2 part sage

For Passion:

• 1 part dragon's blood
• 1 part cinnamon
• 1 part powdered maple wood
• few drops of apple blossom oil

The recipes above are all my own recipes that I've designed over the years. For more information on how to make raw incense—the kind I prefer to work with—please see my article: Wicca For Beginners: How to Make Incense. It gives you an overview of making and using raw incense: ingredients, how to measure, grind, and finally how to burn them safely and effectively.

• Aphrodisiacs: Arugula, artichokes, avocados, bananas, cherries, chili peppers, chocolate, figs, green M&M's, honey, olive oil, oysters, pine nuts, pomegranate, pumpkin seeds, strawberries, watermelon.
• Beverages: Red or pink wines, honey mead, hot chocolate (with whipped cream!), pomegranate juice, chamomile and rose tea.
• Cooking with Herbs and Spices: Basil, cinnamon, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, tomato.
• Ideal Recipes: Chocolate-covered strawberries, cherry tart or pies, oyster dishes, pasta with pesto sauce, salads (particularly tomatoes) drizzled with olive oil dressings.

And don't forget the big, heart-shaped box of chocolate candies!