Secondly, sympathetic magic is a form of magic that uses complex connections and interactions between things to set in motion the magical process. So, for a crude example, if you were to put an adhesive bandage on a picture of yourself, as a symbol of your healing journey, then you could be telling the universe that you want to protect yourself from further damage, and to allow the problem to improve uninhibited, or that you need a quick solution. You're using a healing tool, in this case, a bandage, which has real healing properties, and putting it into a symbolic use on your picture, which represents everything about the image you send out to the world, and so, you might find that not only does your ailment improve, also the way people see you could improve, maybe they see that you're resilient, or 'a fighter' or have great perseverance. and that image you are sending out becomes something people reflect back to you, and you take it in, and it helps.
Third, I think mental health and physical health are inseparable. doing magic, in my opinion, is always a path of self growth, be it learning, healing, maturing, or bonding with others. Spirituality is about finding meaning and connection. Magic is one way we express that, to the universe. So if you are struggling with mental health, probably there is something in your physical life that is out of balance too. Magic helps us find that balance, and heal through pulling from the blessings of the elements, or the gods, or the spirits, or the ancestors, what we need to fulfill our needs. It also helps us because in helping others with our magic, we channel that energy, it passes through us and works in us as well as making it's way to the target of our healing or helping magic. Everything is interconnected, so when we think positive affirmations and smile, that actually effects change on our biochemistry, and that smile is contagious magic, others see it and smile back, effecting their biochemistry, and they have a better day. it's the same with the magic people don't see directly. we hold that light and love for someone, and on some level, through the cosmos, they are loved and brightened by it, and that filters through for them in mysterious ways. I believe that. So by maintaining healthy intentions and practices in thought, word, and deed, we contribute to our physical wellness as much as our mental.
There are also ways in which psychosomatic healing works in magic. If you have ever seen the magic trick adults play on kids, apparently pulling a coin out of their ear, you'll know that magic tricks effect a change on people's perceptions of the world. If you are to pull, say, a representation of a cancerous tumour out of someone's belly with the same sleight of hand, only doing it ceremonially, with a visualization or deep meditation or hypnotic trance, there is a good chance that they will take that into their worldview, whether they consciously buy it or not, and they will be helped in their healing from the cancer. I haven't seen this example in action, i just know the power of suggestion is very strong on multiple levels and we internalize hope and the will to go on through the real lived evidence and experiences in life that confirm our beliefs about how difficult or challenging our struggles are.
Magic and healing physical illness can go hand in hand by bringing family or community together as well, surrounding the person with positive energy through the love, the attention, the knowledge that so-and-so lit a candle for them, and so-and-so made them a flax heating pillow, and people care, and not out of pity, or to appear sympathetic to others, but as a community or family participating together in the healing journey of the one afflicted individual, working toward a common goal of ushering the person through the illness or injury like midwives or psychopomps. Those two archetypes are huge in magic and healing work.
Another way you can help magically with healing yourself or someone else from physical ailment is using blessed items. I have some ribbons that were blessed at Imbolc ceremonies from Brid's Girdle, which was held up and folks walked around the circle of sacred space and through the 'girdle' , a braided ring of fabric with ribbons woven loosely into it that could be pulled out for the participants. Brid or Brigid is a Celtic goddess of Healing, Poetry and Smithcraft, also of the hearth fire, midwifery, and brewing. So to have her blessings is a powerful magical help, and combined with a poem or prayer, some home cooked food, a libation, etc, in my opinion, that would amplify the benefits.
Then there are practical ways, like applying a magical ointment on an injury. it might have healing herbs in the ingredients, but even just using a basic shea butter or coconut oil on, say, a wound that had been stitched up, would be super beneficial, so adding the right, say, essential oils, that have been charged on your altar, would only increase the benefit by applying magical intention to the already effective treatment. There are all kinds of lotions, potions, and medicines that we can pull together that make sense for mundane reasons, but are amplified with our sacred inspiration.
Blessings on your healing journey,
♥ Jacki