Post by callielowler on Sept 2, 2011 19:55:39 GMT -5
Charms and Such
The words charm, talisman, amulet, and fetish are often used interchangeably, although there are differences. The following are all are types of portable magick, but their differences lie in the way the energy in each is eventually applied, whether the tokens are active or passive, and the manner in which each was created:
•Charm refers to an incantation, the verses sung over an object to imbue it with magickal power, derived from the Latin word carmen, a song. This is because many charms are like a poem in that they rhyme. A charm consists of simply sacred words uttered with intention. Charms were probably the first and easiest form of portable magick. Usually the charm is repeated a certain number of times (find the attached Numbers Sheet) and sometimes they are followed by a physical charm. For example one of my favorite charms is one I use when I’m running late to class. Oftentimes, when I use it, when I arrive at my destination either class will not have started yet or the teacher is running late. It goes:
“I’m late, I’m late,
For a very important date,
But time does not exist and therefore can’t control my fate.”
And then I follow it with a physical charm, snapping the hairband on my wrist, which represents time, to remind me that time is in my control and flexible. I repeat it until I reach my destination.
•Written Spells use similar methods to working with charms. Written spells sometimes rely on auspicious astrological conjunctions or they may be written a certain number of times or in a certain way. Often times, the color of the ink is taken into account and the shape and color of the paper. The words in written charms must reflect the goal of the magick by their meaning and by the way they are written or what happens to them afterward. For instance, if you’re trying to banish something, you might write the name of the thing you want to banish backward on paper, and burn it so it disappears. Here is a written spell from the 2nd century usually used to banish illness, or negativity in general:
ABRACADABRA
ABRACADABR
ABRACADAB
ABRACADA
ABRACAD
ABRACA
ABRAC
ABRA
ABR
AB
A
Then you bury the paper in the west (which is the direction of the setting sun), and as the paper disintegrates, so will the illness or negativity.
•Talisman derives from either the Greek word telesma or the Arabic tilasm, both of which connote a marked object over which a sacred rite has been performed. A talisman may be worn, carried, or just present in the home, but it will have been consecrated for one specific purpose. For talismans to function properly the appropriate materials must be used. For example:
When making a talisman to prevent drunkenness, amethyst is an ideal base component because it helps with self-control. To this base, all manner of other materials may be added. It is especially important to create the item at a specific time and recite incantations over it. A talisman does not have to be in the right place at the right time- it can affect a person from a distance. But this means its power gets spent up quickly.
•Amulet derives from the Latin word amuletum which means to baffle or do away with, and over time an amulet came to describe an ornament worn as a protective shield against evil. Amulets are passive until something external creates a need for their energy; therefore their energy last longer. They don’t necessarily have to be carried- they can be worn, placed with valuable items, put on pet collars, hung in windows, planted in gardens or anywhere else where their protective, safe-guarding energy is needed. For example:
Europeans often carried a holey stone (any stone with a hole going through it) to ward of malicious faeries (who would be trapped in the hole).
•Fetish comes from the Portuguese word feitico, a natural object or carved image regarded as the dwelling place of a potent spiritual force. Basically, a fetish can be anything as long as the person who carries it has an emotional connection to it and regards it as representing a higher authority, power, or energy. Examples include:
The Christian Cross or the Goddess symbol, both of which represent a higher power, and many people carry as a sign of their higher power’s protection and blessing.
All practitioners of magick arts agree that any magick charm before use, should be purified, and completely divested of any previous influence before it can be consecrated. To release its innate power requires a ritual blessing which may be as elaborate or simple as one chooses.
