Correspondences and Meanings

There are several lists on the internet for different meanings for colors, totems, etc. However if you look through them, you'll find that many of them have differences. Before I get into the reason behind this though, lets do some talk about how magick works.

Magick (as many of us have learned) is powered by the subconscious mind, which then manipulates us and our surrounding energies to bring about the result we have told it to (the subconscious is also where messages to the deities are sent and received). When we are performing a spell, ritual or any source of magick we are telling our subconscious mind what we want.It is important to understand the language your own subconscious speaks. You wouldn't walk up to someone and begin speaking a language they don't know, so should you also learn to communicate with the subconscious mind.

Images, colors and feelings is the language of the subconscious mind. However each mind has a different slang it speaks (just as people from the Northern USA and Southern USA have different terminology in some areas). It is for this reason it is best to make your OWN list of correspondences and meanings. You can use other lists as guides to help you get started, as long as you remember it may not hold true for you and to edit any parts that doesn't hold true.

Colors:
List any colors that you use or relate to regularly. It's best to do the ROY G. BIV  (Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo and Violet) to start then add to it colors that you also feel should be included (Pink, Silver, Gold, Brown, White, Black, Lavender etc.). Once you've made your list, start writing down thoughts and whatever comes to your mind for the color. Does it make you think of health, danger, children, joy, etc?

Do this with other lists. Animals, Food, etc. You might add to the list later on so don't worry about getting every single one, just write down the ones that come to mind. One list you shouldn't make on your own is Incense, Oils, and Herbs as those have had study gone into them. Incense and Oils are usually based on aromatherapy techniques and Herbs are usually studied thoroughly.
With Gems I use a combination of Premade and Personal. I use my colors to help interpret what it's for, then I go to a premade list of gems and combine the meaning. Like Tiger's Eye is supposed to be protection, but I go to my color list and see that the Blue means dreams and fortune telling, so with those two in hand I determine that Blue Tiger's Eye (for me) is protection during dreams and any divination.

It is important to use what works best for you, sure there are some that follow by the book but for the best outcome your own method is the one to choose.