"It would be a selfish waste to accumulate knowledge and keep it all to oneself, so I have written this book. Different practitioners work magick differently. Some have no need for correspondences, but those who work as I do will find Holland's Grimoire indispensable." - From the book
For individuals who use spells, rituals, charms, and recipes as part of their spiritual path, correspondences are often an important part of magick. Author Eileen Holland, a Wiccan priestess and solitary eclectic witch, began noting correspondences when researching the ancient names of plants while living in Egypt. The information she included in her Book of Shadows was vast and she spent a decade transferring correspondences to her computer-all the while continuing research and adding more.
In Holland's Grimoire of Magickal Correspondences, Ms. Holland shares her extensive knowledge with the world, believing that the "best way to guard the Mysteries is to reveal them." Spanning 305 pages, this book is intended for experienced practitioners of magick and organized alphabetically according to intent. Some intentions have basic correspondences such as Planets, Elements, Seasons, and Astrological Signs. Other intentions have extensive correspondences including:
* Tool - Something used to accomplish a task (e.g. athames, candles, cords, rattles, wands, pendulums, etc.)
* Method - Technique or procedure for achieving a desired result (e.g. anointing, chanting, smudging, gestures, affirmations, etc.)
* Charm - Something that adds to the magick of a spell or ritual (e.g. feathers, shells, necklaces, magick powders, coins, etc.)
* Animals - Birds, reptiles, insects, fish, mammals, and mythological creatures
* Potion - Something you can drink
* Incense - Plants that can be burned
* Stone - Minerals and metallic elements
* Oil - Food, essential, and fragrance
* Plants - Toxic and non-toxic
* Gods and Goddesses - Also including Afro-Carribean loas and orishas as well as the bodhisattvas of Buddhism
* Evocation - Non-divinities such as angels, heroes, nature spirits, and demigods
* Protection - Amulets and Talismans
Other correspondences that may be included are colors, numbers, days of the week, moon phase, direction, time, and months.
Under each intention are appropriate sub-headings that are often cross-referenced. For example, under Alertness, you'll find the general correspondences but also information for and Alert Mind, Alertness to Danger and Alertness to Opportunities. When looking under Home, again there are general correspondences but a myriad of sub-categories such as Happy Home, New Home, Calm Home, Prosperous Home, Home Improvements, Attracting a New Home, Protecting a Home, and much more.
Holland's Grimoire of Magickal Correspondences is chock full of information for Craft working. Unfortunately, it doesn't include correspondences for runes, chakras, or tarot cards-which is information I'd be especially interested in. Also omitted are Sabbat correlations. The author says there was no room to include these correspondences, so she may have been forced by the publisher to limit her inclusions. This is unfortunate, because some practitioners consider chakra and Tarot correlations as very important parts of their spiritual path.
Still, there's no other book out there (that I know of) which provides such thorough cataloguing of intentions and correspondences. It's obvious that Ms. Holland is an excellent researcher who aims at making esoteric information accessible to those ready and able to use it. If correspondences are an important part of your spiritual practice, you'll benefit from the wealth of information found in Holland's Grimoire of Magickal Correspondences.
