Authors: Carl F. Neal
Tags: #incense, #magick, #senses, #magic, #pellets, #seals, #charcoal, #meditation, #rituals, #games, #burning, #burning methods, #chaining, #smudging, #herbal blends, #natural, #all-natural
Appendix of
Correspondences
P
ersonally, I have always felt that correspondence charts written by others have limited usefulness. Although authors can cite traditional associations or their personal associations based on their own studies, I still believe that the best way to understand how and when to use any particular aromatic or blend is to listen to the aromatic yourself. Sit in a quiet space and enjoy the scent. Then open yourself to the aromatic and listen to what it tells you. If you listen, you might find that you need to use an aromatic in a way that directly contradicts what is written here. I encourage you to listen to your aromatics and don't let any bookâeven this oneâdictate how you choose to use your incense.
That being said, some people are new to the path and need a starting place. It is also useful to hear opinions of others, so I offer my own correspondence charts. Even I have used many aromatics in ways different than what I list here. This is a combination of traditional correspondences and those from my own practices that I hope will be useful to the novice; still, I strongly encourage you to “listen” to aromatics and create your own correspondence chart if you feel you need one.
Elements
Air:
acacia, anise, benzoin, gum arabic, horehound, hops, lavender, lemongrass, marjoram, mastic, oak moss, palo santo, parsley, pine, sage, sandalwood (red), star anise
Fire:
allspice, bay leaf (laurel), cedar, cinnamon, clove, copal, damiana, dragon's blood, frankincense, galangal, ginger, golden seal, guar gum, hyssop, juniper, pennyroyal, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, turmeric, woodruff
Water:
calamus, camphor, cardamom, catnip, chamomile, coltsfoot, costus, eucalyptus, hibiscus, irish moss, myrrh, myrtle, sandalwood (yellow), spikenard, thyme, tonka bean, tragacanth gum, valerian, white willow
Earth:
aloeswood, amber, makko (tabu noki), mugwort, patchouli, red cedar, vetiver, wild lettuce, yohimbe
Seasons
Spring:
anise, chamomile, damiana, gum arabic, guar gum, hibiscus, hyssop, lemongrass, marjoram, myrtle, palo santo, pennyroyal, rosemary, spikenard, star anise, wild lettuce
Summer:
acacia, allspice, bay leaf (laurel), camphor, catnip, cinnamon, clove, copal, dragon's blood, galangal, ginger, horehound, hops, lavender, makko (tabu noki), patchouli, sage, tragacanth gum, turmeric
Autumn:
aloeswood, benzoin, coltsfoot, goldenseal, irish moss, mastic, myrrh, oak moss, red cedar, saffron, sandalwood (yellow), tarragon, thyme, tonka bean, white willow
Winter:
amber, calamus, cardamom, cedar, costus, eucalyptus, frankincense, juniper, mugwort, pine, sandalwood (red), valerian, vetiver, woodruff, yohimbe
Specific Purposes
Cleansing:
aloeswood, anise, bay leaf (laurel), benzoin, chamomile, copal, frankincense, lavender, palo santo, parsley, rosemary, sage, sandalwood (red), vetiver
Divination:
aloeswood, camphor, coltsfoot, damiana, hibiscus, hops, mugwort, sage, sandalwood (red), white willow, wild lettuce
Healing:
amber, bay leaf (laurel), calamus, camphor, cedar, cinnamon, eucalyptus, galangal, goldenseal, horehound, juniper, marjoram, mugwort, myrrh, pine, rosemary, sandalwood (yellow), spikenard, thyme, white willow
Love:
cardamom, catnip, chamomile, clove, coltsfoot, copal, costus, damiana, dragon's blood, ginger, hibiscus, lavender, marjoram, myrtle, patchouli, saffron, vetiver, white willow, yohimbe
Luck:
calamus, irish moss, oak moss, palo santo, star anise
Protection:
acacia, amber, bay leaf (laurel), cedar, cinnamon, clove, dragon's blood, eucalyptus, frankincense, galangal, gum arabic, horehound, hyssop, juniper, lavender, myrrh, parsley, pine, woodruff
Prosperity:
allspice, benzoin, calamus, galangal, goldenseal, irish moss, oak moss, patchouli
Purification:
acacia, cedar, hyssop, sage, turmeric
Sleep:
chamomile, hops, lavender, rosemary, thyme, valerian
Strength:
cinnamon, dragon's blood, ginger, mugwort, palo santo, pennyroyal, red cedar, saffron, tarragon
Success:
cinnamon, ginger
Aromatic Chart
Common Name | Latin Name | Elemental | Season | Purposes |
Acacia | Acacia senegal | Air | Summer | protection, purification |
Allspice | Eugenia pementa | Fire | Summer | money, prosperity, wisdom |
Aloeswood | Lignum aquilariae | Earth | Autumn | cleansing, meditation, divination |
Amber | n/a | Earth | Winter | healing, protection |
Anise (seed) | Pimpinella anisum | Air | Spring | cleansing, youth |
Bay leaf (laurel) | Laurus nobilis | Fire | Summer | protection, healing, cleansing |
Benzoin Gum | Styrax benzoin | Air | Autumn | cleansing, prosperity |
