Talismans
are intended to provide power, energy, and specific
benefits they are often made at times that are
believed to be spiritually or astrologically
significant. They are frequently made from stone,
metal, or parchment as these substances can easily
be inscribed with words or pictures to add
additional power. Many talismans come from predatory
animals. A leopard’s claw, shark’s tooth, or eagle’s
feather, for instance, are believed to endow the
wearer with some of the qualities of the animal from
which it came.
People in competitive fields, such as sport,
frequently have talismans to help them achieve their
goals. Vida Blue—a famous Oakland A’s baseball
pitcher in the 1970s and 80s—had a special cap that
became his talisman. Finally, it became so old and
faded that league officials threatened to suspend
him if he did not change it. Blue got himself a new
cap, and ceremonially burned his old cap at a
pre-game ceremony.
The most famous talisman is a six-pointed star, made
from two overlapping triangles. The upward pointing
triangle symbolizes fire, the sky, and male energy.
The downward pointing triangle symbolizes water,
earth, and female energy. The power of this talisman
is such that mystic Arthur Edward Waite wrote:
“Nothing was believed impossible for those who
possessed it.” (A. E. Waite, The Occult Sciences
[Secaucus, NJ: University Books, 1974], 111). As the
Star of David, this talisman symbolizes both the
Jewish religion and the nation of Israel. It is also
known as the Seal of Solomon because King Solomon is
believed to have used it. However, it predates his
time by hundreds of years.
Amulets have been worn for protection for thousands
of years. Early peoples lived in a world where
strange and frightening things occurred that defied
explanation. Consequently, amulets were used to
protect homes, families, and livestock.
Amulets were also used to protect people from the
“evil eye.” The belief that a person or animal could
harm another by staring at them with an evil eye
dates back at least five thousand years, and ancient
clay tablets have been found that describe the
damage that the evil eye can inflict. The Sumerian
god Ea spent most of his time fighting the evil eye.
Even today, in many parts of the world, the evil eye
is considered a major threat, and various kinds of
amulets are used to avert it.
Amulets were originally natural items, such as an
animal’s tooth or a semi-precious stone. However,
you can choose anything you like. Medals, bells,
keys, and photographs can all be used as amulets.
Many police officers in early twentieth-century New
York carried St. Jude medals with them for
protection. St. Jude is the patron saint of
policemen.
Knots make effective amulets because they are
believed to catch evil spirits. My grandmother tied
knots on all her kitchen aprons to protect both her
and the food she was preparing.
Take your time when choosing an amulet. Think about
your purpose in wanting one, and how you will wear
or carry it. On several occasions, amulets seem to
have found me when I needed them. On one occasion, a
man I met at an airport gave me a small piece of
hematite. I was on my way to see someone to discuss
a business proposition. The hematite protected me
from his overpowering manner.
Crystals and gemstones have been used as amulets and
talismans for thousands of years. In fact, it is
believed that people wore earrings and necklaces
before they started wearing clothes. During the
Crusades, many soldiers carried talismanic stones
carved with runic messages. They also carried
bloodstones because this type of stone was
associated with Mars, the god of war. The soldiers
felt that bloodstones would make them brave in
battle and protect them from harm.
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