Sympathetic Magic

Sympathetic, or imitative, magic is a ritual practice based on the principle that like affects like. A desired event is represented through a corresponding action, image, object, or performance, with the expectation that the imitation will help produce the same result in reality. Examples include damaging a figure to harm the person it represents, pouring water to induce rain, or reenacting healing to restore health. The practice assumes that resemblance creates an effective link between the ritual act and its intended target, allowing the symbolic performance to act upon the person, object, or event represented.