Calamus (root) | Acorus calamus | Water | Winter | luck, healing, money, protection |
Camphor | Cinnamomum camphora, et.al. | Water | Summer | healing, divination |
Cardamom | Ellettaria cardamomum | Water | Winter | love, care |
Catnip | Nepeta cataria | Water | Summer | felines, love, beauty, happiness |
Cedar | Cedrus spp. | Fire | Winter | healing, purification, protection |
Chamomile | Matricaria chamomilla | Water | Spring | sleep, love, cleansing |
Cinnamon (cassia) | Cinnamomum cassia | Fire | Summer | success, healing, power, protection |
Clove | Caryophyllus aromaticus | Fire | Summer | protection, exorcism, love |
Coltsfoot | Tussilago farfara | Water | Autumn | visions, love |
Copal | Buresera microphylla | Fire | Summer | love, cleansing |
Costus (root) | Saussurea lappa | Water | Winter | love, rejuvenation |
Damiana | Turnera aphrodisiaca | Fire | Spring | love, visions |
Dragon's Blood | Calamus draco | Fire | Summer | love, protection, exorcism, potency |
Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus globules | Water | Winter | healing, protection |
Frankincense | Boswellia spp. | Fire | Winter | protection, summoning, cleansing |
Common Name | Latin Name | Elemental | Season | Purposes |
Galangal (root) | Alpina officinalis | Fire | Summer | protection, health, money, hex-breaking |
Ginger (root) | Zingiber officinale | Fire | Summer | love, success, power |
Goldenseal (root) | Hydrastis canadensis | Fire | Autumn | money, healing |
Gum Arabic | Acacia Senegal | Air | Spring | protection |
Guar gum | Cyamopsis tetragonolobus | Fire | Spring | devotion |
Hibiscus | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Water | Spring | love, lust, divination |
Horehound | Marrubium vulgare | Air | Summer | protection, mental powers, healing |
Hops (flower) | Humulus lupulus | Air | Summer | sleep, visions |
Hyssop | Hyssopus officinalis | Fire | Spring | purification, protection, sanctification |
Irish moss | Chrondus crispus | Water | Autumn | money, luck |
Juniper | Juniperus spp. | Fire | Winter | protection, health, sanctification |
Lavender (flowers) | Lavandula officinalis | Air | Summer | love, protection, sleep, cleansing |
Lemongrass | Cymbopogon citratus | Air | Spring | separation, purity |
Makko (tabu) | Machilus thunbergii | Earth | Summer | cleansing, truth |
Marjoram | Origanum majorana | Air | Spring | love, happiness, protection |
Mastic | Pistacia lenticus | Air | Autumn | transformation, visions |
Mugwort | Artemisia vulgaris | Earth | Winter | strength, divination, healing |
Myrrh | Commiphora molmol | Water | Autumn | protection, healing, spirituality |
Myrtle (leaf) | Myrtus communis | Water | Spring | fertility, love, long life |
Oak moss | Evernia prunastri | Air | Autumn | luck, money |
Palo Santo | Bursera graveolens | Air | Spring | cleansing, luck, strength |
Parsley (leaf) | Petroselinum sativum | Air | Spring | protection, cleansing, fertility |
Common Name | Latin Name | Elemental | Season | Purposes |
Patchouli (leaf) | Pogostemon patchouli | Earth | Summer | money, fertility, lust |
Pennyroyal | Mentha pulegium | Fire | Spring | strength, protection, peace |
Pine | Pinus spp. | Air | Winter | healing, fertility, protection |
Red cedar | Juniperus virginiana | Earth | Autumn | strength, honor, honesty |
Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | Fire | Spring | sleep, healing, cleansing |
Saffron | Crocus sativus linnaeus | Fire | Autumn | love, strength, happiness |
Sage (leaf) | Salvia officinalis | Air | Spring | immortality, longevity, wishes |
Sage (white) | Salvia apiana | Air | Spring | divination, cleansing, purification |
Sandalwood | Santalum album | Water | Autumn | wishes, healing, spirituality(yellow) |
Sandalwood (red) | Pterocarpus santalinus | Air | Winter | cleansing, revelation |
Spikenard | Aralia racemosa | Water | Spring | health, fidelity |
Star Anise | Illicium anisatum | Air | Spring | luck, power |
Tarragon (leaf) | Artemisia dracunculus | Fire | Autumn | strength, courage |
Thyme (leaf) | Thymus vulgaris | Water | Autumn | health, sleep, courage |
Tonka (bean) | Dipteryx odorato | Water | Autumn | courage, wishes, love |
Tragacanth gum | Astragalus tragacantha | Water | Summer | binding |
Turmeric | Cucurma longa | Fire | Summer | purification |
Valerian (root) | Valeriana officinalis | Water | Winter | sleep, cleansing, love |
Vetiver (root) | Vetiveria zizanioides | Earth | Winter | luck, money, hex-breaking |
White willow | Salix alba | Water | Autumn | love, divination, healing |
Wild lettuce | Lactuca virosa | Earth | Spring | divination, visions, revelation |
Woodruff | Asperula odorata | Fire | Winter | victory, protection |
Yohimbe (root) | Pausinystalia yohimbe | Earth | Winter | love, lust, desire |