Numbers
Zero: Unity, wholeness, completion, protection
One: Beginnings, individuality, focused energy independence, leadership, determination, strong will-power, innovativeness, courage
Two: Partnerships, joint ventures, union of opposites, balance, feminism, compromise, sensitivity, receptiveness, harmony, patience, love, cooperation
Three: Change, creativity, action, self-expression, joy, enthusiasm, imagination, inspiration, gift of words, optimism
Four: Stability, form, material goods, planning, security, tradition, practicality, hard work, cautiousness, systematic
Five: Instability, movement, communication, freedom, change, variety, unconventional, rebellion, progressiveness, resourcefulness, magnetism, sexuality, quick thinking
Six: Give and take, cooperation, fertility, nurturing, responsibility, family, duty, marriage, divorce, love, community, beauty
Seven: Inner peace, wholeness, development, contemplation, solitary, mystical, philosophy, analysis, intuition, perfectionistic, skepticism, specialization
Eight: Manifestation, wealth, work, permanence, power, material goods, success, abundance, authority, vision, organization, recognition, achievement
Nine: Growth, fulfillment, fortune, transitions, endings, completion, perfection, compassion, brotherhood, spirituality, forgiveness, multi-talent, reward
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I believe in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world. I believe that they are all God-given and I believe that they were necessary for the people to whom these religions were revealed. And I believe that if only we could all of us read the scriptures of the different faiths from the standpoints of the followers of these faiths, we should find that they were at bottom all one and were all helpful to one another.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
For me, spirituality is not necessarily the same thing as religion. Spirituality has to do with Connection: Connection to our True Selves, Connection to other human beings, Connection to all creation, and Connection to the Divine. Religion has to do with our beliefs about what this Connection is all about and how we go about practicing it.
POEM OF THE DAY
Candle, candle, burning bright,
Scented incense in the night.
Salt and water and my goal,
As above, and so below.
Crystals, cauldron, and my wand,
I seek to formulate a bond;
With the Lord and Lady fair,
My heart and soul to them I bear.
Shrouded in my cloak I see,
Lady of Moon's Mysteries.
Feel the Sun Lord's warm embrace,
See the Lord and Lady's face.
Chanting softly in the night,
Casting off all evil blight;
From this circle I have cast,
Leaving peace that's sure to last.
From this place I'll take with me,
The love and strength of Deity.
Knowing that They lie within,
Healing me, my soul, They mend.
The words charm, talisman, amulet, and fetish are often used interchangeably, although there are differences. The following are all are types of portable magick, but their differences lie in the way the energy in each is eventually applied, whether the tokens are active or passive, and the manner in which each was created:
•Charm refers to an incantation, the verses sung over an object to imbue it with magickal power, derived from the Latin word carmen, a song. This is because many charms are like a poem in that they rhyme. A charm consists of simply sacred words uttered with intention. Charms were probably the first and easiest form of portable magick. Usually the charm is repeated a certain number of times (find the attached Numbers Sheet) and sometimes they are followed by a physical charm. For example one of my favorite charms is one I use when I’m running late to class. Oftentimes, when I use it, when I arrive at my destination either class will not have started yet or the teacher is running late. It goes:
“I’m late, I’m late,
For a very important date,
But time does not exist and therefore can’t control my fate.”
And then I follow it with a physical charm, snapping the hairband on my wrist, which represents time, to remind me that time is in my control and flexible. I repeat it until I reach my destination.
•Written Spells use similar methods to working with charms. Written spells sometimes rely on auspicious astrological conjunctions or they may be written a certain number of times or in a certain way. Often times, the color of the ink is taken into account and the shape and color of the paper. The words in written charms must reflect the goal of the magick by their meaning and by the way they are written or what happens to them afterward. For instance, if you’re trying to banish something, you might write the name of the thing you want to banish backward on paper, and burn it so it disappears. Here is a written spell from the 2nd century usually used to banish illness, or negativity in general:
ABRACADABRA
ABRACADABR
ABRACADAB
ABRACADA
ABRACAD
ABRACA
ABRAC
ABRA
ABR
AB
A
Then you bury the paper in the west (which is the direction of the setting sun), and as the paper disintegrates, so will the illness or negativity.
•Talisman derives from either the Greek word telesma or the Arabic tilasm, both of which connote a marked object over which a sacred rite has been performed. A talisman may be worn, carried, or just present in the home, but it will have been consecrated for one specific purpose. For talismans to function properly the appropriate materials must be used. For example:
When making a talisman to prevent drunkenness, amethyst is an ideal base component because it helps with self-control. To this base, all manner of other materials may be added. It is especially important to create the item at a specific time and recite incantations over it. A talisman does not have to be in the right place at the right time- it can affect a person from a distance. But this means its power gets spent up quickly.
•Amulet derives from the Latin word amuletum which means to baffle or do away with, and over time an amulet came to describe an ornament worn as a protective shield against evil. Amulets are passive until something external creates a need for their energy; therefore their energy last longer. They don’t necessarily have to be carried- they can be worn, placed with valuable items, put on pet collars, hung in windows, planted in gardens or anywhere else where their protective, safe-guarding energy is needed. For example:
Europeans often carried a holey stone (any stone with a hole going through it) to ward of malicious faeries (who would be trapped in the hole).
•Fetish comes from the Portuguese word feitico, a natural object or carved image regarded as the dwelling place of a potent spiritual force. Basically, a fetish can be anything as long as the person who carries it has an emotional connection to it and regards it as representing a higher authority, power, or energy. Examples include:
The Christian Cross or the Goddess symbol, both of which represent a higher power, and many people carry as a sign of their higher power’s protection and blessing.
All practitioners of magick arts agree that any magick charm before use, should be purified, and completely divested of any previous influence before it can be consecrated. To release its innate power requires a ritual blessing which may be as elaborate or simple as one chooses.
Numbers
Zero: Unity, wholeness, completion, protection
One: Beginnings, individuality, focused energy independence, leadership, determination, strong will-power, innovativeness, courage
Two: Partnerships, joint ventures, union of opposites, balance, feminism, compromise, sensitivity, receptiveness, harmony, patience, love, cooperation
Three: Change, creativity, action, self-expression, joy, enthusiasm, imagination, inspiration, gift of words, optimism
Four: Stability, form, material goods, planning, security, tradition, practicality, hard work, cautiousness, systematic
Five: Instability, movement, communication, freedom, change, variety, unconventional, rebellion, progressiveness, resourcefulness, magnetism, sexuality, quick thinking
Six: Give and take, cooperation, fertility, nurturing, responsibility, family, duty, marriage, divorce, love, community, beauty
Seven: Inner peace, wholeness, development, contemplation, solitary, mystical, philosophy, analysis, intuition, perfectionistic, skepticism, specialization
Eight: Manifestation, wealth, work, permanence, power, material goods, success, abundance, authority, vision, organization, recognition, achievement
Nine: Growth, fulfillment, fortune, transitions, endings, completion, perfection, compassion, brotherhood, spirituality, forgiveness, multi-talent, reward
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I believe in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world. I believe that they are all God-given and I believe that they were necessary for the people to whom these religions were revealed. And I believe that if only we could all of us read the scriptures of the different faiths from the standpoints of the followers of these faiths, we should find that they were at bottom all one and were all helpful to one another.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
For me, spirituality is not necessarily the same thing as religion. Spirituality has to do with Connection: Connection to our True Selves, Connection to other human beings, Connection to all creation, and Connection to the Divine. Religion has to do with our beliefs about what this Connection is all about and how we go about practicing it.
POEM OF THE DAY
Candle, candle, burning bright,
Scented incense in the night.
Salt and water and my goal,
As above, and so below.
Crystals, cauldron, and my wand,
I seek to formulate a bond;
With the Lord and Lady fair,
My heart and soul to them I bear.
Shrouded in my cloak I see,
Lady of Moon's Mysteries.
Feel the Sun Lord's warm embrace,
See the Lord and Lady's face.
Chanting softly in the night,
Casting off all evil blight;
From this circle I have cast,
Leaving peace that's sure to last.
From this place I'll take with me,
The love and strength of Deity.
Knowing that They lie within,
Healing me, my soul, They mend.
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